Which Test Kit should I buy???

[AquariumFreak]

Hey Gang,

Well looking into test kits today and can't figure out which one I should get.

What do you guys think?

Tetra Laborett Test Kit: http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19617;category_id=3111;pcid1=3233;pcid2=

Red Sea Deluxe FW lab kit: http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19499;category_id=3111;pcid1=3233;pcid2=

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FW Master Test kit: http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19383;category_id=3111;pcid1=3233;pcid2=

NutraFin Test Master Lab kit: http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19475;category_id=3111;pcid1=3233;pcid2=

So many to choose from makes my brain hurt

Thanks in advance for the feedback

Jeff

 

[lmw80]

Personally, I would go with the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. I find them to be very accurate and easy to use....the instructions are clear...I have never had a problem with them.

 

[AquariumFreak]

Been looking at them all and the Red Sea Deluxe Freshwater Lab Kit seems to offer more tests. Is Red Sea good?

 

[Menagerie]

I have never heard of Red Sea. I clicked on the link and saw that with that test kit you also get

trial size bottles of aquaflora, aquapure and pH reducer

You shouldn't use the pH reducer and the other things I don't know about. However, I do not like the fact each test is not listed, as compared to Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. You may end up with tests you never use. My fiancé and I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals because it is easy to use and those are the tests we need.

 

[loganj]

Personally, I would go with the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. I find them to be very accurate and easy to use....the instructions are clear...I have never had a problem with them.

Ditto. I agree 100%.

 

[LAGlocker]

I agree with the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kits. That is what I use, and love it.

 

[malkore]

AP kits are good, but Red Sea is indeed reputable. Every master test kit I've seen that retails for around $20 has exactly the same kits - pH, Gh, Kh, Ammonia (nessler based), Nitrite, and high range pH.

If you use a water conditioner that binds chloramines/converts to ammonium...the Nessler type test kits wont' work. They read ammonium (which is safe) as ammonia, so you'll get false-positive readings for ammonia. You'll have to buy a Salicylate based ammonia test kit (it uses 2 reagents, not 1). You may also want to buy a nitrate kit, which never seems to be included in any master kits.