Pentair 6 in 1 test strips UPDATE

[gsk177]

As promised I am posting the results of my comparison of the Pentair 6 in 1 test strips vs my Aquarium Pharm liquid test kit.

For those unfamiliar, I emailed Pentair about a week ago and requested a single test strip so that I could compare the results to my liquid kit.
An email the next day told me they were sending me one free of charge. I told them I would be posting the results of the comparison on AC and would forward the results to them as well.

Today, I get a UPS package from Pentair containing an entire package of 25 test strips!!! $16.00 value from Petsolutions.com. A nice gesture to say the least.

The entire kit consists of 2 kits. One kit contains a NH3 test strip only. The other kit contains a 5 way strip that tests Alkalinity, pH, NO2, NO3, and Hardness.
For testing NH3, you dip the test drip in the tank for 5 seconds...wait 60 seconds and compare the results to the scale on the bottle.
For the 5 way test, you dip the strip into the tank and swirl it around 2 times. You immediately read the Hardness, Alkalinity, and pH. You wait 30 seconds to read NO3 and NO2.

Below are the values on the color chart to be used for comparing the strips
NH3 ppm 0 0.5 1.0 3.0 and 6.0
Hardness ppm 0 80 120 180 240 300
Alkalinity ppm 0 80 120 180 240 300
pH Fresh 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0
pH Salt 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0
NO2 ppm 0 0.5 1 3 5 10
NO3 ppm 0 20 40 80 160 200


OK on to the results....

Testing took place on my 55g established tank for over 3 years.


Pentair results-------------Aquarium Pharm results----------Difference

Hardness 240ppm----------GH 17degrees or 303 ppm---------3.5 degrees
Alkalinity 80ppm-----------no test -------------------------- no test
pH 7.5-8.0------------------7.6 --------------------------unknown
NO2 0 ------------------------0-----------------------------none
NO3 0 --------------------- 10ppm-------------------------10ppm
NH3 0------------------------- 0-------------------------------0

The only real discrepancy was that of the NO3 NitrAte reading. The Pentair test showed no nitrates while my liquid test showed 10ppm.
The pH chart on the Pentair kit could use some real improvement. THe colors are so close to together that my strip didnt match the 7.5 or the 8.0 but fell somewhere in between.
My liquid test kit did not have a test for Alkalinity, so it was not compared.

I am going to wait about a week before emailing Pentair with a copy of this thread and the discussion that takes place about the results.

This is by no means meant to be a scientific study of any sorts, but rather just an observation done side by side for what its worth. I only compared their kit with one other kit and not a whole array of different kits. These are just two commonly purchased hobbiest kits being compared against each other to see what the results were.

I have used the Aquarium Pharm master test for about 4 years and have relied on it to tell me where my water parameters are. After comparing it to the Pentair kit, I have found that the two gave me very similar results and results from which I can draw conclusions about my water.

I, like most hobbiests, do not need to know EXACT #'s on my water parameters. I do not necessarily need to know that my water has 256ppm Hardness as opposed to 250ppm hardness, but rather that I have 250ppm hardness as opposed to 200ppm hardness. I do not need to know that my nitrites are .000678ppm but rather I have < or > .5ppm. Neither test detected the presence of NH3 and neither test alerted me to any problems that my tank may have. Further testing is needed to determine if NO3 readings on the Pentair test are accurate, but the results given to me by both tests raised no red flags as to needed attention on my part. The only real potential problem I found was with that of the color chart on the Pentair test for pH. This is not really a problem with THEIR test kit as it is a problem with BOTH test kits. The color variations make it so hard to determine EXACTLY where the pH falls, but still puts me in the ballpark and BOTH tests for pH are good enough for my needs and my situation.

Any feedback, questions, or further testing inquiries are welcomed.

I have 24 more test strips and I am going to save them in case others who post here have any suggestions for further tests and comparisons.

I am also going to test my other 3 tanks as time allows and I will post the results in subsequent posts.

 

[Harlock]

Since you got more than one strip, any chance you could set up a five gallon bucket and try out the ammonia having added some pure ammonia, like for a fishless cycle? Also, if you happen to have Prime or Amquel on hand, any chance you could test the strips vs. your AP test after you dosed to create ammonium?

 

[gsk177]

Since you got more than one strip, any chance you could set up a five gallon bucket and try out the ammonia having added some pure ammonia, like for a fishless cycle? Also, if you happen to have Prime or Amquel on hand, any chance you could test the strips vs. your AP test after you dosed to create ammonium?

Just finished 3 tests using different amounts of NH3 added to a 5g bucket.

I tried to read the results as best I could based on the varying shades of green.

Test 1, 2 and 3 respectively:

Pentair------------AP test
Test 1 ~.5----------------1.0
Test 2 1.0 to 2.0-----------1-2ppm
Test 3 3.0 to 6.0----------between 4.0 and 8.0ppm

The Pentair test goes from 3.0 to 6.0 and the AP test shoots from 4.0 and then 8.0ppm I tried to read the results as best I could given the varying shades of green on the AP test and the varying shades of grey on the Pentair test.

As far as getting an exact #, neither test could give me one, but both tests seem to put me in the same ballpark. With the larger NH3 concentrations, the average between the two results seems to put me somewhere in the neighborhood of 5ppm.

I am running low on Prime, so Ill wait until I have a new bottle before I test the effects of Prime on the water sample.

 

[JSchmidt]

Cool idea for a thread!

The pH pads are the hardest to read, I think. (I use a different brand, but I'd bet they're very similar.) I make sure I have a bright, white light to illuminate the pad and color chart, and that seems to help.

Here's an experiment to try: put a one or two test strips in a ziploc baggie. Put a drop of water (just one) on a paper towel. The drop will make a circle of wet paper towel. Cut half that circle from the towel, put it in the baggie, and let it sit a couple of days. After that, compare the strips exposed to moisture to the good ones in your bottle. I bet you see substantial degradation of the strips exposed to moisture. (I suspect moisture is the cause of many people's bad test-strip experiences.)

Just for fun...

Jim

 

[gsk177]

I have thought about the degredation that can occur with strip type tests. The strips are housed in a plastic container with "Leak proof pop top lid with Desiccant liner for maximum moisture protection."

Both containters have a warning on them warning you not to put wet or moist hands inside the bottle.
Currently, when removing a strip, I am am opening the bottle and gently shaking the bottle to expose one "handling" end of one strip. The bottles are being stored in my plastic, moisture proof test kit box which is stored in my aquarium stand. The stand is entirely enclosed and allows no light to enter.