[citadel]

What test kit would you recommend for a newbie?

 

[lauraleellbp]

API, Red Sea, Seachem are some common brands. I usually use the API Master Freshwater, and then also get the gH/kH kit to add to it.

 

[Darkblade48]

+1 for the API test kits. They are priced fairly and work well for our purposes.

 

[smp]

+2 for the API test kits. Added API Phosphate and Salifert KH

 

[Chrisk-K]

+3 for the API test kits.

 

[GTR]

I can't read the colors of the API GH test.

 

[Darkblade48]

I can't read the colors of the API GH test.

Isn't it just blue and yellow?

gH and kH test kits work by titration, so there should only be two colours...

 

[enzo]

i heard Lamotte are the most accurate. I use API freshwater as I got it on sale.

Test strips are inaccurate.

 

[Darkblade48]

i heard Lamotte are the most accurate. I use API freshwater as I got it on sale.

Indeed, Lamotte test kits are the best, but are extremely expensive. We don't really need that kind of accuracy, but they are nice to have.

Test strips are inaccurate.

+1. Test strips are notoriously prone to poor storage conditions.

 

[daijoubu]

Isn't it just blue and yellow?

gH and kH test kits work by titration, so there should only be two colours...

My Nutrafin GH kit tends to have very low color intensity when testing soft water... Sometimes you can only tell by looking down the test tube from the top against a white background.