Test kits

[pltrbill]

Hello.
I'm new to this hobby but have learned a lot from reading this forum.

I pretty much know ( ) the cycling process.

I am buying a Wally world 10 gal delux tank and will give the fishless cycle a shot.

I will obviously need a test kit of some sort. I was reading a thread that said the test strip type is not too accurate. Is this true?

If so, what do YOU use. I searched for the electronic types.....but......I'm not about to spend 1 to $250 on one of those.

So, what works that doesn't cost a fortune?


Plans:
Freshwater/ fake plants(no live plants...yet) / rock and decorations for hiding/ water temp of about 78*/ small Air pump.
Stock:
2 or three Fancy Guppies, Male Beta. When needed down the road a sucker fish (can NEVER spell it) 1 African Algae eater (bottom feeder) .

 

[TomK2]

Order an Aquarium Pharmacueticals Master liquid freshwater test kit. make sure you are getting the one with pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate tests. Costs about 15 bucks online, about 25 at the lfs. There are reviews in the product review section.

 

[pltrbill]

Excellent!
Thank you very much.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I use the same testkit Tom and it works great! Highly recommended.

 

[flipz]

It's been said already but I'll go ahead and 3rd that!

-brent

 

[Mazdaman]

how about a 4th!!!

 

[mattrox]

I use it too, but mine didn't have nitrate... so I bought one seperately. .... they must have changed the kit because I got a GH and KH but I looked online at my supplier and it seems nitrate is now included and GH and KH aren't.......


Next time I'll go with the Hagen kit, but it has extra stuff that I'd hardly use... and without plants you would probably not use them at all.

 

[mitche8359]

Thanks for the pointer to Hagen... I'm also looking to replace my AP test kits since they've passed the expiration date. I have a planted tank so I'll look at the Hagen kit.

 

[TomK2]

The AP master kit has two versions. One with nitrate, one with hardness. At my locas petsmart there were two kits on the shelf, each appearing identicle. Unless you specifically read the fine print on the box, you couldn't tell them apart: same pictures, logos etc. Read it carefuly, and get the one you want. I find nitrate and pH most useful long term, since you can monitor how well your maintenance is doint by keeping low nitrates and stable pH. Ammonia and nitrite are essential to monitoring a cycle. Hardness for me was just a curiosity, and helps explain my higher yet stable pH (KH=6degrees=107ppm)

To each his own.

 

[pltrbill]

Found an AP master kit at my LFS for $18.50. What worries me though is they look pretty old. The price had been written with a sharpie and was mostly faded away. This store specializes in Koi and only carries a handful of tropical fish supplies..

Where is the expiration date? Can it be seen without opening the package? I don't want to buy it if it's expired or about to be. I would rather just order it online and pay a few bucks more.

 

[TomK2]

Well, I never checked my expiration date. In fact, I cant find an expiration date anywhere on the bottles, or the box it came in. Unless the lot number on each bottle has the month and year in it (the last four digits on every bottle I have could be month/year?) . If that is the case, my fw master kit was made in april and may of 2004, and my GH and KH kits were made in 2003.

 

[pltrbill]

Cool, thanks.
I'll just pick one up then.