Test kits for planted tank?

[karen99]

What specific tests are required for a good planted tank? Is there any test for CO2?
Also, has anyone tried the Quick Dip test kit? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=11270&N=2004+113074
It looks easy but maybe not as accurate as other tests?

Thanks.

[phanmc]

The following are essential for plants and fish health:

ammonia
nitrite
nitrate
pH
kH

Nitrates should be measured not just for the fishes' health, but plants uses it as nutrients and you'll want to ensure that a small amount is always present.

You can measure your CO2 level by comparing your pH level to your kH level. There's a chart and calculator at Chuck Gadd's site.

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

Many people don't trust the dipstick tests. I think they are reliable if you keep them dry, moisture will ruin the kits so its probably better to go with the liquid kind.

There are other tests that will be useful to measure nutrients in the water but check out the sticky about fertilization in the plant forum first.

[Roan Art]

I agree with phanmc, but I don't like the strip tests and feel they are not accurate enough to get a good handle on what the numbers are.

Just my opinion there.

That aside, there are tests for CO2 and O2, however the rep at Red Sea informed me that they are only accurate -- paraphrased -- "if you are standing right at the tank and using the test tube to get the water and mix it up immediately".

In other words, it works, but no human could possibly use the test kit fast enough to produce a viable number. The kit just exists to make money and they have a good excuse as to why you couldn't make it work <-- my opinion.

But, since I do have a CO2 testing kit -- which I bought before I asked the rep -- and am doing CO2 injection, I intend to test the CO2 with the kit and see how it compares to the numbers I get with using pH and KH. Should be interesting :)

The Plant forum here is pretty darn good with some very knowledgable peoples. I'd check it out.

Roan

[karen99]

Thanks. I just wanted an idea of what I would need to get started.