test kits

[Vallisneria]

I'm thinking i need a some new test kits. My last ones were from the AP master kit(ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, ph high and low, KH, gh). I liked most of the test kits that that came with but found the nitrate kit extremely hard to read. I couldn't tell the difference between the colors. So i was never sure exactly how much nitrates i had(unless is was on the low side of the scale). I also tried a Hagen nitrate test kit but foudn that one was even harder to tell the difference between the colors. The AP kit was atlest orange-red the hagen kit was various shades of purple, all look teh same to me

So what nitrate kits of everyone use? Anyone know of one that is easy to read(clear color differences)?

[Fishy]

I was using the Hagen Nitrate test kit at first and also found it very hard to read. I just switched over to the AP nitrate kit and found it better than Hagen's. Those are the only two kits I have used so far.

[Vallisneria]

Anyone used a red sea nitrate test kit?

[Smokey]

Val, what were the readings on the test kit?

5 - 10 - 20 - 50ppm - ?? that you can not distingish/read.

[Vallisneria]

Well usually anything over 10-20 start to look the same. The AP test was a bit easier to tell the difference of as 5-10-20ppm were kind of yellow to ornge to red. But on the hagen test all amounts were various shades of purple. Even at the lower numbers i couldn't tell the difference. SO basically if anything is ever over 20 i can't tell what exactly it is.

When i was fishless cycling i had a heck of a time figuring out what my nitrates were at.

I think i may try the red sea test.

[cichlidkid]

i hit the town and go to petsmart ten petcetera then skiceller then petsmart. its sorta a loop and I get free water tests from each 'cept ski celler I do that once a week.

[AndyL]

Day to day use - I used a hagen master test kit... Just need to make sure your NO2/NO3 solutions are up to date (expiry is printed on the bottoms). Not 100% accurate by any means - but they give you a ballpark.

If you really want accuracy Lamotte test kits are what you should be looking for - but they are priced accordingly - expect to pay 75$+ per kit (yes individual kits - they are that expensive).

I believe it's the red sea SW kit I've got - not very accurate but it'll point you in the right direction anyway.

Andy

[RD.]

I find AP kits to be the easiest to read .......

[Vallisneria]

Well i decided to try the red sea nitrate test kit and i also got a new AP freshwater master test kit. Should be here in a couple weeks, so i'll let oyu knwo if its easier to read. If not i think i'll just stick with the AP nitrate too.