Test Kits

 

For a planted tank there are a few test kits that you really should have on hand. These are pH, kH, gH, nitrate, and phosphate. Don't waste your money on iron test kits as they are very unreliable and not worth the money. Same goes for potassium test kits. So you might ask how does one know how much potassium to add. See the section on Fertilizers for that answer.

As far as what test kits work best. Well Lamotte are the best, but they run around $70 each. What I use is the Wardley's mid-range pH test kit, the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals gH and kH, and the Red Sea nitrate and phosphate test kits.

One of my Bit's Of Wisdom is "Never test your test kit in your tank". Now I'm going to tell you how to test your Nitrate test kit.

 

Take 1000ml of water. Dissolve 6.5 grams of KNO3 in it.

Take 1 gallon of water. Each ml of the above solution will add 1 ppm of NO3.

Add 5 ml, test. Your test kit should show 5 ppm.

Add 5 more ml, test. Your test kit should show 10 ppm.

Repeat through the range of your test kit.

 

Last Modified November 4, 2006 5:55

All information, attitudes, and opinions © Rex Grigg.