Your opinion: master test kits

[PaleoFishGirl]

Does anyone swear by a particular brand of master test kit? There are a lot out there, just wondering if you think any are 'better' than others.

[kennyman]

I use the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc.  Freshwater master test kit. Easy to follow instructions right on the cards and a logbook to keep track of your results. Avalible just about everywhere aswell
http://www.aquariumpharm.com/

[Julie]

I use that one too.

Julie

[Tim]

Same here. Great kit.

[BigDaddy]

For ammonia and nitrite... I use the AP stuff.

For nitrate, the AP is poor at measuring the low range, so I use Seachem's kit.  Even that one I'm not really 100% happy with, so I will probably spurge and get the Lamotte kit.  I also use Seachem's kit for phosphate.

For gH and kH, AP is fine.

For pH... a pH monitor.

Now... I have a planted tank.. so accurate pH is important (for my CO2 readings) as is nitrate and phosphate.

For your standard community tank or cichlid tank.. I'm sure the generic kits are fine.

[TBarb]

For ammonia and nitrite... I use the AP stuff.

For nitrate, the AP is poor at measuring the low range, so I use Seachem's kit.  Even that one I'm not really 100% happy with, so I will probably spurge and get the Lamotte kit.  I also use Seachem's kit for phosphate.

For gH and kH, AP is fine.

For pH... a pH monitor.

Now... I have a planted tank.. so accurate pH is important (for my CO2 readings) as is nitrate and phosphate.

For your standard community tank or cichlid tank.. I'm sure the generic kits are fine.

Big D, how important is it to read phosphate?

[BigDaddy]

In a planted tank?  Pretty important.

After CO2 and NO3, PO4 is the next biggest one people mess up with and wind up with algae.

[squeeker]

I've found the AP test kit to be MUCH more accurate than the Hagen brand, at least for Nitrates.