Water Test Kits

[foxycatfish]

Ok folks need a bit of advice. What do you use for testing your tanks water quality. At the mo i use 5 in 1 test strips. Anything better out that i should be using?

 

[cheesy feet]

test strips become unaccarate over time.Liquid or tablet test kits are best imo

 

[Bloo]

API Freshwater Master test kit

 

[Don Trinko]

I have used 2 brands of test strips and they never agree with the liquid tests for nitrites or nitrates. It is more expensive but I would buy the liquid test kits. Amonia and Nitrites are the most important to me.
Later I would buy a Nitrate and Hardness kit. I would buy a cheap PH probe. I never have much luck with the liquid ph kits because my ph is 7.4 to7.8. It's hard for me to tell these apart on the color chart. If your ph is closer to 7 the liquid kit may be fine for you.
Most LFS's will test your water for you but they ussualy use the test strips. Don T.

 

[rdd1952]

It is more expensive but I would buy the liquid test kits.

Actually, if you calculate the number of tests you get for the money, liquid tests cost only half as much as strips. The API master kit runs about $25 and will do well over 100 tests. A pack of 25 of the 5 in 1 strips runs about $12 so 100 tests would be about $48.