What master test kit should I buy?

[chambo]

I am in the process of buying a "Master Test Kit".

There seems to be a many options available.
I had a look at a JBL test kit last week and found the instructions where mostly in German or some thing similar.
Whilst there was a small amount of english, there was units of measurments or symbols that where not in English making the unit near useless for a Novice such as my self.

What kits are you guys using?
How happy are you with the kit you have?
What should I expect to pay for a similar kit?

Thank You

[Mr Wild]

I use API master test kit/tropical.

Easy to use and understand, the bottles have written on them how many drops the little cards have full instructions on the back and you read the colour on the front.

I got mine off ebay, not sure what they would be in the shops now I have had mine for over 12months with no problem so they do heaps of tests as I have 5 tanks.

[ILLUSN]

Hagen master kit is quite good, refills are available and reasonable prices so your ongoing cost can be minimised.

[chambo]

Hagen master kit is quite good, refills are available and reasonable prices so your ongoing cost can be minimised.


With the Hagen kit, do they contain muliple bottles of the same test.
EG: Regent A & Regent B?

The JBL kit i looked at did. Given the average instructions I could not work out if they where just multiple bottles or you did the same test twice in seperate tubes to make sure the result was accurate??

[ILLUSN]

most kits keep their reagents in 2 or even 3 parts, this stops cross reacting and extends shelf life.

eg the hagen ammonia test has 3 bottles for reagents A,B & C you can get refills of each individually as they run out for $3-$4 each, much cheeper then buying a new ammonia test kit with all 3 reagents at $20rrp

[chambo]

Sounds Good.


The age of Aquariums has the Hagen kit for $139 + 7.50 Freight.

Is that the price range I should expect to be paing?

[ILLUSN]

Thats better then i paid I think mine was $145 3 - 4 or so years ago, its a massive test kit though.

[mcloughlin2]

Hagen and API are both excellant brands for their value for freshwater tanks. I personally prefer API but thats me.

[Hollowman]

Hagen for me

[Mr Wild]

LFS had API for $69.95 and you can buy replacement bottles. HTH

[chambo]

The hagen kit contains 10 tests.

the API kit contains 4 -5 test?

[Mr Wild]

PH High and Low so 2
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate

[ILLUSN]

thats the main ones covered,

hagen kit also has kh, Gh, iron, phosphate (kinda useless as theres nothing you can do about it), calcium (useless)

point to remember that neither have a ph test kit that goes down to 5.0 for that you'll have to buy a wide range kit speerate

[chambo]

Point taken on the 2 useless tests.

I ordered the Hagen kit yesterday from the age of Aquariums.

Thanks to all for there input.