what are the best test kits for plants?

Magoo

Magoo

Fish are like children
Nov 11, 2005
24
0
0
Northbridge, MA
I've been reading and reading and more reading. I've learned tons of new info and am ready to go. I've ordered my ferts from watson and am about to order all my test kits. according to rex grigg i need to test for Nitrate (already have), Phosphates, and potassium. So my question is what are you guys using for test kits. I already have tests for nitrate and Kh so I assume all I need is test for the other two. What do you use????
 
Kudos to you for doing your homework on the ferts before you start up your tank.
As far as test kits are concerned, my next nitrate test kit will show better increments for levels. My first increment shows 0 - 12.5 mg/ml and that is just too vague when trying to determine whether or not you should dose nitrogen. All I can do is judge whether the color is darker or lighter and estimate what the mg/ml concentration might be. I also use a phosphate test kit a couple of times a week.
As my name suggests I am still a newb at this and my tank has been set up since late Oct. I am going to upgrade to pressurized CO2 in the future, will make things much easier I am told.
Best of luck to you !
 
If you haven't already seen it, this thread has a bunch of info on test kits, including nice pictures of the color charts. I can't remember what brand my KH kit is, but it is great. (Red Sea, maybe. Is that a brand?) I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals' nitrate test kit, it works pretty well for me. I haven't found a pH kit that I like, so I will be buying a digital meter sometime soon (I hope). I have a phosphorus kit, I think it is from Tetra. It is okay. I haven't found a Potassium kit yet, but I haven't looked that hard. I need to get one soon though. I also want a GH kit, to give me an idea about Magnesium.
 
1. cheap hobby test kits
2. Lamotte/Hach test kits
3. How much do you want to spend for a colorimeter/spect

When using a cheap test kit, you give up a few things.Repeatability is one of them. Accuracy is another.

But you can use them to some degree anyway, since for us, there is less need for precision.

But........they can be very inaccurate, and I mean very.

So, a good way around that ios to amke a standard solution of a known concentration over the range of interest(note , you should make 3 standards, say 1ppm, 5ppm and 15ppm for NO3 etc).

Even if you are off according to the color chart provided, you still have a relative idea what those concentrations look like according to the cheap test kit's color.

NO3 and PO4, require this.
K+, do not bother testing it.
Fe, same thing.
Long discussion but you can estimate these without a test kit without issue, same for the NO3/PO4 if you want and use estimations+ water changes(most do water changes anyway and no testing is a nice simple option).

Cheap pH(use narrow range only) ,KH and GH test kits work well though.
KH test kits may want to calibrated also.
You can search EI, estimative index for a non test kit approach to aquatic plant culture.

Regards,
Tom Barr


www.BarrReport.com
 
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