What test kit does everyone use and were did you get it?

leona

leona

Member
Who?
What?
When?
Why?
Were?
Did you buy your test kit if it was online, lfs etc. etc.
Why this brand over the others?
What do you like about it?
Are the color charts or if it's drop by drop color EASY to read or do you have to question yourself? Then look back at the chart or card and say to yourself. Is there a red tent is there not a red tent is it brown or red.......Is it 7.8 or 8.0.
IMO.....they need to make charts that have a total different color when the number changes. Not on the same line of colors. If they do make this test kit and somone has it............I WANT IT!!......:happy:
 
darknes

darknes

Active Member
I haven't used many test kits, but the one I use is FasTest. I think it works great because instead of reading off a piece of paper, it has colored plastic sticks you hold up next to the colored solution, and unless you are colorblind, it's VERY easy to read. Also, instead of counting drops of solution or measuring, the test comes with individual packets, and you just cut a packet open and pour it in. VERY EASY.
Thats just my opinion, though.
 
petem

petem

Member
I use the Hagen Master test kit. It's for both fresh and saltwater. I bought it because it was a complete kit. It not only tests for NH3; NO2, NO3, and PH, but also for Calcium, KH, Phosphate, Silicates, and Iron. There are some more but I cant remember them. It came with 5 testubes, and two pipets and in a handsome plastic Case. ...All for just 49.99, Not available in stores...call now for yours..Today! The first 400 callers will get a free T-shirt....(sorry, couldn't resist)
 
sergeant

sergeant

Member
I use a Marine Lab by Red Sea. It was the only one available at the store that day. :rolleyes: It test Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, pH and Alk and it was inexpensive. It is also one of those color card (low/medium/high) it doesnd realy tells you the specific numbers.
 
boomper

boomper

Member
Salifert and Red Sea. Salifert is probably the most accurate, a little more expensive though. I got mine off this site, and ordered a bunch at once, making the shipping cost not so bad.
 
leona

leona

Member

Originally posted by PeteM
I use the Hagen Master test kit. It's for both fresh and saltwater. I bought it because it was a complete kit. It not only tests for NH3; NO2, NO3, and PH, but also for Calcium, KH, Phosphate, Silicates, and Iron. There are some more but I cant remember them. It came with 5 testubes, and two pipets and in a handsome plastic Case. ...All for just 49.99, Not available in stores...call now for yours..Today! The first 400 callers will get a free T-shirt....(sorry, couldn't resist)
Thanks Needed that.......
 
leona

leona

Member

Originally posted by Boomper
Salifert and Red Sea. Salifert is probably the most accurate, a little more expensive though. I got mine off this site, and ordered a bunch at once, making the shipping cost not so bad.
Is the Salifert a complete test? Or seperate ones.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
I definately check on the fish first. I remember because I have to top off twice a day, and in the morn. I can't stand waiting on the RO water to fill my jug, cause I hafta pee so bad.:D
As far as test kits, I use Salifert also. I went through Hagen's and ended up giving away the whole thing. The PH didn't read accurately, and they didn't provide enough test vials for each test. I don't mix the vials, it can screw up the results. I contacted Hagen and there response was simply that I must have had a bad batch of testing liquid, and they admitted they get numerous calls about it, but there's nothing they can do!! Got Salifert, one at a time and now I pretty much have all of them. Even the ones I don't need!!:D
 
birdy

birdy

Active Member
Salifert, Salifert, Salifert. I will no longer use any other brand, and I have used many many brands. They are well worth the little bit more money.
 
C

crm13

Guest
You know, I've been using that Hagen master test kit all along also, Pete. Do you have a hard time with the color matching of some of those tests? I got it also because it will do both fresh and saltwater, but I think that the color matching is a little tough sometimes. I have been considering switching to the salifert test kits because I hear they are easier to read as well as being more accurate.
 
petem

petem

Member
CRM...Yes, I do sometimes find that it's hard to match up the color. Especially the ph. Then I found out, that you cannot use tungsten (regular light bulbs) light to view the results. You can either use sunlight or fluorescent. It's easy because the tank is adjacent to the back door so I can go out and check. Otherwise, if I run the test at night, I need to go downstairs to my basement and view it.
Once or twice my Nitrates were hard to match up. But, Recently when I had an ammonia problem, it worked well...the test turned bright blue. I was like...HOly Cow!
But I think I'll use this up before I buy anything else. Or, save my money, and buy a pinpoint ph monitor.
 
jag3365

jag3365

Member
I tried the all in one kit you can buy at *****....needless to say I got really frustrated when I couldn't tell the difference between the two colors. I only use salifert test kits now. I got mine from this site and on ----. Yeah they are a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for. I rarely have a hard time reading these kits at all. The feature I like is some of the kits you look down to try to tell ppm and if it's too light there is a conversion to look through the side and get even more accurate ppm. They are expensive and I do order them individually, but they're the best.
 
C

crm13

Guest
Yeah, I knew about the light thing. I usually just use the flourescent light from my qt. That has a full spectrum bulb in it. Sometimes, I still have a hard time matching up the colors with the Hagen kit. Sometimes I wonder if maybe the test will just come up with a color that lies between two color patches that they give you, and I can't decide which one it's closer to. I wasn't sure if all kits are like that or just that particular one. Other than that though, I've been relatively happy with it. But, I will try some of the Salifert kits the next time around, especially just to see how much variance there would be between the two kits. I guess to some degree, it's really consistency that we look for more so than trying to get an exact measurement. I recently read an article somewhere, not sure where, that stated that a number of test kits were compared to see just how accurate they really are. I think they tested ten or better different brands (don't remember exactly how many samples). Of the ones tested(no brands mentioned of course), only one kit tested accurately. The most were very close, and a couple weren't close at all. Of the ones that were close, most actually measured higher than the actual reading was supposed to be. Anybody else see that article somewhere? I thought that was interesting.
 
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