best test kit?

[glinton]

What is a good overall test kit to get, relatively inexpensive?
I found one by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals for pretty cheap, but is it good?

 

[j21kickster]

LaMotte Test Kits and HACH test kits are about as good as they come- but for practical use- seachem is ok too

 

[jonthefb]

yeah lamotte, and Hach are like gold, silver would go to salifert and fasttest, and anythign below silver, i wouldnt want to use!
good luck
jon

 

[j21kickster]

I say HACH b/c my stepfather works of them- i have some pieces of equipment that would blow your mind in what they can do. They are really expensive but are about as accurate as they come

 

[reef fool]

I use Salifert test kits. It is what my LFS sells. The LFS "reef expert" says they are one of the best in his opinion. I am just taking his word. They are definitely more accurate than the big all in one kit I bought in the beginning.

 

[jonthefb]

my father just purchased a master kit from la motte, and it cost him a fortune, but now he tests water for people and charges like 20 bucks a pop for a whole series of tests, includign Dissolved oxygen and iodine!
pretty cool, but also pretty expensive
good luck
jon

 

[jonthefb]

i agree about the DO test, i think hes jsut a big dork and had to have the whole series, and that why he got it. he uses it on our 135 tank but i dont think he ever tests customers DO, if he does im sure he knows to get a fresh sample, hopefully. IMO, dissolved oxygen isnt muct to wory about, especially if you have decent circulation, and lots of algae in the tank.
oh well, hes a retired probation officer, who has beehives, makes soap with my mom, and takes care of our 135 gallon tank, so it gives him somethign to do!

good luck
jon

 

[glinton]

If I buy a "cheap" kit like the SeaChem kit or the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, am I really going to be that bad off? Won't most test kits do the job you need them to do?

 

[reef fool]

I am blaming a recent Ich outbreak on a cheap test kit. I regularly monitered my nitrates with an all in one saltwater test kit. Nitrates were fine (or so I thought). My lfs tested my nitrates and they were 50 ppm - 100ppm. I tested it again with the cheap kit and it read15ppm. Nitrates are now down to 5ppm but my fish are being iched out, BIG TIME. I assume that the stress of the high nitrates was what let to the ich outbreak! I now use a $20 nitrate test kit as well as others from Salifert. Not worth being cheap! No telling how much this Ich outbreak will cost me when all is said and done!

 

[broomer5]

Testing your tankwater is like crossing a busy street on foot everyday.
The more often you look both ways, and can see the oncoming cars and trucks clearly, judging their speed and distance - the better chance you'll have of making it across safely.
If you're partially blindfolded with a cheap test kit - chances are you'll eventually get creamed !

 

[glinton]

Well said, friends.
You have convinced me to open my wallet a little further. I will spend the money on a nicer kit. I am sure you are saving me some hassle in the future.
Thanks!