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Testing kit recommendations

Andy265

Member
Joined
5 Oct 2018
Messages
48
Location
Bedfordshire UK
Hi

Am starting back up in the planted tank world having come from marine i am no stranger to having to test water, what are peoples opinions on the best test kit to use ? Strips or chemical tests? any best make to use?

Thanks
 
Errm... the biggest difference between marine and freshwater planted tanks is you don't need to test the water parameters. I used to use api test kit, which gave me consistent results.
The concensus is that test kits are unreliable, I never bought that argument but agree that testing isn't needed.

Jbl and Api liquid test kits will give you fairly consistent readings, but be aware they won't magically give you a beautiful tank. The simplistic approach is to release yourself from the shackles of testing and embrace the fact that planted freshwater tanks don't need such in depth micro management 😉
 
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Hi, have heard good things about JBL test kits. and API gh/kh kits seem reasonably accurate to me.
tds pen and ph pen can be helpful.
 
Hi all,
chemical tests?
<"Semi-quantitative titrimetric methods"> (drop tests) ideally with a calibration standard, but I'd agree with @ian_m and @John q you are going <"to need a lot of time and money"> to get <"accurate results"> and they still won't necessarily help you greatly in tank management. If I was going to test regularly? I'd buy a reasonably good <"conductivity meter"> and, if I had a lot of money, <"a dissolved oxygen meter"> and an <"IFSET pH meter">.

Conductivity meter (about £250)

rain_water2-jpg.jpg


In a marine situation you have a datum to aim for and high levels of many of the elements you are interested in, so using <"an ICP is a valid method">.

I have access to a <"water testing lab.">, but I use a <"probability based approach"> and I honestly think it <"is more effective">.

cheers Darrel
 
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OK sounds good thanks for the advice, definitely with marine I was testing at least once a week so will not be sorry to see that go, will grab a basic test kit as it will be a new set up to establish when the tank is cycled.
Thanks all
 
Second biggest difference with planted tanks is there a lot easier to cycle 😀 apologies if you already know this but if you don't here's a useful link.

 
Am starting back up in the planted tank world having come from marine i am no stranger to having to test water, what are peoples opinions on the best test kit to use ? Strips or chemical tests? any best make to use?
Hi @Andy Dean

I really don't understand why some people are so vehemently opposed to the use of all test kits. How is an aquarist supposed to know how much ammonia or nitrite, for example, is in the aquarium water? It's somewhat disrespectful of others like me who choose to use test kits. So, if you wish to use test kits, my experience is that the JBL liquid reagent test kits are a good choice. I've not used the full range but just check with me for the specific tests you decide to purchase - if you go down this route.

JPC
 
Hi @Andy Dean

I really don't understand why some people are so vehemently opposed to the use of all test kits. How is an aquarist supposed to know how much ammonia or nitrite, for example, is in the aquarium water? It's somewhat disrespectful of others like me who choose to use test kits. So, if you wish to use test kits, my experience is that the JBL liquid reagent test kits are a good choice. I've not used the full range but just check with me for the specific tests you decide to purchase - if you go down this route.

JPC
I would have definitely poisoned the <expletive> out of some fish without my drop test kit. Tank looked ok, light planting. very little ferts, root tabs and few dashes of MiracleGro.

It took 2 or so weeks for ammonia from 2 or 3 to get to 0 and another 2 weeks for the Nitrite to come down to 0, it was completely off the scale 5ppm + even after 50% water changes and my tap tested 0. If youre patient, jsut waiting a few 5-6 weeks will work. However patience is the hobgoblin of the untreated ADHD brain.

Again my tank is anemically planted, I am waiting for the ferts to arrive before I subject any more plants to an unknown environment.
 
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Hi all,
I really don't understand why some people are so vehemently opposed to the use of all test kits.
I don't think we are anti-testing, or opposed to test kits, or to people using them if they feel happier to. I didn't start from a position that testing wasn't important, quite the opposite, it was the difficulties with getting consistent results in soft and hard water etc. that made me think about <"inferential methods">.

