Test Kits

[alistairw]

Morning all.
I just thought I would offer an alternative to the API Master test kit, in the NT Labs Aquarium multi test kit.
I have had an API for years and only noticed the other day it was a few years out of date. My tank is quite mature now and I haven’t had any issues with water quality for a long time and would only test once so often with 0’s across the board each time. When realising the kit had a shelf life I thought best to replace, but my LFS was out of them so over to Amazon I went and the NT labs came up. This had the addition of the General Hardness and Carbonate hardness which I wanted to test. This combo worked out cheaper than the API and separate KH / GH tests (not included in the kit).

Everyone always says get the API, so is there any difference in quality as from what I have seen, it’s a pretty good kit.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Good on you.
I have noticed similar, where a couple say that a product suited them and, from then onwards, those posts get repeated and, before we know it, THAT is the ONLY product.
Total shoemakers, of course.
Whilst some products do exactly what they're supposed to do and deserve the plaudits, it doesn't mean the rest of the products out there do not.

 

[alistairw]

If they just added the O2 test, it would be perfect!

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

If you have plants, then good plant growth is a good indication of good oxygen levels...and if you see tiny bubbles forming on your plants, that's even better, 'cos it means your plants are photosynthesising and producing oxygen.

 

[Ch4rlie]

There are a number of test kits out there for sale.

One of the main reasons I tend to recommend API Freshwater kit is that they are fairly accurate and pretty good value for the money so it’s simply just easier to stay with that recommendation.

I too have had the NTLabs test kit in the past, it’s a not bad kit at all truth be told and it’s just a little more expensive and you get less amount of tests compared to the API (800 tests) but with inclusion of gH and kH tests which is a useful addition and does work out slightly cheaper than the API brand

I found that I preferred the API kit to the NTLabs one, not for any real reasons tbh is just a preference is all.

There is also Salifert brand, more accurate and better than both API and NTLabs imho but each test is separate to purchase and therefore quite a bit more expensive but a good brand.

Of course there are lab grade test kits which are highly accurate but these can cost hundreds to use if not more. Not really worth it for the standard aquarium uses.

So that’s in a nutshell why I tend to recommend API Freswater Test kit for the beginner to the hobby and when they become more experienced and knowledgable they can then purchase whichever test kit they please as they will then know what they would rather use or try.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

what is the price comparison?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Ah...question answered

 

[JazzyV]

There are a number of test kits out there for sale.

One of the main reasons I tend to recommend API Freshwater kit is that they are fairly accurate and pretty good value for the money so it’s simply just easier to stay with that recommendation.

I too have had the NTLabs test kit in the past, it’s a not bad kit at all truth be told and it’s just a little more expensive and you get less amount of tests compared to the API (800 tests) but with inclusion of gH and kH tests which is a useful addition and does work out slightly cheaper than the API brand

I found that I preferred the API kit to the NTLabs one, not for any real reasons tbh is just a preference is all.

There is also Salifert brand, more accurate and better than both API and NTLabs imho but each test is separate to purchase and therefore quite a bit more expensive but a good brand.

Of course there are lab grade test kits which are highly accurate but these can cost hundreds to use if not more. Not really worth it for the standard aquarium uses.

So that’s in a nutshell why I tend to recommend API Freswater Test kit for the beginner to the hobby and when they become more experienced and knowledgable they can then purchase whichever test kit they please as they will then know what they would rather use or try.

Yes, except does not have a beginner aware of gh and kh ..so ppl start off blind

 

[JazzyV]

More tests but inaccurate is ..I can’t do anything with that…then I end up spending and buying serval more testing options

 

[JazzyV]

And in some aspect the way api can pick up on a molecular makeup genre…that’s better off for pros IMO ..have ppl start of and not testing gh and kh or understanding ph in relation is just a bad start off IMO.

 

[JazzyV]

Salifert…I can’t recall exact been a while but that might be more saltwater option than for fresh or fresh limited.

Sera you can buy just the test liquid. That’s more cost effective than having to buy the whole kit with glass cylinder and all. You can purchase the whole kit case(all test) or just buy the one field you want. When you are out just buy the test liquid and not the kit with glass cylinder and pippette. More affordable for us to test our water often. And c’mon whose got space to keep storing excess glass cylinders an buying stuff you don’t use. They will try to sell it but I just buy the refill lol

 

[JazzyV]

If you have plants, then good plant growth is a good indication of good oxygen levels...and if you see tiny bubbles forming on your plants, that's even better, 'cos it means your plants are photosynthesising and producing oxygen.

pearling is so beautiful

 

[imw]

I was just wondering if the various test kits used the same chemicals (if that is the correct word) in the them to turn the colour to X in order that we can compare against the colour chart ?

Thoughts ?

 

[Essjay]

If a website contains safety data sheets, they do (or should) tell you what's in each bottle, though they sometimes hide behind "proprietary ingredients" which means "we aren't going to tell you in case a rival steals our recipe"

 

[Avel1896]

Hello
According to me (and thousands other Europeans) the best and really accurate test drop kit is JBL's.