Water Testing Kits

[Gruntle]

API Master kit has something like 100 tests in each bottle (ammonia 130 tests, nitrite 90 tests, nitrate 90 tests, pH 250 tests). You can also just buy the extra bottles of reagent when you run out (for instance if your ammonia test runs out before your pH test).
 
As stated above, you can test any number of tanks (I do all 3 of mine when they're all running, quarantine tank is currently empty).

 

[the_lock_man]

 

Tetra 6 in 1 is good for beginners. 

I use this and they arent dead yet

 

 
The Tetra 6-in-1 does NOT include an ammonia test. This fact alone means that however cheap they are, they are not worth the money. I have to say that I, along with most experienced aquarists, consider ammonia to be an essential test to have at one's disposal. Ammonia in the water is the first sign that something is not right with the biological filtration - so you need to be able to test for it.
 
There are other strip tests which do include ammonia. Some people argue that in an established aquarium, these are accurate enough to tell you if you have a problem, on the basis that any ammonia and/or nitrite is too much, so if you get any reading at all, you know you have a problem. Therefore, one uses strips when you aren't expecting a problem, and switch to liquid when a greater need for accuracy is needed. I can see the logic of this, however I have heard stories of people seeing false positive results and therefore doing all sorts of emergency water changes and the like which turned out not to be necessary. I guess with that, you pay your money, and you make your choice.
 
Personally, I have always subscribed to the point of view that I don't want to risk false positive results, so have always used liquid tests. I started off with the Nutrafin master kit (which is expensive) and indeed am still using the pH and nitrate tests from this kit. Many people swear by the API, and if you know the caveats with the ammonia and nitrate tests, they will do a good job at a reasonable price.
 
You could always buy the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate tests individually, which will save you a little by not having to buy the pH KH and GH tests in the API Master, but not a huge amount.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

You need the ammonia and nitrite kits for cycling. The next most important kit is the pH one. After that you normally need not test most other parameters regularly. Most fish stores will test your GH and KH for you and once you know what these are out of the tap, you rarely need to test this again unless something goes wrong which is clearly connected to these parameters.
 
So, if money is an issue, those are the three tests to have on hand. Not only will they get you through most of cycling, but also though many other issues down the road.

 

[GriffinC18]

API Master kit has something like 100 tests in each bottle (ammonia 130 tests, nitrite 90 tests, nitrate 90 tests, pH 250 tests). You can also just buy the extra bottles of reagent when you run out (for instance if your ammonia test runs out before your pH test).
 
As stated above, you can test any number of tanks (I do all 3 of mine when they're all running, quarantine tank is currently empty).

and it only takes one test of each for a tank? 
 
 
that seems really good for the money now

 

[Ch4rlie]

and it only takes one test of each for a tank? 
 
 
that seems really good for the money now
 

 
Yep, has hundreds of tests in total, so it is fairly good value for the money and also pretty accurate provided instructions are followed to the letter.
 
Nitrate is the least accurate test (due to the 2nd bottle of reagent solution, needs to be shaken extremely well), but as was said earlier, ammonia and nitrite and ph are priority tests.

 

[GriffinC18]

okay, thank you so much for your help! i will definitely get that now!