Water Testing

[spencer9819]

are the 6 in 1 water test strips any good for checking your water? if not whats best to use ?

 

[Truck]

no, any paper strip will be un accurate, the best test kits are saliferts, which in the UK can be bought for £5 each online, second IME are API, but I don't like them because they're consistently inaccurate.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Test strips are among the worst when it comes to testing water parameters; please do not buy one!

Instead, get a good LIQUID test kit such as Saliferts, or the API freshwater master test kit.

Liquid test kits are among the most accurate when it comes to testing water parameters.

-FHM

 

[spencer9819]

ok will do cheers guys

 

[waterdrop]

Another thing about even liquid test kits that its good for beginners to understand is that, as in so many things, your own skill of knowing what you're looking for plays a big role. As you gain experience in the hobby, a test result moves more and more to a [verification/reinforcement vs. surprise] role and your need for this becomes more rare. While there are situations where small degrees of gradation can matter to you, I find that for the essentials, this is often not needed for the fishless and fish-in cycling that beginners are most often engaged in. Instead, the truth is that most often, if you really think about it, the information you want from a test is whether the result is zero, a little or a lot.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[raptorrex]

Another thing about even liquid test kits that its good for beginners to understand is that, as in so many things, your own skill of knowing what you're looking for plays a big role. As you gain experience in the hobby, a test result moves more and more to a [verification/reinforcement vs. surprise] role and your need for this becomes more rare. While there are situations where small degrees of gradation can matter to you, I find that for the essentials, this is often not needed for the fishless and fish-in cycling that beginners are most often engaged in. Instead, the truth is that most often, if you really think about it, the information you want from a test is whether the result is zero, a little or a lot.

~~waterdrop~~

you know WD. sometimes i wish we had a rep button . but not very often

 

[waterdrop]

As in "repeat?" sorry, I'm being dense...

 

[raptorrex]

As in "repeat?" sorry, I'm being dense...

lol, PM sent.