testing kits

robyn · 08-22-2006, 06:58 AM

iv been postponing buying my own testing kits because they are pretty expensive and with my school dance coming up iv been broke 4 ages. iv been taking my water samples 4 testing at a local pet shop but its quite a shlep 2 get there. i was thinking of buying just 1 or 2 kits 4 now. which 1's r the most important to buy 1st?

(my tank has mollies and a snail)

Puffer Pita · 08-22-2006, 07:15 AM

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. All three are vital.

**Damon** · 08-22-2006, 07:19 AM

Nitrate is not nearly as vital. Fish can tolerate much higher levels of nitrate than other forms of N. Ammonia and Nitrite are the ones I would go with. The problem I see with your idea is buying the 2 tests individually will cost almost as much as a new test kit.

robyn · 08-22-2006, 07:24 AM

iv seen individual test kits for about R90 - R110 and iv only seen full test kits for close to R600 so its about the same. i would buy a complete testing kit but right now i just dnt hav the capital. do u think its best 2 keep having the pet store test my water and 2 buy a complete kit in a couple of months?

**Damon** · 08-22-2006, 09:49 AM

If they dont charge you for it then by all means. I would still buy an ammonia test. Thats the test you will most likely use most. And it will also allow you to compare you results with your lfs to see if they are being accurate and not using expired test kits.

robyn · 08-22-2006, 10:31 AM

the pet store that tests my water seem 2 b pretty clued up. all the other pet stores know less about the fish than i do, which is not alot

Vermifugert · 08-22-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxermom

Ammonia, nitrite, xxxxx. All three are vital.

I would worry about PH before Nitrates

girth vader · 08-22-2006, 12:41 PM

honestly where I live the Tetra test kit is probably the best I have used. For Nitrate is cost $15 CDN but for the whole shebang it cost $30 CND. But the whole shebang does NOT include Nitrate. If I had 2 choose 2, I would get Amonia and Nitrite as they are the most lethal in high doses. But if you have a Biotope then Amonia and PH are your 2 best tests. And continue to go to your LFS to test hardness and nitrates if u dont mind the drive. IMO.

robyn · 08-22-2006, 01:03 PM

test kits here cost 3 times that amount. i dnt drive myself yet, can only get my licence when i turn 18 in dec and the only time im in that area is at night when im at work, which is y i want 2 buy kits. but i think im going 2 wait a while b4 i buy them.
how often should i have my water tested? iv been having it tested weekly because my water was pretty bad, but its fine now. is every month 2 long?

girth vader · 08-22-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robyn

test kits here cost 3 times that amount. i dnt drive myself yet, can only get my licence when i turn 18 in dec and the only time im in that area is at night when im at work, which is y i want 2 buy kits. but i think im going 2 wait a while b4 i buy them.
how often should i have my water tested? iv been having it tested weekly because my water was pretty bad, but its fine now. is every month 2 long?

weekly is good if you can keep doing it. monthly doesnt allow you to adjust conditions should a level spike.

emc7 · 08-23-2006, 12:12 AM

If the tank is still cycling, ammonia and nitrite are essential, but once they get down to zero, I only test nitrate, TDS, and pH

Dr_House · 08-23-2006, 10:57 AM

I don't know what kind of products you have access to in South Africa, but here in the states, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes the master test kit which has Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and high and low range pH for a very good price. It's what I've used in my aquariums and it has been an inexpensive and reliable way to measure my water quality. I hope that helps.

robyn · 08-23-2006, 11:25 AM

wow, we get 1 kit here 4 that! i think iv seen that kit b4, or something very similar, but it was about R580, which works ou2 to $81. i guess its all import fee's and profits. i was going to ask my gran 2 bring me 1 back when she went ova last month, but unfortunately she landed up in hospital and had 2 cancel her trip

joe kool · 08-23-2006, 01:09 PM

can you do mail order? there are several UK and I think 1 or 2 in AF that do online sales. 99.99% of the time mail order is at least half of what you would pay in the LFS for supplies. If you are in a area that has alot of competition it will still be about 25% cheaper after shipping which if your are on a budget makes all the diffrence. Things might be diffrent overseas but thats' pretty much how it works here in the states

robyn · 08-23-2006, 02:05 PM

i dnt really know much about mail order and ordering online, cos i dnt really do it much. my sisters planning a trip over 2 the US at the end of the yr but she'll only b back around feb next yr

08-22-2006, 06:58 AM	#1
robyn Lost sole Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Africa Age: 19 Posts: 233	testing kits iv been postponing buying my own testing kits because they are pretty expensive and with my school dance coming up iv been broke 4 ages. iv been taking my water samples 4 testing at a local pet shop but its quite a shlep 2 get there. i was thinking of buying just 1 or 2 kits 4 now. which 1's r the most important to buy 1st? (my tank has mollies and a snail) __________________ Robz 29G 1 mollie (moving to QT) 1 guppy(moving to QT) coming soon: 6 otto/cory catfish 3 dwarf gourami 8G QT 2.5G becoming a handrearing ****************atiel thingy

08-22-2006, 07:15 AM	#2
Puffer Pita Puffer Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,677	Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. All three are vital. __________________ Tina Puffers: Auriglobus silus x2 Colomesus asellus x1 Tetraodon travancoricus x1 Tetraodon biocellatus x2 Tetraodon nigroviridis x1 Tetraodon baileyi x2 Tetraodon lineatus x1 Tetraodon palembangensis x1 The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated. - Mohandas Gandhi

