test kits

[Tednol]

hey
i want to buy some test kits but they are so expensive!
what are the most important ones to have?

 

[nutter]

imo all of them, you can get a test kit for ph amonia nitrite nitrate and copper all in one for about £10

 

[Tednol]

what ones that?

 

[Liliano]

I use eSHa test kit - they are strips that you did and wait for 60 seconds and you get 5 test results. They are about £10-12 for 25 strips.

They test for
nitrite
nitrate
pH
gH
kH

For freshwater tanks that only leaves you with ammonia which you can pick up for £3-4

They are well worth the money - 2 tubes will last you a whole year based on testing once a week. Whereas to buy individually you have to pay around £4 per test so thats £24 including ammonia and the strips plus ammonia cost £16.

Also with any medicine or test kits, you should throw them after a year.

 

[nutter]

Interpet easy test

 

[ajhainey]

If not cycled you need ammonia/nitrite and nitrate. If cycled you could get by with just the first and last...Any mini cycle will probably show in ammonia, and maintainence probs in nitrate.

Just my opinion - I have the whole lot myself....