Which Test Kits Do You Use?

[ChrisP]

I have been using API for a while although I find them hard to read as in my opinion the colour chart does not vary enough. I always have a hard time deciding which figure to believe. Why can't they just make the chart go red, white, blue and orange and so on instead of variation of the same colour.

I find the KH one just fine as it just depend son the amount of drops you add, NO3 a pH are the ones that brass me off.

Which do you use and how do you like them?

 

[BigIan]

i find the API one fine, as for amonia and nitrite the coulors you want ae completely diffrent to the colours when its acctualy registering the chemicals in the water,

and the nitrate is easy to spot when you need a water change

 

[tigerbarb420]

I use the Nutrafin liquid drop test kits. They seem to work fine for me, however sometimes I do have trouble distinguishing the exact shade of the result. Good lighting behind you is a must!

 

[pseud]

I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, and have been pretty happy. Sometimes it can be hard to read. I've found the pH one to be tricky sometimes when it's around 6.4 (I think)

To be honest though, I really question the accuracy of these test kits.

Take the KH test. You add drops until the water turns from blue to yellow. The change happens suddenly. What happens if it only takes one half of a drop to make that change? Obviously, you can't count out half a drop, so you juts assume that it takes the whole drop.

pH: 6.2
KH: 1.5
CO2 = 28ppm

pH: 6.2
KH: 2
CO2 = 39ppm

Might not look like a big difference, but let's take a look at the pH. What if it was only 6.1 ?

pH: 6.1
KH: 2
CO2: 48ppm

...some very easy human errors to make, which gives some very different answers. Albeit, I don't think any of the figures here are going to cause any major problems, which means that I don't render the test kits totally useless... I just prefer to use them as a general guide...


...oh, nearly forgot to mention that the measure of KH is also affected by other substances that can affect water hardness... and it's not ALWAYS carbonate that changes the hardness, but the KH (carbonate hardness) test kit, doesn't distinguish these other substances, and just assumes them to be caused by carbon..

 

[yamaross]

pseud for KH try using a 10 ml test tube one drop is then half a degree

 

[Themuleous]

pseud for KH try using a 10 ml test tube one drop is then half a degree

Thats cunning idea!