What test kits do the planted keepers like?

[Fish Fan1]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to the forum, but not new to aquaria I'm posting this here because I want to reach the freshwater planted gurus; Mods please move this thread as needed.

Short question: What are the popular brands of test kits do the planted tank keepers trust most? API, Sera, NT Labs, Hanna Checkers, etc.??

I have been keeping fish off and on for a very long time, but I don't consider myself an expert in anything, so let's make that clear I've joined TFF in the hopes of learning more about planted tanks specifically. I have been fairly involved in the salty side for some time, and in that world sometimes test kits like API, for example, don't get a lot of love. As a reef keeper, I prefer other testing to the popular API, I have a collection of Hanna Marine Checkers (some of which work in freshwater too), I also trust Salifert (who doesn't seem to make much for freshwater??), Nyos and maybe a few others.

What are the most trusted test kits for keeping freshwater planted tanks?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[jaylach]

I don't think it matters whether planted or not; most are probably going to say API but the liquid tests, not strips, and I agree with that even though I'm going with strips on a new build but that is due to a specific type of fish I'll be keeping that are quite sensitive to nitrates (20 PPM is pretty fatal) and the liquid API nitrate test is a pain.

 

[Fish Fan1]

I don't think it matters whether planted or not; most are probably going to say API but the liquid tests, not strips, and I agree with that even though I'm going with strips on a new build but that is due to a specific type of fish I'll be keeping that are quite sensitive to nitrates (20 PPM is pretty fatal) and the liquid API nitrate test is a pain.

Thank you very much for you're reply here!

Yeah, I get that my question isn't really freshwater planted specific, but I guess since that's my primary focus for freshwater right now, I thought I'd ask here.

I don't personally hate on API, and I fully understand that none of our hobby-level test kits are laboratory quality.

I did want to try something besides API, and I just got the NT Lab Multi Test kit; it's seems OK.

I'm just wondering if there's anything else I may be missing for freshwater testing.

For your fish that are so sensitive to nitrate, could I suggest you take a look at a Hanna Marine High Range Nitrate Checker? Many report that these work well in freshwater too. They are much easier to read than strips or most liquid testing. I hope that helps!

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[MaloK]

For a good detail.

I love the Fluval / Nutrafin Master Test Kit A7860.
It works for salt and freshwater.

PH low / high
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Hardness
Carbonate
Calcium
Phosphate
Iron

 

[gwand]

I have a hard time reading API’s color chart, especially for the liquid test for nitrate. I like Salifert’s freshwater nitrate liquid test much better. I use API liquid kit for ammonia when I am cycling a new tank.

 

[Fish Fan1]

For a good detail.

I love the Fluval / Nutrafin Master Test Kit A7860.
It works for salt and freshwater.

PH low / high
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Hardness
Carbonate
Calcium
Phosphate
Iron

Thanks for your reply! That's interesting. I purchased that kit some time ago on sale at PetCo, but ended up gifting it to someone, so I never actually tried it. I'll see if it coms back on sale.

Thanks again!

 

[Fish Fan1]

I have a hard time reading API’s color chart, especially for the liquid test for nitrate. I like Salifert’s freshwater nitrate liquid test much better. I use API liquid kit for ammonia when I am cycling a new tank.

Thanks for your help here! I have always struggled with color matching, that's why I like Salifert and the Hanna Checkers for saltwater. I wish Salifert made a wider range of freshwater tests, if they did, I think that's what I would have purchased.

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[GaryE]

Are you thinking about test kits for the water for plants, or the good old tried and true 'cycle' test kits fishkeepers use? I ask with no basic knowledge of how planted tank people test for what their plants need. I'm a play it by eye and nose fishkeeper. But your question made me curious. Are there available tests that go beyond the one dimensional API kits?

 

[Fish Fan1]

Are you thinking about test kits for the water for plants, or the good old tried and true 'cycle' test kits fishkeepers use? I ask with no basic knowledge of how planted tank people test for what their plants need. I'm a play it by eye and nose fishkeeper. But your question made me curious. Are there available tests that go beyond the one dimensional API kits?

Thanks for stopping by here!

I have always been a "play it by eye and nose" guy too, especially in freshwater. But I've been learning more about plant and shrimp care, and it does seem like regular testing is typical, beyond just the initial nitrogen cycle. I know that many are looking at GH and KH, and others still are testing for iron and other plant specific nutrients. Again, I'm here to hopefully learn more about plant and shrimp care. I was just wondering if there's anything I'm missing for available test kits on the market, or maybe what was favored here at TFF.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[gwand]

My water has a GH of 175 ppm and KH of 80 ppm. I have several large colonies of neocaridina that were started two years ago. I do nothing special to keep the colonies going other than high quality shrimp food and water temperature of 75F.

 

[Fish Fan1]

My water has a GH of 175 ppm and KH of 80 ppm. I have several large colonies of neocaridina that were started two years ago. I do nothing special to keep the colonies going other than high quality shrimp food and water temperature of 75F.

That is very helpful, thank you! Keeping a Neocaridina tank is a goal of mine. I do know they are much hardier than their Caridina cousins.

I took a sample of water from the kitchen faucet, let it sit out for 24 hours, and then I tested my tap water. What I got was not terrible unexpected, though I thought the ammonia was kind of high (assuming my tests are accurate (NT Labs Aquarium Multi Test Kit)). What do you make of this for tap water? Would I be successful trying to keep Neocaridina with these numbers, obviously, with zero ammonia and nitrite? I do have RODI water on hand too, I can cut my tap water, or even remineralize the RODI.

Here's my tap water:
Ammonia: 2.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5-1.0 ppm (I had a hard time reading the test)
Nitrate: ~30.0 ppm (again, I had a hard time reading the result)
pH: 8
KH: 10 degrees
GH: 10 degrees
TDS: 240 ppm

Thank you very much for your help here!

 

[GaryE]

I use tap water in my tanks, simply dechlorinated. I keep an eye on tds, but in general, I check the city water reports from the pumping station up the road. They corresponded with everything the kits let me test when I moved here, and I just rely on their greater accuracy. I dabble in breeding rainforest fish of all types (I just had a good hatchout of black neon tetras) so my major concern is water hardness. I don't worry about the cycle as long as I stay with regular water changes.

I do see differences in tds with different planting, but while I like my tanks to be well planted and find plants interesting, they aren't my priority. I'm not a great help there. I'll be a questioner, and not an answerer, as we hope the planted tank experts will notice the thread. How many people test for phosphates, iron etc? If so, how?

 

[Fish Fan1]

I'd think that phosphate has to be important for plant growth. I'm sure many test for iron and such.

I have always been a "fish tank with some plants" kind of guy, not a "planted tank" guy. I'm hoping to learn much more about plant care

 

[gwand]

If you get rid of the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate you can grow a neocaridina colony. The shrimp won’t tolerate those nitrogen compounds.

That is some water that you have! I wouldn’t drink it or keep fish in it. Do you live in an area with a lot of farms?

 

[Fish Fan1]

If you get rid of the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate you can grow a neocaridina colony. The shrimp won’t tolerate those nitrogen compounds.

That is some water that you have! I wouldn’t drink it or keep fish in it. Do you live in an area with a lot of farms?

Yes, I fully understand they need zero ammonia, nitrite, and fairly low nitrate. But otherwise, I'm not terribly out of line for Neos, I don't think. I also read that they are fairly hardy, and if you get them young they adapt to a lot.

We are in an agricultural area, yes. No, I don't drink it, I have an RO filter for that

I'm going to retest and double check all those numbers too.