Api Kit

[puppyjess123]

With the API freshwater master kit can i fill it up with 2.5ml instead of 5 then use half the dossage of ammonia - get me?

 

[iihay]

I believe I know what you mean, I assume you want to save on reagent? If so then not really if you want and accurate reading as your eye will not assess the colour in the same way with the smaller volume although it probably will not be far off.

Iain

 

[n3ont3tra]

Yeah I would stick with 5mls.

 

[puppyjess123]

oh its just like at £25 its quite expensive for me and i have to save up for 1month and a week to get one lol!

 

[doresy]

oh its just like at £25 its quite expensive for me and i have to save up for 1month and a week to get one lol!

Hi, I know £25 is a lot of dosh but there are a lot of test in a kit and there is a shelf life. You will not use as many as you think with the exception of the ammonia test if you are begining a cycle. Also you can replace individual parts of the kit for around £7 a go.

If you shop around you should be still able to get the full kit for £20.

Lastly, a lot of development goes into a kit like this so changing any of the components or quantities could well give false results. The test kit would cost the same regardless of how much solution you needed to use so the makers would not benifit financially in getting you to use more than is necessary.
My advice, stick to the instructions

 

[bluemermaid]

i get mine from zooplus they go one offer every few months.

 

[mike os]

The number of drops is designed to even out the average drop size & make the kit more accurate, so best to use as instructed.

I find a kit lasts well over a year even doing weekly checks

 

[puppyjess123]

Yes but i have been going through a cycle with ammonia and stuff and had to test everyday and now whenever a fish looks rather ill i test water and if bad water change time. I have lots of the ph bottles left same with no3 quite a bit of no2 and not much of ammonia stuff left.

 

[mike os]

test less & just do waterchanges every couple of days, you know you have ammonia so you don't need to test for it, so test for nitrite & every 3-4 days for nitrate, once the nitrite falls off check ammonia & nitrate.

just what I would do... but if you think it could work for you....

 

[emzyp]

i got my kit off ebay for £17 including p&p, have a look on there they might still be there

 

[Jo Booth]

My lfs sells the master test kit and also additonal individual reageants at about £6 each - these are for API, Tetre test and so on. You don't ge the vial but you get the reageant ofwhatever variety you require.

Worth checking out - Pets at home may also do the individuals as I know they stock the master kits

Jo

 

[Dorkhedeos]

If you do that, your tests may be inaccurate. They tell you to use 8 drops because the average of the drops should be about the same everytime. If you only use 4 drops, you might get 4 small drops or 4 big drops. With 8 drops, it is more likely to be balanced.

 

[Corleone]

My lfs sells the master test kit and also additonal individual reageants at about £6 each - these are for API, Tetre test and so on. You don't ge the vial but you get the reageant ofwhatever variety you require.

This is how I replace my tests. It's actually $2 cheaper at PetSmart if I would buy them all individually, but the $2 was worth it for the little plastic case thing the first time.

Since everything uses a different number of drops, they don't run out at the same time, and you can just pick up whatever you're running low on. You'll generally only need to use one pH kit or the other, so the other will never need replacing.