Test Kit

[aly2k9]

Is it nessesary to buy a full test kit. Or is Ammonia and Nitrite only important?

 

[Truck]

Is it nessesary to buy a full test kit. Or is Ammonia and Nitrite only important?

nitrate isnt that important as it is only dangerous at levels of around 400ppm but its worth buying and PH is needed

 

[aly2k9]

Is it nessesary to buy a full test kit. Or is Ammonia and Nitrite only important?

nitrate isnt that important as it is only dangerous at levels of around 400ppm but its worth buying and PH is needed

is API master test kit ok?

 

[tropic_john]

Is it nessesary to buy a full test kit. Or is Ammonia and Nitrite only important?

nitrate isnt that important as it is only dangerous at levels of around 400ppm but its worth buying and PH is needed

is API master test kit ok?

Thats the best. '' the works, the full monty''

 

[arobinson1984]

Agree with tropic john, the API kit is the preferred choice of many of the members on this forum.

You can pick one up cheap on ebay or from the site linked below

API master kit from charterhouse aquatics

Andy

 

[Murphee]

API master kit is the way to go

 

[waterdrop]

Agree with all the advice given. Its the same advice I usually give and I use and like the API master kit. But its a perceptive and interesting question... how easy would it be to get by with just the ammonia and nitrite(NO2) tests only? After all, they are indeed the "essentials" for knowing whether a biofilter is cycled or not. The first difficulty often comes when the pH drops, as it often does, during the cycling process. Then one needs a pH test, and sometimes two tests, depending on which range the local water is in. Then finally, after cycling is over and one has begun ones lifetime of just maintaining the tank, it turns out that nitrate(NO3) is perhaps the most valuable indicator of the degree to which that maintenance is being done to a successful level (good regular maintenance often will keep the NO3 level only 5 to 20ppm above whatever the tap NO3 level is and if its more then one might need to examine one's maintenance techniques!) That, in my experience, is why the components of the typical beginner test kit (like the API or Nutrafin ones) are a good grouping.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

I think my ideal test kit would include ammonia, nitrites, TDS and KH. Since TDS is seldom offered in any kind of test kit, I have one that I got that is electronic. The ammonia and nitrite will get you through a cycle on a new tank and the KH will tell you if your pH is likely to crash soon or will be stable. If I can get a stable pH from adequate KH and a good TDS on my water, I don't worry much about pH for the fish themselves. When setting up a new cycle, pH can affect the ability of the bacteria to become established so I would worry about pH only that long.

 

[aly2k9]

bump

 

[Murphee]

 

[tropic_john]

ideal test kit;

ammonia
nitrite
nitrate
ph
high range ph
low range ph
kh

 

[mattlee]

a single api test kit for say ammonia will cost you about £10 maye a little less, same for nitrite, nitrate etc etc so you are far better off buying a complete tropical test kit with all of them in for about £15-£20 off ebay. they are about £30 in my lfs