What Test Kit Should I Get ?

[simonas]

Inever use test kits and I am conscious of the fact I have a lot of fish in my tank which create a lot of waste. They all seem happy and I pick up detritus and change water regularly but I need to start checking water so there isn;t a breakdown!!

I know the answer will be to get all of them but in what order would you place them in importance or what would indicate my water was good or bad

Nitrates, nitrite ammonia?

our water has fairly neutral and decent ph anyway?

 

[PrettyLittleLamb]

Ammonia is most toxic to fish, followed closely by nitrite and then nitrate. Ph is always a useful test to have for a number of reasons I use the Nutrafin Mini Master Test Kit which includes ammonia. nitrite, nitrate and pH tests and it's also the liquid drop tests rather than the dipsticks which arent quite as reliable. Hope that helps

Take care,
Jo

 

[simonas]

Ammonia is most toxic to fish, followed closely by nitrite and then nitrate. Ph is always a useful test to have for a number of reasons I use the Nutrafin Mini Master Test Kit which includes ammonia. nitrite, nitrate and pH tests and it's also the liquid drop tests rather than the dipsticks which arent quite as reliable. Hope that helps

Take care,
Jo

thanks Jo I'll look into them this week

 

[ALW]

Tetra 5 in 1

 

[PrettyLittleLamb]

Tetra 5 in 1

They're the test strips that I would advise against. They're ok for results but I wouldn't say quite as accurate as liquid kits. The Tetra 5 in 1 also doesn't include an ammonia test

 

[backtotropical]

Tetra 5 in 1

They're the test strips that I would advise against. They're ok for results but I wouldn't say quite as accurate as liquid kits. The Tetra 5 in 1 also doesn't include an ammonia test

Agreed. You should avoid dip-strips as they are notoriously inaccurate. I would recommend a liquid re-agent test kit, like the API or Nutrafin ones. They will test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. These are the 4 main tests you will need.

Cheers

BTT

 

[TRDNiteLife]

I use the API Freshwater Master test kit. Liquid kit that tests Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, High range ph and Low range ph. Testing Nitrates takes a little more time though.

 

[moll]

The strip ones are so hard to read the differences between the colurs are so mild its hard to tell plus they keep changing colour so very inaccurate, we never use them now as no amonia reading and we use the API liquid test takes longer but so much better.