Water Test Kits

[Tempestuousfury]

I have purchased a master test kit that tests nitrogenous compounds and pH.  I wanted, however, to also measure salinity, hardness, and dissolve gas concentrations (namely CO2 and O2).
 
I'd appreciate any product inputs you guys could give me.  On that note, I know that electrical conductivity can be used to determine salinity, so does anyone here perhaps have an innovative way to use a battery tester or the like to do that?
 
For those helpful individuals who will no doubt tell me I don't really need to worry about these extra water specs, this is more for my own enrichment than it is for any practical purpose.

 

[techen]

Why would you measure salinity in a tropical it would be zero???

There are also drop checkers for C02 that come with premixed fluid

Am not sure about o2 but you're fish would be able to tell you if its low.

There are tons of kits out there that test Kh though

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Why would you measure salinity in a tropical it would be zero???

There are also drop checkers for C02 that come with premixed fluid

Am not sure about o2 but you're fish would be able to tell you if its low.

There are tons of kits out there that test Kh though

 
I'll look into the CO2 tester, then.  That should get a few hits on ebay, hopefully.
 
As for salinity in a freshwater tank,to my understanding the majority of research labs working with zebra danios keep their salinity  at .7ppm or higher.  I know the research lab I will be joining this week regularly adds salt and measures it.  I have kept tanks without salt, but I know there have been debates over the merits of salt addition.  I would assume salt addition is more for electrolyte balance and osmoregulation assistance as the only dissolved ions are those that are present in tap water and due to dissolved nitrogenous wastes.  With use of RO and distilled water, I am sure salt testing becomes a little bit more important. Imbibing spring water from various locales, I can assure you that there are varying concentrations of dissolved salts in "freshwater" bodies.
 
I would think hardness tests would be rather easily acquired with Malwai cichlids being so commonplace... I suppose I will check around some more and see if other stores might have the test kits...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have read a lot of research reports where they used danios as well as other fish and I see very little about salt. However, the term salts refers to many things beside sodium chloride. Salinity is measured with an hydrometer
 
If you want to tests solids buy either a conductivity meter or a TDS meter (pretty much the same thing). Mine, from Hanna Instruments, cost about $25 delivered. Shop on Ebay. Salinity can not be tested for with conductivity meter. This reads all the solids, salts and ions in the water not just salt.

http/www.hannainst.com/usa/prods2.cfm?id=003003
 
Salifert makes an O test kit for tanks. Its about $23.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I have read a lot of research reports where they used danios as well as other fish and I see very little about salt. However, the term salts refers to many things beside sodium chloride. Salinity is measured with an hydrometer
 
If you want to tests solids buy either a conductivity meter or a TDS meter (pretty much the same thing). Mine, from Hanna Instruments, cost about $25 delivered. Shop on Ebay. Salinity can not be tested for with conductivity meter. This reads all the solids, salts and ions in the water not just salt.

http/www.hannainst.com/usa/prods2.cfm?id=003003
 
Salifert makes an O test kit for tanks. Its about $23.

Thanks for that information!
 
The person I was speaking to at the lab must have either mixed terminology or I misunderstood.  He rattled off numbers in the thousands, not bother to offer the corresponding units.  I'd brought up the nonissue with salt, but he'd been pretty adamant that it was necessary to have a minimum level, though this might have been due to the RO unit they used more so than for the tap water I will be using.
 
Hydrometer... that should have clicked earlier. >.>
 
I'll also look into the oxygen test kit.  Thanks again!

 

[CezzaXV]

A refractometer will likely be more accurate for measuring salinity than a hydrometer. More expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Salifert are a well respected brand and do tests for almost everything. I think they do Oxygen. As for hardness, consider whether you want to measure GH, KH (aka Alkalinity) or both.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

When it comes to hardness (GH) and alkalinity (KH), this is only part of the story. There are other things in tanks/nature which will contribute to conductivity or TDS. Dissolved organic compounds, ions, metals such as iron or copper as well as all the trace elements all add to the total.
 
GH will primarily measure magnesium and calcium ions and KH will primarily measure carbonates and bicarbonates. While these are important measures, they do not provide the complete information about all the solids etc. in the water which is why conductivity and TDS measurements are used.
 
However, neither conductivity nor TDS meters will let you know if you have sufficient alkalinity to hold pH stable. So it is still a good idea to have the KH kit even if one has either of the meters.
 
Measuring oxygen would seem to me to be mostly a waste of money without having a scientific reason. A proper tank should never be short on O- agitating  the surface should be sufficient. The bigger danger, which is almost impossible to create in a home aquarium, is super-saturating the water with O.
 
And if you want to spring for a refractometer- "In homebrewing, a refractometer is used to measure the specific gravity before fermentation to determine the amount of fermentable sugars which will potentially be converted to alcohol." Bonus points.