Water Test Kits?

[Ludwig Venter]

I have never, never had reason to check any of my water stats... (maybe because water annalysis kits are not available in my area)...

Now, (last weekend) I was at my parent's house and their swimming pool needed some (emergency) shock treatment, so I went to a hardware store to get the chemicals required.... There, For the first time in me life, I saw a water testing kit, which tests about 10 different qualities of your water... I got it, but it set me back some R500 (45 B/pounds)...

Personally, I do not think it is worth all of that, but I would like to have my water tested (just for interest sake).... Would it not be cheaper if I have a friend in UK (or America) to post me a kit??... What is the price of a full test kit where you stay?? (& what does such kit weigh... for transport purposes)

 

[shelaghfishface]

45 quid?? flippin eck

take it back and get one of us to send you one.. i dont have one anymore.. i gave everything away with my last tank. tho think an API kit costs about £15 on ebay?maybe if you want one someone could send one.. they dont weigh much maybe 500g in total ( someone could check)

 

[Ludwig Venter]

i gave everything away with my last tank.

With your last tank!?... you're not serious??

 

[Haych]

i think they are ridiculously expensive, but £45 is more than i have seen.

i reckon you could post to SA for between £10-15 (assuming 500g)

 

[Tortea]

My one you can teat PH, Nitrite and Ammonia each has two bottles cost me 40pounds

 

[Ludwig Venter]

My one you can teat PH, Nitrite and Ammonia each has two bottles cost me 40pounds

So, in fact, Tortea... you're saying that the price is in fact relevant??

 

[Haych]

the one i have tests PH, GH, KH, NH4/NH3, NO2 PO4, FE, CL

when this was bought it cost around £45

i think it depends on what it does

 

[mattlee]

i got a HPI kit from ebay for £18 delivered to the UK, it tests for pH, high pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. so im sure it could be delivered to you for less than £30 all in....

 

[Truck]

The price of a test kit will reflect the accuracy somewhat depending on what you get in the kit, all of the hobby test kits are crap, they're amazingly inaccurate, and the fish are a much better indicator compared!

Lab grade kits are amazingly good! the only brand I have found to come close is Salifert, I don't know of the kit you bought ludwig, but it will be interesting to see how accurate it is.

 

[Miamisportsfan45]

I only have test strips because I've been using my lfs to check my levels, too. I find test kits to be too expensive, personally.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

, I don't know of the kit you bought ludwig, but it will be interesting to see how accurate it is.

I guess being for a swimming pool, it will only give an indication and not very accurate?

 

[Tortea]

My one you can teat PH, Nitrite and Ammonia each has two bottles cost me 40pounds

So, in fact, Tortea... you're saying that the price is in fact relevant??

We Live 120Miles from the next closet fish shop, some fish were dying so it was kinda needed, but i would buy something cheaper, It did have two bottles of each indicator.

Tortea

 

[AdAndrews]

Test kits make me mad soo inaccurate its unbeliveable, apparently, according to my(in date) API test kit, i had ammonia of 2-4ppm, when there was a cherry shrimp flourishing and has been for a few weeks now in the tank

 

[three-fingers]

Test kits make me mad soo inaccurate its unbeliveable, apparently, according to my(in date) API test kit, i had ammonia of 2-4ppm, when there was a cherry shrimp flourishing and has been for a few weeks now in the tank

Those test kits test for ammonia and ammonium together, so it's possible it was accurate at that time. What's your pH at?

If it really is that inaccurate, send it back. I've used dozens of API ammonia test kits and all have been accurate when I test them with a reference solution.

 

[fishnovice]

£40 for test kit??? Rip off
I too bought one on Ebay with >20months to expiry for about £17 on Ebay. Seems to work fine as far as I know. I expect the UK sellers will post abroad. Even if postage is £14 it's worth it