If there was a simple test for nitrate (NO3-) I would <"unequivocally recommend it">.

I've recommended a drop checker (a type of titration) and conductivity meters because they work in nearly all circumstances. Phosphorus (as orthophosphate PO4---) would be another element where it is possible to <"test for using test kits">, although you would probably need to carry out some dilutions.

cheers Darrel
 
I really don't understand why some people are so vehemently opposed to the use of all test kits.
Could it be that the vehement people had previously wasted their time, money and energy using test kits and then managed successful tanks after they stopped using test kits? Could it be that they are attempting to prevent newbies from repeating the experience of wasting these precious resources?
What test kit lovers always fail to understand in this (seemingly) eternal argument is that it is not the test kit, per se, that is disposed. It is the phycological impact of the testing process that traps individual into a life of endless testing. Newbies typically fail to understand the typical causes of failed plants - castigating excess nutrients as the cause of their demise. The aquarium industry dupes people into thinking that they can solve their problems with a test kit. The industry then offers test kits for sale. We have never seen any informative or elucidating discussion on the instructions or packaging of test kits - only scare mongering tactics such as "...This product does not contain nitrate, which causes annoying algae..."

In general, people get into aquariums for the primary purpose of enjoyment and/or challenges. No one enters the aquarium world for the primary purpose of testing, however, if someone enjoys testing then by all means, test - but let it be known for transparency that advice is being given within the context of "enjoyment of testing". Please have a look at post #6, where the OP clearly indicates that he did not enjoy testing. So this is an easy convert because testing is an expensive drudgery.

On the other hand, it seems that the people who test fanatically seem to be the ones that continually have problems, and that can be attributed to the fact that they have not embraced the cause-and-effect motto that nutrients do not cause problems in a freshwater planted tank, but instead, that the lack of nutrients causes problems.

If one accepts this motto, then the need to test for nutrient values disappears.
Furthermore, it has never been stated that "All" test kits are unnecessary. General Hardness, pH and Alkalinity values are useful tools, but again, these parameters are innocuous in-and-of themselves.

As Ian_M mentions, there is much greater value buying 20 Euros worth of plants, fish or equipment rather that on test kits.

Cheers,
 
On the other hand, it seems that the people who test fanatically seem to be the ones that continually have problems, and that can be attributed to the fact that they have not embraced the cause-and-effect motto that nutrients do not cause problems in a freshwater planted tank, but instead, that the lack of nutrients causes problems.
Couldn't agree more people just end up chasing the results of a test. Over the years my most successful tanks have worked on the principle of, "if it ain't broke don't fix it."
 
In the US most pet stores test your water free of charge. Same across the pond?

I think if you’re the impatient type such as myself a test kit has been valuable. I got it because I read everywhere you needed it.

I could have probably got 3 plant pots for what it cost me.

I’ve 3 aquariums and just started in novemberish.

I can see and understand where some of the more experience folks say they are not needed.

If you don’t mind knowing the time frame or status of the bacteria, I’m willing to bet if you WC often the non stocked tank for the 6weeks your tank will be mature and you can then safely add fish,

If you’re doing some feet regimen like EI tast kit can be thrown away, because you have to maintain your water changes anyway for the regimen to work. The water changes are the control factor.

if you’re not budget limited and are capable of adding a large plant mass at the beginning that delay time probably shrinks to a matter of days, as long as you are doing large water changes.

I’m not using my kit to chase some holy grail /Sisyphean task of making my measurements for ideal replication of some stream or lake, when my supply water is completely unsuitable, I’m using it to make sure I waited long enough that I don’t kill the fish due to ignorance and impatience.
 
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Hi

Am starting back up in the planted tank world having come from marine i am no stranger to having to test water, what are peoples opinions on the best test kit to use ? Strips or chemical tests? any best make to use?

Thanks
Just see that the kit contains the essentials: PH, KH, NH4, NO2, NO3, K, Fe. Some JBL kits have also SiO2 and O2 tests that you don't need. The strip and drop PO4 tests are useless, if you want to test PO4 get the Hanna PO4 LW -colorimeter (expensive but it works)
 
Hi all,
most pet stores test your water free of charge. Same across the pond?
I'm not trying to be funny, some do, but why would they get a more accurate result than you would? I've been told the most incredible (and totally clueless) things by a number of LFS, on the widest range of subjects, including water chemistry.

