Jbl Test Kits

[keenonfish]

ok folks for one reason or another I have both API master and a JBL ph kit. Never used the JBL and was going to throw on ebay but thought I would give it a try.

I also took the opportunity to compare with my API ph test to see if they gave similar answers..

Well, it would seem they don't! My JBL says ~ 6.8 and my api ~ 6.5 I guess there is not a large error but more than I thought there would be.

I am wondering though what the general consensus is between these manufacturers? Regarding ease of use I found the JBL far superior as you fill two tubes and add the drops to one. You then look down the tubes onto coloured spots and you get a direct comparison between the regent filled water and and aquarium filled water so reading the ph is dead easy. I guess the real advantage to this over the api kit is the fact that you are taking into account the colour of the aquarium water - very significant if you have drift wood or peat in your aquarium...?

I would be interested in your thoughts...

 

[jonnyf84]

Generally a slight PH inbalance like that isn't important, people should worry more about sudden PH and KH changes which does cause shock to the fish, if your ph is a full point off the ideal level it won't matter to much, i find myself checking for PH less and less, it is only important to make sure that replaced water is within 0.2 or so of the existing water.

Anyway if i were you i would stick with jbl, api has recently changed ownership and has apparently gone down hill - i dont have first hand experience of this as i dont use either of the manufacturers but i have heard many people say so.