Hello all,

I am relatively new to teh hobby, & tired of running to the LFS everytime I want my water tested. I would like to be able to track my own levels (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph) but would like the opinions of others on the best kit for a budget (that means I am broke:P) would be.

Please chime in here!

If you have plants you don't need amonia and nitrite test kits, maybe a nitrate and a phosphate test kit but if you follow the EI you don't need them. So maybe you can spend a little more money in water and a little less in test kits.

But if you want to spend a little money I have only experience with Aquarium Farmaceuticals nitrate, ph and KH test kits,they are nice. There is always the accuracy thing with test kits especially if you are color blind, and definitely you get what you pay for.

I think you have to be fairley confident to do this..... I dont normally check them too often, but I wouldnt say not to buy them

I use the API liquid test kits, Im a bit colour blind and find them much easier to read than the Nutrafin ones

Yes definitely a lot of things could cause an amonia spike, but since he is in a low budget I would put it other way, if he wants to spend money on test kits he should buy first the PH and KH test kit to monitor CO2 levels (very important IMHO), then buy the nitrate test kit, maybe the phosphate test kit (if you like to monitor things they will be used a lot) and then the amonia and nitrate test kit if you still want to spend more $$.

Well, my tank is small, & currently lightly planted. I plan on having a giant tank later in the year, which I am putting money back for... but in the meantime, I am trying to improve my 10 gallon to be something less gaudy than colored gravel & plastic plants. I have 1 Amazon Sword (which is living in ocnditions that are less than optimal due to lighting, & that I need to trade) & a small hunk of driftwood planted with 3 small java ferns. My bioload is high, with 5 black tetras, 3 zebra danios, a red tail black shark, & a plec. I was a total noobie when I started this tank....

My planned purchases for the tank are :

1) Buy a test kit (I want to have a solid idea of what the levels in my tank are. I want to know what my nitrates are, & when I need to do a partial water change)

2) Buy a bag of Eco-Complete, & replace my current substrate with it. (also going to go hunting for some slate)

3) Get control of the levels in my tank by planting heavily. (looking forward to a large portion of Java Moss, & Clover)

4) Make a DIY external filter.

5) Once I have an idea of how my water levels are fluctuating, & I am comfortable with them, I am going to stock some shrimp.... Likely just Ghost Shrimp.


I hate to have to get the dull old test kit out of the way 1st, but a mans gotta do, what a mans gotta do. :P

My wife loves those ... she was just sitting here telling me I needed to start selling those plastic treasure chests, diver men, and castles ...

Seriously ... almost all of started out with that exact same setup ... and I sure wish I still had mine for nostalgia's sake ... It's beautiful tanks like yours that you now describe as "gaudy" that are often what attract new people to the hobby ... there is nothing more eye catching than bright pink gravel! Something that a brown (popular plant substrate) gravel just can't compare to!!!

Our aquarium club is sponsoring a spring show which attracts about 4,000 people to come look at about 100 tanks ... and I think I am going to enter a nostalgia tank to let people know that there are beautiful tanks that don't involve rare plants, high tech equipment, and exotic rare fish ... I know that's blasphemy in some circles <grin> ... so if I'm fired tommorrow, you'll know that I shouldn't have said that <grin>!!!!


I've probably tried and used most of the test kits out there ... and while I might love my LaMotte test kit, I've used the Tetra, Hagen, Seachem, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals kits, and many others over the years ... and all of them are going to be just fine ... especially since we are talking about a nitrate test kit ...

I would go with whatever brand you can pick up locally at your local fish store ... of course, that's just my opinion ...

Now ... let's see.... I don't think I've done a nitrate test yet in 2005 ... did I do one in 2004? I think so <grin> ... Seriously, test kits are a great idea ... but don't worry about an expensive one ...

Greg

Thanks alot Greg, I really appreciate your input, & the others as well. I wouldnt worry about it, but I know I had a nitrate problem in the past, & I wont be comfortable until I have a good idea of what lvls I am running. I have a pretty long road ahead of me as far as that goes. I would like to get my tank planted heavily enough, to add a fish or two. I will have to see what it looks like whne I have it planted. Might too much.

In your nostalgia tank, dont forget the SKULLS!!!!

Trav

Anyone have an opinion on an NO3 test kit (preferably affordable) that is a little more readable at higher ranges? (20-40 ish) I've only used AP's, and it's a little hard to make out any difference at these levels.

If you are having this problem try doing 5 drop's of each instead of 10, then multiply x2 to get kit reading.
Work's for me.

Test kit lasts twice as long too.............................What a good idea.

Ian