Suggested test kits for:
*pH pH monitor (much better) –Common colormetric low range cheaper but quite good also.

*KH Most all test kits are decent.
*NO3 Narrow range lab grade (>1.0,2.0, 4.0, 6.0 etc (tablet -much better)- and spoon (cheaper but not as accurate and easy to use)
It is worth the extra cost for this kit.
*GH Same as KH
*Fe Lab grade (much better) –Common aquarium company kits (cheaper)
*PO4 Lab grade (much better) –Common aquarium test kits (cheaper)
*K+ Two companies offer a kit to test

If these parameters are in a good range you should only minor issues ...if that. You only need ---light---CO2---nutrients and a balance of these factors and of course a little patience and an eye/desire for the planted tank! Most of your other issues are ones of gardening and pruning management.
My tanks have the following ranges:
* pH: 6.5-7.0
* KH: 4-8
* GH: 4-8
* PO4: 1.0ppm average
* Temp: 25C
* Fe: .1ppm to 2ppm depending on the tank all right if it goes to
• NO3: 4ppm to 30ppm but try to keep it in a range of 5-10ppm
• K+: 20-30ppm
• Light to low fish load. This is also very important to the balance issue. Lots of cleaner animals.
* Hey no algae! Good plant growth with some two hundred plant species mixed and matched. Something must be right.

Tom Barr tcbiii@earthlink.net
Some of his tanks can be viewed at Welcome the sfbaaps under gallery and also in the pages of TFH.

Copyright 1997