Test Kit

[electropunk06]

hi i would like to purchase a test kit but have no idea where to start; what tests need to be done, whats a good price, ect. what is the best/cheapest test kit out there? cheers

 

[DMasker]

hi i would like to purchase a test kit but have no idea where to start; what tests need to be done, whats a good price, ect. what is the best/cheapest test kit out there? cheers

pH, KH, GH, NitrAte, NitrIte, Ammonia, You can purchase a master text kit that comes with everything but the KH and GH (for water hardness). But depending on your tap water you might not need the hardness kit. You can always take a sample of your water to your LFS and they will normally gladly test your water for free. A master test kit generally goes for around $20. If you get your water tested at your LFS you can determine which tests you will need. For example if your water hardness is where you want it for the type of fish you have, you will not generally need to have the test kit.

 

[RadaR]

The majority of testing is done whilst cycling the tank to ensure it's ready for fish. After that they're not needed as much unless something goes wrong. pH, GH and KH are usually nothing to worry about in a freshwater tank, just avoid extremes (although plenty of tanks are successful with 0 KH and low GH). Unless you want to breed something in particular
It's worth mentioning now that nitrate test kits aren't accurate at all. A reading of 5ppm could well be over 50ppm.

 

[OldMan47]

As RadaR said, many of us do not use a test kit very much after we get our tanks cycled. The API kit is fine for a cycling process because it gives adequate results to guide your actions. I also use one once in a great while to check a tank where I suspect something may be wrong. Otherwise, my test kit sits on the shelf unused.
The tests you will need during a cycle are ammonia, nitrite and pH. Until you determine the amount of water change to do weekly, a nitrate kit can also be useful. The API master kit has all of these ingredients so it is the one most often recommended here.

 

[pjandnoo]

I would agree with OM47, I have an API kit too and used it thouroughly when we was cycling but now only use it when something goes wrong. It too now gathers dust

 

[electropunk06]

how much is the API kit because if im not going to e using it much i dont want to spend too much? thanks for the help