Question On Water Testing Kits

[markj]

I want to buy a complete set of water testing equiptment so I have been checking online and at lfs .
I found this one online is it any good? It doesn't include Nitrate but does have nitrite
http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/Itemdy00.aspx

If that isn't a good one does anyone know where else I can get a good complete set online?
Thanks!

 

[markj]

crap sorry..wrong link
Can't get a link to it so here's the description
The kit is complete for testing tap water and aquarium water. It includes pH (6.0 to 7.6), high range pH (7.4 to 8.8), Ammonia, Nitrite, and GH . The kit also includes an instruction booklet complete with information on water testing, water resistant computer calibrated color charts, test solution bottle for the five freshwater tests, and four glass test tubes with snap-tight caps in holders.

 

[Menagerie]

That sounds fine, what company makes it? The big thing for me is being able to read the color codes that come with the kit. Some are more difficult to read than others. I picked up a great little kit by Hagen that has a chart to match up pH and ammonia to see your true ammonia reading, since pH impacts the effects of ammonia.

 

[markj]

Made by Aquarium Pharmeceuticals
for 13.99
looks like I'm going to be buying my heater online too

 

[smilla4]

Ooops lost my post. I don't know what happened!

At any rate most people seem to like the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master Test kit. I find the pH a bit hard to read though...

I would also recommend picking up a nitrate kit (since that doesn't come with the AP Master Test Kit)

Another thing to keep in mind is that the ammonia test included in the kit is nessler based (at least it was when I bought it), you can get false ammonia readings if you use a product like amquel that binds the ammonia in a safe form, but still leaves it present in the tank (I don't have the scientific explanation, hopefully what I said makes sense as it's getting late and my mind is a little unclear).

 

[markj]

ah crap I'm using amquel
what should I switch to?

 

[An t-iasg]

I found the one you're looking at (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) on ThatPetPlace website. I also am looking at it in the DrsFosterSmith catalog. The ammonia test in the master kit (from the description on the Drs site) seems to be the same test I have -- the salicylate based test (with 2 bottles), and it's compatible with Amquel. My ammonia test has another card for SW, but the box says 130 tests, the same as the AP master kit's ammonia test description. So I would say that you're ok with using this ammonia test with Amquel. I just went to http://www.drsfostersmith.com Unfortunately the site is down right now, but try back later to see the descriptions. Or you could call them or ThatPetPlace to make sure that the ammonia test is compatible with Amquel. The AP Nessler test for ammonia (the one that gives the false positive with Amquel like smilla4 is talking about) has 1 test bottle and fewer tests, like 80 or so, than the salicylate one.

I agree with smilla4 on the nitrate test; I would still get one even though it doesn't come with the master kit. I also agree that the AP tests for pH are hard to read. I use Wardley's pH kits.

The Drs site also sells the tests individually. They cost a little more this way, but I would get the individual ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and GH/KH tests from the AP line, and get another brand of pH test.

 

[kane65]

Does anyone know of an ammonia test kit with more gradients? Most have like 5 or 6 colors to choose from. It would be nice to have a bit more than that.

 

[jaysono]

$13.89 is a pretty good price. The stores in my area carry the same kit for $19.99!!

 

[TankGirl]

I personally find after all these years that I am happier picking and choosing brands for test kits. You ought to have a KH test as well as the nitrate.

 

[markj]

I just went to my lfs and the same kit was 33.99!!!
wow even with shipping its still over 10 dollars cheaper!

 

[Menagerie]

The mighty mark-up!!!

 

[An t-iasg]

You ought to have a KH test as well as the nitrate.

According to the description in the DrsFosterSmith catalog, the AP master kit has the general hardness and carbonate hardness. I didn't buy the master kit, but my AP general/carbonate hardness test (that I bought individually) has the GH/KH bottles together, in the same box.

 

[TankGirl]

Right, An t-iasg, my AP test is GH and KH together. It wasn't mentioned so I wanted to be sure. Chronic complaint that the "master" test kit does not contain nitrate, tho, that is probably the test I use the most.

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi TankGirl! Yes, reading the descriptions for the AP master test can be kind of confusing, since they do make two types of ammonia tests (salicylate and nessler) and no mention was made in the catalog which one the ammmonia test was, although I'm pretty sure it's the salicylate one. Also, it didn't say if the GH/KH are together in the master kit, like they are individually.

I do like the nitrate kit. It's very useful (although you just about shake your hand off to use it!) Now that I've gotten a small live plant, I'm trying to see if the plant is making the nitrates go down some, although they were around 20ppm to begin with.

 

[TankGirl]

Now that I have a high light, CO2 injected tank, I am testing nitrate constantly, since it is almost always zero, until I dose it, then I need to test constantly to be sure my dosing is correct. Yikes....