Request for an API Planted Tank test kit

[BigJim]

I recently started a high-tech planted tank and I need to start testing some basic nutrient levels to tune my fertilizer regimen. Apparently no one makes a test kit aimed specifically at planted tanks. I had some extra time at work while waiting for a report to run so I sent API the following note.

Hello,

My name is Jim Sluis and I'm a community mentor at AquariumAdvice.com. I love your Freshwater Master test kit and recommend it to any new aquarist on the site.

Recently I started a high tech planted tank using the PPS Pro fertilizer regimen and I plan to start CO2 injection shortly. What I've discovered is that no one makes a water test kit aimed at planted tanks. There have been several requests on the Aquarium Advice forum about test kits for planted tanks and the response is that you start with the API Freshwater Master kit and buy the extra individual test kits.

I was wondering if API would consider putting a "Planted Tank Master" test kit together. Start with the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH tests from the Freshwater Master kit and add phosphate, carbonate hardness, and general hardness kits. I suppose packaging the latter three test kits and maybe the iron test kit together as a "Planted Tank Supplemental" kit would work too.

Thanks for your time,
Jim Sluis

I'll let you know if I get any response.

 

[fort384]

Excellent! Definitely let us know.

 

[Coleallensmom]

Sounds great! Keep us updated!

 

[daileene]

Very cool Jim....

 

[mom2reds]

that would be great if they will do it.

 

[AggieMel]

Wonderful! I'd buy it even with a low tech tank just to be sure I'm doing things right

 

[BigJim]

I did get a response:

Jim,
Thank you very much for contacting us regarding our products.
I will forward your suggestions to our Marketing Dept. However, we have had larger master test kits in the past and they just did not sell well. This type of suggestion is always helpful.

If you have any other questions or wish to discuss this further, please email back or give us a call at 1-800-***-****.

Does anyone have anything to add? Any compelling arguments/suggestions? I'd be glad to pursue this further.

 

[Vircomore]

I can definitely see their reasoning behind that response. Large test kits are not something that gets bought all that often - because chances are you will by the "Master Kit" once - but then you'll find yourself testing some things more than others (i.e. Nitrate vs. Ammonia/Nitrite on a cycled tank).

And once that happens, you'll just find it cheaper to just by the individual bottles as they run out / expire.

 

[Crepe]

Add potassium and iron to that kit and you've got my money.

 

[Coleallensmom]

I can definitely see their reasoning behind that response. Large test kits are not something that gets bought all that often - because chances are you will by the "Master Kit" once - but then you'll find yourself testing some things more than others (i.e. Nitrate vs. Ammonia/Nitrite on a cycled tank).

And once that happens, you'll just find it cheaper to just by the individual bottles as they run out / expire.

I can see their point as well, however I do think Big Jim's "Planted Tank testing kit" is a good idea and would sell.

 

[BigJim]

Vircomore, I completely understand about the large test kits. If I go further with this idea, I would pursue the additional supplemental kit idea. Balancing the nutrient levels in a planted tank would most likely require you to do all the tests at the same time. If the kit was designed the right way, you'd run out of all the tests at the same time.

That's the one thing that baffles me about the FW master kit. You don't get the same number of tests for every parameter. The nitrate test is a bit frustrating because it requires 10 drops out of each bottle and it's the most expensive test kit to replace. I started cutting the test in half, using 5 drops from each bottle in half the water. I may have figure exactly how to reduce the test volumes so I can use 5 drops from each bottle for every test, pH excluded.

 

[kc2ped]

I saw a survey on a forum somewhere about what types of tanks people keep
Freshwater planted tanks were the least popular as I remember it
Bearing that in mind, it would seem that bundling the additional test kits, which they already sell, into an add-on to the basic Freshwater Master kit would be the way to do it
But when I look at the test procedures from the master kit I see I need three drops of reagent for pH, 5 for something else, 8 for something, and 10 for ammonia
So I am going to run out of ammonia reagent long before I run out of pH and have to go buy an ammonia kit
And GH/KH are titration tests so there is no way of estimating how long those kits will last
Aside from having everything in one place and maybe a slight price break, I don't see that much advantage in the kits

 

[Welshy]

Thus is what I would need in the nit to distant future as I'm currently looking at the pps pro method ,also fingers crossed API look in to something like this as it would be absolutely great

 

[kc2ped]

How about a DIY test kit builder chart that lists the various kinds of fresh- and saltwater tanks and the appropriate tests listed in order of importance
I run a planted tank and test weekly with a Freshwater Master kit, test for GH/KH, phosphate and have a Drop Checker but I am still not sure that I have all the bases covered

 

[James_in_MN]

I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but there is another kit that I also bought to supplement my API Freshwater Master Test Kit for aquarium testing: the Tetratest Laborette Test Kit.

It has some overlap with the API kit: pH, ammonia, and nitrIte. It does not have a nitrAte test; instead, it has both a GH and KH test. It also comes with a syringe and two measured vials that I like better than the vials from the API kit.

The price that I paid was lower than the API kit; $30-ish for API, and $25-ish for Tetratest. The chain stores have the API kit, but not Tetratest; I found it in one of my LFS.

As far as trying to put together a giant test kit, I can see API's reluctance. Perhaps a better approach would be to suggest another similiar sized bundled kit with potassium, GH, KH, and perhaps one other test like pH? They could call it the API Master Test Kit Supplemental or something like that.

 

[BigJim]

I suggested putting together a supplemental kit in the initial email. I called it the "Planted Tank Supplemental" kit and suggested they include phosphate, KH, GH, and iron tests.