08-22-2006, 07:19 AM	#3
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Nitrate is not nearly as vital. Fish can tolerate much higher levels of nitrate than other forms of N. Ammonia and Nitrite are the ones I would go with. The problem I see with your idea is buying the 2 tests individually will cost almost as much as a new test kit. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

08-22-2006, 07:24 AM	#4
robyn Lost sole Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Africa Age: 19 Posts: 233	iv seen individual test kits for about R90 - R110 and iv only seen full test kits for close to R600 so its about the same. i would buy a complete testing kit but right now i just dnt hav the capital. do u think its best 2 keep having the pet store test my water and 2 buy a complete kit in a couple of months? __________________ Robz 29G 1 mollie (moving to QT) 1 guppy(moving to QT) coming soon: 6 otto/cory catfish 3 dwarf gourami 8G QT 2.5G becoming a handrearing ****************atiel thingy

08-22-2006, 09:49 AM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	If they dont charge you for it then by all means. I would still buy an ammonia test. Thats the test you will most likely use most. And it will also allow you to compare you results with your lfs to see if they are being accurate and not using expired test kits. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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08-22-2006, 10:31 AM	#6
robyn Lost sole Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Africa Age: 19 Posts: 233	the pet store that tests my water seem 2 b pretty clued up. all the other pet stores know less about the fish than i do, which is not alot __________________ Robz 29G 1 mollie (moving to QT) 1 guppy(moving to QT) coming soon: 6 otto/cory catfish 3 dwarf gourami 8G QT 2.5G becoming a handrearing ****************atiel thingy

08-22-2006, 12:41 PM	#8
girth vader Hey Now! Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 33 Posts: 616	honestly where I live the Tetra test kit is probably the best I have used. For Nitrate is cost $15 CDN but for the whole shebang it cost $30 CND. But the whole shebang does NOT include Nitrate. If I had 2 choose 2, I would get Amonia and Nitrite as they are the most lethal in high doses. But if you have a Biotope then Amonia and PH are your 2 best tests. And continue to go to your LFS to test hardness and nitrates if u dont mind the drive. IMO. __________________ I have a tank!!! A nice one too!

08-22-2006, 01:03 PM	#9
robyn Lost sole Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Africa Age: 19 Posts: 233	test kits here cost 3 times that amount. i dnt drive myself yet, can only get my licence when i turn 18 in dec and the only time im in that area is at night when im at work, which is y i want 2 buy kits. but i think im going 2 wait a while b4 i buy them. how often should i have my water tested? iv been having it tested weekly because my water was pretty bad, but its fine now. is every month 2 long? __________________ Robz 29G 1 mollie (moving to QT) 1 guppy(moving to QT) coming soon: 6 otto/cory catfish 3 dwarf gourami 8G QT 2.5G becoming a handrearing ****************atiel thingy

08-23-2006, 12:12 AM	#11
emc7 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 39 Posts: 2,902	If the tank is still cycling, ammonia and nitrite are essential, but once they get down to zero, I only test nitrate, TDS, and pH

08-23-2006, 10:57 AM	#12
Dr_House Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 346	I don't know what kind of products you have access to in South Africa, but here in the states, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes the master test kit which has Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and high and low range pH for a very good price. It's what I've used in my aquariums and it has been an inexpensive and reliable way to measure my water quality. I hope that helps.

08-23-2006, 11:25 AM	#13
robyn Lost sole Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Africa Age: 19 Posts: 233	wow, we get 1 kit here 4 that! i think iv seen that kit b4, or something very similar, but it was about R580, which works ou2 to $81. i guess its all import fee's and profits. i was going to ask my gran 2 bring me 1 back when she went ova last month, but unfortunately she landed up in hospital and had 2 cancel her trip __________________ Robz 29G 1 mollie (moving to QT) 1 guppy(moving to QT) coming soon: 6 otto/cory catfish 3 dwarf gourami 8G QT 2.5G becoming a handrearing ****************atiel thingy

08-23-2006, 01:09 PM	#14
joe kool Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 36 Posts: 572	can you do mail order? there are several UK and I think 1 or 2 in AF that do online sales. 99.99% of the time mail order is at least half of what you would pay in the LFS for supplies. If you are in a area that has alot of competition it will still be about 25% cheaper after shipping which if your are on a budget makes all the diffrence. Things might be diffrent overseas but thats' pretty much how it works here in the states __________________ A conglomeration of cichlids from all over living happily in my "melting pot" of tanks. Breeding: currently nothing ... I'm sequestered in South Korea, "Osan" to be exact 2 days till I'm back in the states!!!! Florida to be exact, those Floridians have no idea what they're in for!! current Fry: see above tanks: 100, 55, 46 BF, 26 BF, 20L, 5 fry tank 20L planted with CRS is the only thing up (easy for the wife to care for in my stead)

08-23-2006, 02:05 PM	#15
robyn Lost sole Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Africa Age: 19 Posts: 233	i dnt really know much about mail order and ordering online, cos i dnt really do it much. my sisters planning a trip over 2 the US at the end of the yr but she'll only b back around feb next yr __________________ Robz 29G 1 mollie (moving to QT) 1 guppy(moving to QT) coming soon: 6 otto/cory catfish 3 dwarf gourami 8G QT 2.5G becoming a handrearing ****************atiel thingy

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