[Razorworm]

I heard that the LaMotte test kits are pricy but very accurate....Any opinions?

 

[Jeffww]

Not worth it for regular testing. Won't ever need to know information beyond. "Nitrates are not 0 and are not above readable range" whether ammonia is present and the general pH of your water.

 

[bigstick120]

Very accurate, but $$$, I have 1 for NO3, Its served me well.

Jeffww, I dont understand what you are saying?

 

[Jeffww]

Very accurate, but $$$, I have 1 for NO3, Its served me well.

Jeffww, I dont understand what you are saying?

The accuracy that these kits provide goes beyond our uses. We will never need to know any information beyond the fact that:

1. Nitrates have not bottomed out and are not beyond safe or acceptable levels
2. The pH is relatively stable is within an acceptable range
3. Ammonia is not present in the system in any measureable way.
4. In general parameters are not "out of whack"

In other terms we don't need to know anything more what the cheap API kits can tell us. Purchasing a highly accurate kit is only so useful to us since we can't ourselves affect water quality except in a very global/broad/guesstimative perspective with regards to our tanks. Additionally knowing the measurements of parameters to a +- 5ppm isn't really necessary for growing good plants and keeping healthy fish.

Save that cash and buy more plants + fertilizer. You'll need it more than having an at home lab. (however appealing that may sound to me)

 

[OverStocked]

I don't test my tanks. For any water tests for experiments or rootmedic research, I've had a lab do it. Home test kits are either junk, or not worth the money.

My 75g tank hasn't seen a test in years.

My other tanks have used ammonia test strips just for cycling info. They are all shrimp breeding tanks so after that, I don't much care.

 

[bsmith]

I personally think that the accuracy one needs in a kit is up to the person using it.

I love my lamotte N kit. It really helps me fine tune what I need to dose for my harder to keep happy plants. I also like to find out what x amount of kno3 adds to my tanks in relation to the size of that tank.

So I personally find it's accuracy very useful.