Test kits

[Glenc]

I am thinking of getting the Lamotte test kits. Believe me, I'm not made of money but I have tried just about every cheaper kit out there and am wondering if I'm getting incorrect readings. My 20 gallon is getting brown algea pretty bad again even though my fert levels are all good. I test fert levels every night just to be sure. 10ppm NO3, 1PO4, 15ppmK. These levels have not been allowed to budge for about 3 weeks now, but the tank is looking worse. After much trail and error, lighting is pretty much dailed in as well, intensity and duration. With the money I've spent on cheaper kits I could have paid for the Lamotte kits by now! What kits are you using? I use AP for NO3 and the Seachem kit for PO4. Kh and ph are pretty much memorized and don't flucuate unless my CO2 gets low, which I don't allow to happen. Don't test for micros as my water is very hard, add 1 ml of TMG a day just to be sure. 50% water change every Fri. and re-dose. What do you all think? TIA

 

[Purrbox]

I'm not made of money either, but I just placed an order for LaMotte Nitrate and Phosphate Test Kits from MarineDepot. It just got too frusterating trying to read my current NO3 test kit and as long as I'm going to buy another kit I thought I might as well get the good ones. For the remainder of my testing I will continue to use my Hagen Nutrafin Master Test Kit.

 

[malkore]

AP for everything but PO4, where I use a SeaChem kit.

 

[Glenc]

Thanks guys, I just ordered the Lamotte NO3 and PO4 kits. I'm getting frustrated latley. The succsess of any high light planted tank is mainly dependant on steady fert levels. With all the time and effort involved in my tanks, I have to be sure my tests for these ferts are acurate. If not, it's just a set-up for frustration. When I get the kits, I'll compare the results against the kits I'm using now and post them. Hopefully there will be a significant difference!

 

[Jchillin]

I will be looking forward to seeing the results of your side-by-side tests. I usually don't suffer from phosphate issues but the N could make or break the bank.

 

[Glenc]

Hello all, I finally got to testing my tank with the LaMotte kits. I have not dosed any ferts in a few days as I was hoping the LaMotte kits would arrive before my next due dosing date. They did. Here are the results. Using the AP kit for NO3 my tank was at a clear 5 ppm NO3. With the LaMotte kit it read 17.6 ppm NO3. That is a significant difference, I will be adjusting my N03 dosing and hoping the algea in my tank will come under control.
Using the Seachem kit for P04, my reading was a clear .5 ppm. With the LaMotte kit it was at .7 ppm. Not enough of difference to worry about. Well, at least now I know I have done all I can to get true readings and get my fert levels in balance, it was worth spending the money for that peace of mind. As per Malkores advice, the Seachem P04 kit is as good as one that cost more than $50 bucks with the import charge! Oh yeah, Happy fathers day to all!