test strips....

[herdo]

Been reading a lot online that test strips are unreliable. Ive tested my water with test strips and everything seemed fine, I then tested it with an API test kit and got the same results.

What im really asking is by unreliable, do people mean innacurate? Like im not going to be testing the ammonia in my tank with strips and it reads zero when in actual fact its a lot higher than that?

Im just curious as to wether I really need to shell out for an API kit before ive finished using the rest of the test strips as it would be a waste of money. Ive a fair amount of community fish that need different water conditions (in certain aspects and to a certain extent), so im keeping them within certain margins rather than aiming for specific ones

cheers.

 

[mapexmac007]

Test kit... Cheaper in the long run

I wish I could offer a clean, easy answer — I have the same question. I keep reading too, that the test strips are "inaccurate". My LFS also tells me not to trust the strips.

Economics-wise, if I'd bought the API test kit from the beginning (over a year ago) as opposed to the test strips, I'd be ahead in the dollars and cents game. Test kit is cheaper in the long run — and likely, more accurate.

In the mean time, I bring a bottle of my tank water to my LFS for a test, about once per month. I haven't worn-out my welcome — yet.