Has anyone used this product just ordered it.
Aquarium Test Strips – 7 in 1... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08663FGJG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Aquarium Test Strips – 7 in 1... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08663FGJG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
7-1 Test strips
- Thread starter tlindsey
- Start date
I can’t open the link?
I did order the aquarium coop ones after I watched a video about the extensive testing Cory did to get the best, most accurate results. I mainly wanted them for nitrates in my fish room. They measure nitrate, nitrite, pH, GH, KH, and chlorine. Every test was spot on except nitrates when compared to the API liquid versions. The nitrates didn’t even show any color change in the test strip until I’m assuming 50ppm which not one of my tanks has ever seen so that was disappointing.
I did order the aquarium coop ones after I watched a video about the extensive testing Cory did to get the best, most accurate results. I mainly wanted them for nitrates in my fish room. They measure nitrate, nitrite, pH, GH, KH, and chlorine. Every test was spot on except nitrates when compared to the API liquid versions. The nitrates didn’t even show any color change in the test strip until I’m assuming 50ppm which not one of my tanks has ever seen so that was disappointing.
I occaionally us a very similar product (probaly made by the same company)
I have compared pH and nitrate with the API iquid test, and (at least in the fielld) they compare favorably
I have compared pH and nitrate with the API iquid test, and (at least in the fielld) they compare favorably
Here are spme API liquid test comparisons
for pH and nitate from in the field
for pH and nitate from in the field
So...these strips won't give me a heads-up on nitrate until it hits 50ppm...and they detect chlorine when you know for a fact that there is none.
Yep...gotta get me some of those!
I'll be honest: I don't test water much, except for unusual circumstances. When I fill an outdoor stock tank up partially with snow melt, i.e. rain water, I test for hardness and pH...although it seems that is unnecessary because I always guesstimate through percentages of rain to well water where the numbers will end up...and it always seems to be accurate. So no more of that.
Aside from that, I have been doing some water testing the past year or so on one tank, where those dang goldfish keep eating and growing and pooping and generally wearing out my water faster than I am accustomed to. I've seen nitrates raising faster than I like, so that tank now gets at least one 90% change every 4 or 5 days. It's working...and that means I am putting down the test tubes again. Hallelujah!
When you have a stable tank where the bioload isn't changing constantly due to growth or new additions, your testing teaches you what you need to do to keep things humming smoothly. Once you learn that, you're golden. Constant water testing that produces the same results over and over again seems reminiscent of a healthy individual testing his/her blood sugar every day...just in case diabetes develops someday.
Frequent testing makes sense IMHO for relatively inexperienced aquarists who are cycling a tank from scratch. But once you have a decent handle on the hobby, you likely have a couple or a few or a bunch of tanks operating; and guess what? You no longer need to cycle tanks from scratch. Mature biomedia from established tanks gives you cycled tanks with no muss, no fuss, and essentially no waiting. Again, experience and simple math lets you guesstimate how much biomedia and how many fish to start with, but within a week at the most you should be done.
I don't get up every night at 2am to look outside to confirm that it's dark; it always has been, and with no specific reason to think otherwise I just assume that it is again. Seems to be working out pretty accurately.
Step away from the test kit...
Yep...gotta get me some of those!
I'll be honest: I don't test water much, except for unusual circumstances. When I fill an outdoor stock tank up partially with snow melt, i.e. rain water, I test for hardness and pH...although it seems that is unnecessary because I always guesstimate through percentages of rain to well water where the numbers will end up...and it always seems to be accurate. So no more of that.
Aside from that, I have been doing some water testing the past year or so on one tank, where those dang goldfish keep eating and growing and pooping and generally wearing out my water faster than I am accustomed to. I've seen nitrates raising faster than I like, so that tank now gets at least one 90% change every 4 or 5 days. It's working...and that means I am putting down the test tubes again. Hallelujah!
When you have a stable tank where the bioload isn't changing constantly due to growth or new additions, your testing teaches you what you need to do to keep things humming smoothly. Once you learn that, you're golden. Constant water testing that produces the same results over and over again seems reminiscent of a healthy individual testing his/her blood sugar every day...just in case diabetes develops someday.
Frequent testing makes sense IMHO for relatively inexperienced aquarists who are cycling a tank from scratch. But once you have a decent handle on the hobby, you likely have a couple or a few or a bunch of tanks operating; and guess what? You no longer need to cycle tanks from scratch. Mature biomedia from established tanks gives you cycled tanks with no muss, no fuss, and essentially no waiting. Again, experience and simple math lets you guesstimate how much biomedia and how many fish to start with, but within a week at the most you should be done.
I don't get up every night at 2am to look outside to confirm that it's dark; it always has been, and with no specific reason to think otherwise I just assume that it is again. Seems to be working out pretty accurately.
Step away from the test kit...
Everything thing you stated was correct imo. The main reason for me to purchase the test strips didn't have anything to test chlorine. The strips are inaccurate I'm disappointed.