If you said:
"Some water companies get their scientists to test your water, free of charge, in their analytical lab. and a couple of days later they supply you with the range of values within which your water parameters lie."
Then it would be both, simultaneously, credible and incredible.
I’ve 3 aquariums and just started in novemberish. I can see and understand where some of the more experience folks say they are not needed.
It isn't really about experience etc. I've kept fish off and on since the 1970s and I'm still not very good at it, I'm better with plants, but I'll never have the radiant tanks that many other members have. I need all the help I can get.

I don't think any of us have any problem with people wanting to test and testing, personally I would really like to know what the water parameters in my tank are, but there are issues with lots of test kit results and that was what lead me to <"plants and time"> and I'm convinced it is a method with a better <"long term probability of success">.

cheers Darrel
 
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Hi all,

I'm not trying to be funny, some do, but why would they get a more accurate result than you would? I've been told the most incredible (and totally clueless) things by a number of LFS, on the widest range of subjects, including water chemistry.


cheers Darrel
They do it right in front of you, I cant imagine it would be worse.

The point being saving the pennies on the test kit and spending it on plants.
 
Hi all,
They do it right in front of you, I cant imagine it would be worse.
That is the whole point. I've done a lot of water testing (and a lot of lab. work) in the last thirty years. I work with proper scientists, some of who are environmental chemists. If I went and said to them:

"you don't need to do any further tests on this sample, I have accurate readings from the aquarium style drop test I performed in the field"

they would probably find me even more laughably inept than they do already.

Sometimes it is the user, but often it is the test kit that is the issue. You can get <"accurate readings for nearly all water parameters">, the provisos are that you have to have access to <"appropriate analytical equipment">, staff <"who can use it"> and a large amount of time and money.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all,

That is the whole point. I've done a lot of water testing (and a lot of lab. work) in the last thirty years. I work with proper scientists, some of who are environmental chemists. If I went and said to them:

"you don't need to do any further tests on this sample, I have accurate readings from the aquarium style drop test I performed in the field"

they would probably find me even more laughably inept than they do already.

Sometimes it is the user, but often it is the test kit that is the issue. You can get <"accurate readings for nearly all water parameters">, the provisos are that you have to have access to <"appropriate analytical equipment">, staff <"who can use it"> and a large amount of time and money.

cheers Darrel
I get it, I dont think we are disagreeing, I recognize my own ignorance and honestly don't have the background to debate it verses someone who specializes in this sort of thing.

What I have gathered is these things are wildly inaccurate, the color-metric scale is hard to read for most of us, but I did test my water for nitrites back to back to back to back and even swapped the test tubes to ensure it wasnt some kind of contamination. My tap came up zero (light blue) every time, my tank came up wildly purple, so much so that I did 50% water change and it was still wildly purple and I tested my tap again in the same test tube which came up light blue or 0.

I honestly have zero idea what the composition of the chemicals in the drops are, what they do, how or why they change color.

I fully agree accuracy might not be up to or even close laboratory standards, but I honestly feel it let me know that I shouldn't put fish in that water yet.

After I came back from travel and was doing WC day, when I tested this past weekend tank came up 0, I tested three times in 3 tubes to ensure I was consistent and all were 0 or light blue.

maybe its placebo, but I felt value for the money spent.

The nitrite test is basically a pass / fail so I feel like it did its job. I do have a terribly time differentiating some of the results. Again I am not chasing a specific parameter value like pH, KH, GH or Nitrates other than make my water "safe for fishies".

I just wanted my ammonia and nitrite to read 0 after an ammonia spike followed by a nitrite spike, which given almost all the information that I understand and have parsed it should allow me to slowly add livestock safely. As with any step into learning something complex, I believe the more you try to educate yourself, there is a realization of just how much you don't know, the desire to learn more is there, my capacity is questionable.
 
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