Are there any difference in brands of test kits? Also where is the least expensive place to buy one since I see a huge difference in prices online? Thanks.
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Test Kits
- Thread starter RonnieB1089
- Start date
Basically there are two most common types of tests:
1) Color chart tests. There are two variations of this test:
a) Test strips - Basically you dip strip in the test water and it changes color which you compare with the color chart. Extremely quick and simple to do, but the worst precision.
b) Adding chemicals to the test water. Basically you add some combination of chemicals that depending on the concentration of what you are testing for, changes color and tonality of color. This is a cheapest test you can find.
Both of those tests depend on you visually comparing the color of your solution to the supplied chart. This tends to be very imprecise and possible very inaccurate. Inacurate because you need to comare colors or tones of the colors that are almost never exactly the same, will change depending under which light you are comparing them (Sun, incandescent or neon bulb). Not precise, because the graduation of the chart is usually only 4-6 values and if these tests try to be more generic and cover wider range the precision will be useless. For example pH from 7 to 9 in 8 steps would be precession of 0.25 which is to imprecise.
2) Titration method - you prepare the testing water by adding indicator chemicals and then using very precise syringe (or titration tube if you are in lab environment) you slowly add minute amounts of reagent. At some point the color of the indicator in your test water will change more or less swiftly and by notting how much reagent you have used, from the chart you read the concentration. This type of test is most precise, and though a bit more expensive, I recommend that you should whenever possible instead of the color chart tests.
1) Color chart tests. There are two variations of this test:
a) Test strips - Basically you dip strip in the test water and it changes color which you compare with the color chart. Extremely quick and simple to do, but the worst precision.
b) Adding chemicals to the test water. Basically you add some combination of chemicals that depending on the concentration of what you are testing for, changes color and tonality of color. This is a cheapest test you can find.
Both of those tests depend on you visually comparing the color of your solution to the supplied chart. This tends to be very imprecise and possible very inaccurate. Inacurate because you need to comare colors or tones of the colors that are almost never exactly the same, will change depending under which light you are comparing them (Sun, incandescent or neon bulb). Not precise, because the graduation of the chart is usually only 4-6 values and if these tests try to be more generic and cover wider range the precision will be useless. For example pH from 7 to 9 in 8 steps would be precession of 0.25 which is to imprecise.
2) Titration method - you prepare the testing water by adding indicator chemicals and then using very precise syringe (or titration tube if you are in lab environment) you slowly add minute amounts of reagent. At some point the color of the indicator in your test water will change more or less swiftly and by notting how much reagent you have used, from the chart you read the concentration. This type of test is most precise, and though a bit more expensive, I recommend that you should whenever possible instead of the color chart tests.
The test kits we use are Salifert. I think if you polled folks for brand this would be the most common. LaMotte and Tunze test kits are supposed to be better brands, but I've never used either. Buy them from the cheapest source you can find them from!
You can get them from TFJPetCenter. Sometimes they run specials and since you can pick them up at meetings or their house the price works out to be competitive with the other retailers online.
Otherwise I usually get mine from the PA Group buys since they give us the 15% discount.
You can get them from TFJPetCenter. Sometimes they run specials and since you can pick them up at meetings or their house the price works out to be competitive with the other retailers online.
Otherwise I usually get mine from the PA Group buys since they give us the 15% discount.
Aquatic Obsessions in Woodbridge carries the Salifert test kits at a comparable price to online vendors and if your an NJRC member you also get a 10% discount.