Hardness Testing Kits

[sevenleaf]

I'm gearing myself up for my new planted tank that I'm in the process of setting up and thought I'd run some tests on my current tank purely out of interest (1.25wpg, no CO2 injection)

I've bought some API 5in1 dip tests and got the following results on my water:

GH: 180
KH: 180
PH: 7.2

Now using this chart it looks like my CO2 should be 35ppm. This is leading my to think that the tests must be inacurate, as with no CO2 injection that must be impossible?

What testing kits does everyone use?

 

[Themuleous]

If you are not injecting CO2 then the KH/pH/CO2 relationship doesn't work, so don't be fooled into thinking you have enough CO2 in the tank. If only it was that easy!!!

BTW those test strips are very inaccurate, you'd be better off with liquid test kits, but to be honest proving the water is ok for the fish then there isn't really any need to test, especially on a mature tank. I rarely test these days, as do most planted people

Sam