Is The Nutrafin Mini Test Kit Ok?

[tammy64]

I'm going to set up a thread later as TRYING to do a fish less cycle. I've just been to the local aquatic centre and bot a Nutrafin mini test kit (They didnt do the API one)Was told it was just as good, but wanted to check on here as their advice tro date hasn't been fab. It tests for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and ph. Or should I be more patient, take it back and order API? Thank you

 

[SensesFail]

I'm going to set up a thread later as TRYING to do a fish less cycle. I've just been to the local aquatic centre and bot a Nutrafin mini test kit (They didnt do the API one)Was told it was just as good, but wanted to check on here as their advice tro date hasn't been fab. It tests for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and ph. Or should I be more patient, take it back and order API? Thank you

How much did u pay for it? I bought the master one then the mini. In my master one a few bottles on the ph scale were labelled wrong which has put me off. I bought the mini one after it because I ran out of some bits and it was on sale and had to make my online order above a certain amount for delivery. I had no problem with the mini the ammonia test is quick giving instant display compared to the api which im using now which you have to wait 5mins for. Colour charts are slightly different to api but all said they show test results so that's what they are their for. Next time I think I'll make the switch over to API as they are so widely used on here and Iv heard nothing but good reviews. And they cost similar to the mini master on eBay coming in for around 17-20 quid. I think you also get more tests out if each thing with api and the test tubes have a better cap than nutrafin.

If your test kit was cheap then I'd stick with it if those tests forfill your needs. U could always go for API next time ordering it before yours runs out

 

[Skins]

I agree with SF, if you did not pay way over the odds i would stick with it.
You have a liquid test kit which will do a good job, BETTER than not having one.

Keith.

 

[Aqua Tom]

I started out with the nutrafin mini master test kit, but as my cycle was never ending I upgraded to an API one when the ammonia test ran out.

There is nothing wrong with the nutrafin test but you get more tests for your money with the API

 

[waterdrop]

In my experiences here on TFF, the differences between these two particular kits is subtle. They are very similar. They both seem to occupy the same price range. One comment has been that on one or more of the tests, the API will switch colors when the concentration of the substance being measured hits zero ppm, whereas the the Nutrafin just fades to clear from a series of shades of the indicator color (pink in some cases I believe.) The other observation has been that this kit is more likely to indicate high nitrite based on the presence of nitrate (in other words, if the water had only nitrite the reading would be one thing but if the water has both nitrite and nitrate, the nitrite reading will be artificially pushed higher by the presence of nitrate.) This problem may also occur with the API sometimes but has not been observed or reported in as systematic a fashion in my experience.

Making judgements about these kits based on reading forum threads carries the frequent problem of user error. On a forum there are just lots and lots of people that make simple errors in performing the tests, sometimes not even realizing it themselves I believe. Plus the tests themselves are likely to not always be completely reliable (there are built-in compromises in inexpensive consumer kits as compared to using expensive lab techniques.)

Another set of test kits are the Salifert ones. These are consistently rated more highly in terms of reliable results and members are encouraged to pick up this type if they have an ongoing problem they are trying to solve. These are a bit more expensive I believe and are only sold individually. In some cases they have an extra step or two (dissolving tablets to create the test reagent I think I've heard) making the testing process possibly longer and more difficult by a small bit. There are also a number of kits from Seachem, a few of which have been cited as having various advantages (I believe they may have one that can differentiate NH3 vs. NH4 for instance, which sometimes you want and sometimes you don't.)

There are also any number of other test sets out there that seem to get a few more negative hits than our middle-of-the-road ones (the API and Nutrafin) and I don't remember all of these (perhaps Interpet, RedSea, others?)

Tetratest also make some useful kits - I tend to think of their GH, KH and copper ones as useful but I don't like their mainstream ones as much as the API.

~~wd~~