What test kit?

[Jo and Gra]

I'm a bit confused by tester kits......

do i need one for ammonia, one for nitrite and one for nitrate?

how long does a test kit last?

bit confused about the test kit mularkey!!

may day!!

 

[@ombomb]

I have a Master Test Kit from American Pharmaceuticals International (API) which I have seen a lot of people on here recommend and it cost me about £17.00 from the LFS.

Mine tests for Amonia, NitrIte, NitrAte, pH and high end pH.

I've had it for a couple of months now and am going to need to think about a new kit for Amonia / Nitrite as these are the two that I seem to really get through. It really all depends on how often you test your water, if it's just once a week, then it'll last you for several months.

 

[Bloo]

Yeah, API all the way. I bought mine individually - the price difference isn't big - or non existant. Just depends what you want to test for.

 

[Jo and Gra]

how do we here in the UK get hold of it?

 

[Bloo]

Animal House sells them online - but there are loads of others too. Otherwise, most fish shops.

 

[ncjharris]

Keep to the liquid test kits and away from the strips and they are pretty much all the sameness.

We have the API one too, but the Interpet one is also supposed to be good.

It may come down to which test tubes you prefer!!

 

[mlee0332]

why are strips so bad? I hear all the time that they are no good, but just curious what's wrong with 'em

Yes NH4, NO2, NO3, and pH and kH at least... kH really if you're wanting a planted tank that needs CO2 injection...

 

[daudy_dojo]

API ALL THE WAY!!! always go with API a brand that rocks my socks


test strips arent that accurate lee

neither is my hair.. eh lee?

 

[Jo and Gra]

so liquid test kits........

how often should i look to be testing?

and how long wil one "kit" last?

 

[Bloo]

Depending on which tests you do with API, each bottle usually lasts for appox 250 tests. With GH & KH it works differently - but in essence: lots of tests !

When setting up a new tank, daily monitoring is neccesary. A well established tank, once a week or even once a month will do. Or whenever new fish have been added, filter media changed / any other major changes.

 

[Jo and Gra]

so for us with a new tank, daily.....

going for fishless cycle adding food daily......

 

[Bloo]

yes indeed. You can probably look at 10 days ++ to cycle the tank - depending on size. But it could take up to 3 weeks as well, depending on size etc. and it might take slightly longer with food as it's not "quite" as easy to read immediate results as when adding ammonia.

 

[rdd1952]

so liquid test kits........

how often should i look to be testing?

and how long wil one "kit" last?

During cycling, you should test daily. If you are are doing a fishless cycle as the title says, you really only need to test for ammonia until the ammonia starts to drop. Once it drops to zero, you will continue to add ammonia daily to raise the level back up to 1 to 2 ppm. Start testing nitrite also. You should test them both daily until the nitrite spike ends and it drops to zero. At that point, do a large 75 - 90 percent water change to get rid of your nitrates.and then test your nitrates. You can also test nitrates occasionally during the nitrite spike just to see how high their getting (they will go off the chart as will nitrite). They should probably be 20 ppm or less after tha water change. After you add your fish, I would test daily for ammonia, nitrite and pH for at least a couple weeks just to make sure nothing strange is happening. Once you are satisfied that the tank is properly cycled, you can cut back to testing everything once a week. You should definitely start daily tests again any time you add new fish or make any change in what you are doing with the tank.

One other thing is that you should test your tap water to see if you will be introducing anything during water chages. Some water (especially well water) has nitrates, ammonia and nitrite already present. Also, anytime you buy fish and bring them home, test the pH of the water in the bag from the LFS before you start to acclimate them. There can be a sizable difference sometimes between their pH and yours. If that is the case, you will have to take special steps to insure that you don't send your new fish into pH shock.
problems with this method.

Lastly, the kits will last you anywhere from a couple months to a year or more. I got my first tank at Christmas last year. I started with the same API Master Kit that everyone else has recommended (I will also say I think it is the best). I have recently had to buy a new ammonia, nitrite and pH kit. Of course, I now have 5 tanks that I have been testing. Once you are more familiar with what your water is doing, testing for nitrate may not be an issue. Mine never goes above about 5 to 10 ppm so I rarely test it any more. Also, the master kit has a pH and High pH kit. Unless your pH is right at the 7.4 range, you will almost never have the need to use one or the other. If your pH generally runs at 7.0 or less, all you will need is the regular bottles. If it runs over 7.6, you only need the high pH tests.

This is just my experiences. I'm sure others do things differently but I haven't had any

 

[houndour]

yep API

I got the master test kit from Ebay. Have since seen them in Pets at Home for about £17.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I wish I'd known all this before getting my fish. The ammonia spiked last week, resulting in the untimely death of a harlequin and this week the nitrites are going mental. Am now using ammolock, a nitrite/nitrate reducer, cycle and aquasafe, along with 15-20% daily water changes. I desperately don't want to kill these poor creatures and was niave enough to trust the advice of my lfs.
Hugs,
P.