While still fretting over my co2 levels, I've been reading about ph testers and would like to get more accurate on that test, and possibly kh. Right now I use a tetra test kit that measures ph in .5 increments, and everytime I measure (unless right after a water change) I'm right on 6.5. I mean right on, never a noticable shade diference.

If I can spend over $50 on a digital meter that needs frequent calibaration and it's accuracy is still iffy, couldn't I spend that same $50 on a fabulous liquid test kit? I don't need the speed of digital, and I'm using no controllers - just low maintenence, steady co2 24/7.

I just got a cole parmer catalog in the mail that I'm going to look through tonight. Boy, that thing is a coackroach killer!

The Aquarium Pharmaceuticals pH test kit will measure pH accurate to about +/- .1 or .2, depending on where on the color scale you are. Of course you can't use that kind of kit if you have trouble seeing small variations in color. But, it costs a great deal less than $50. If you really want to measure the ppm of CO2 in your tank, use a drop checker.

Thanks Hoppy,

I'm really not ignoring you everytime you mention a drop checker... I'll stop questioning it an just make one and get it over with. I really don't want anything else in my tank, but there really isn't a better way that I can think of considering how the drop checker works. To repeat outside of the tank would be a stupid amount of work.

Hoppy knows best!

drop checkers are small, and if you buy a funky glass one, quite stunning to look at. But seriously though, once youve run with one for more than a few weeks, youll never pick up your test kit again. I used to be test crazy, no longer..

The KH reference solution will be made available commericially here shortly.
They are highly lab verified accurate and only requires the drop checker and pH solution.

So you add the KH solution, then the pH indicator, invert and add to the tank.
It's small and you can glance and make sure there's enough CO2.

I can do this with plants and also know when the CO2 issue might have occured through time
Not everyone can.

But even that, a drop checker is still useful to me or others.
I'll finally get to the pH probe/ref solution method coming up in a week or so.


Regards,
Tom Barr

I will be a customer.


I couldn't fathom being able to do that, although it would be a really cool skill to have.

I'm ready to order.