Test kits

tink399 · 08/06/2006, 05:24 PM

I need opinion of what would be a good and accurate test kit? I currently have salifert test kit. One of the Fish Stores here recommand using the Instant Ocean Kit. Any opinion on that particular kit ? My current readings are:
po4-0
nh4-<.25
kh-10.6
alk-3.66
ca-340
no2-0
no3-.2
ph- bewtween 8.0-8.3
salt-1.025

All of these readings are from salifert test kit. I took my water in to have it tested at a local fish store to see if my readings were accurate and they showed my ph low an my nitrite a little high. They used the instant ocean test kit. My main concern is I am color blind and my wife has to help determine the colors from the testings. Is there any other products avaliable that may be better for me?

sir_dudeguy · 08/06/2006, 05:43 PM

salifert is a good brand. Lots of people use that brand, so i'd just stick w/that. I have no clue how instant ocean test kits are, but in my experience, they're products (other than salt) arent that good...for example i used one of their hydrometers and it was way off...idk if its just the hydrometer that sucks or if it was a defect, but i'd stay w/salifert.

bertoni · 08/06/2006, 05:55 PM

I haven't used the Instant Ocean test kits, unless they're just relabeled SeaTest-FasTest kits (same company). I do use Salifert test kits.

For the colorblind, there's some alternatives. PinPoint makes an expensive calcium probe (returns a number). A pH meter is fairly inexpensive. A good pH meter can also be used to replaced the color check for the alkalinity test kit.

Most of the other tests aren't usually needed. Magnesium is good to test, but I don't know of a non-color-changing test approach.

08/06/2006, 05:24 PM	#1
tink399 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 61	Test kits I need opinion of what would be a good and accurate test kit? I currently have salifert test kit. One of the Fish Stores here recommand using the Instant Ocean Kit. Any opinion on that particular kit ? My current readings are: po4-0 nh4-<.25 kh-10.6 alk-3.66 ca-340 no2-0 no3-.2 ph- bewtween 8.0-8.3 salt-1.025 All of these readings are from salifert test kit. I took my water in to have it tested at a local fish store to see if my readings were accurate and they showed my ph low an my nitrite a little high. They used the instant ocean test kit. My main concern is I am color blind and my wife has to help determine the colors from the testings. Is there any other products avaliable that may be better for me?

08/06/2006, 05:43 PM	#2
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	salifert is a good brand. Lots of people use that brand, so i'd just stick w/that. I have no clue how instant ocean test kits are, but in my experience, they're products (other than salt) arent that good...for example i used one of their hydrometers and it was way off...idk if its just the hydrometer that sucks or if it was a defect, but i'd stay w/salifert. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

08/06/2006, 05:55 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I haven't used the Instant Ocean test kits, unless they're just relabeled SeaTest-FasTest kits (same company). I do use Salifert test kits. For the colorblind, there's some alternatives. PinPoint makes an expensive calcium probe (returns a number). A pH meter is fairly inexpensive. A good pH meter can also be used to replaced the color check for the alkalinity test kit. Most of the other tests aren't usually needed. Magnesium is good to test, but I don't know of a non-color-changing test approach. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni