Essential Water Test Kits

[Misskiwi67]

I've got my tank all set up, and I'd like to start monitoring my water parameters. I've just been dosing daily since I don't have any algae or fish to worry about. I should probably start being a little bit more meticulous about it.

What kits do you use to determine the ppm of CO2? Is KH or GH more important? Are there any other test kits I need?

The riccia is growing like mad, and no algae so far. I'll have updated pics in a week or so after the plants grow in. I did my SECOND trim today. This is sooooo exciting actually having plants that grow... maybe I should start a journal, but every time I do that my tank crashes into something no longer worth sharing...

Nevermind.. I read the sticky. KH and pH...

anything else? any preferences?

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh pH and KH for working out the CO2. Other than that, PO4 and NO3 are important so you can work out the uptake rate of the tank and work out the dosing regime accordingly. Once you've got it sussed, then you'll probably only need to test every month just to make sure they're not getting to high or low.

You should also always IMO test for NH3 and NO2, I do it weekly, probably a little over the top, but you detect any changes sooner if you do it regularly.

Other can that there is GH but that's more for the fish IMO.

Think that's about it. Oh and don't be talked into getting an iron test kit, mostly are horribly unreliable and a waste of money.

Sam