Test Kits.... Please :)

[DaveJ]

Hi folks,

I am in need of some help from you all. I would take it as a personal favor, I might even get on my knees and beg, if you would e-mail me the values that your various Kits use for these tests:

Ammonia
Salinity
Nitrates
Nitrites
Phosphates
Alkalinity
Calcium
OXY
Redox

Just give me the test name, the test and then the values your charts list. I realize that many of these only have certain values and units of measure, but many kits come in different scales. That is the information I am after.

Why am I doing this? Well as many of you know, or may not, I produce a Palm OS program for maintaining tank systems. I am undertaking a little project to compile the various popular kits so I can pre-load them. I don't want to buy all the kits though so I thought this would be a good source of them.

I appreciate any help or information you can provide!!

Thanks mucho..

Forgot the e-mail addy... djohnson@wco.com will work.

[fishinchick]

I purchased an Aquarium Pharmacuticals kit when I first got started. Most of the kit is okay BUT I never did care for them at all. The color charts are funky and hard to read. I also dont think that the No2 (nitrite) and No3 (nitrate) tests worked anywhere near accurate. I was not satisfied. I have used another brand of tests but since water was spilled on them and I rewrote the names on the bottles I cannot give you the brand but I KNOW what the box looks like. LOL. I will let you know when I go to the LFS this weekend cuz I have to pick up another calcium test.

Not very helpful, I know. I just dont reccommend Aquarium Pharmacuticals.

[Rick O]

Ammonia and nitrites------Tetra-----mgN/litre
alkalinity------Fastest-------meq/litre
calcium------Salifert-------ppm
salinity------specific gravity

Is this what you were looking for?

[DaveJ]

Originally posted by Rick O
Ammonia and nitrites------Tetra-----mgN/litre
alkalinity------Fastest-------meq/litre
calcium------Salifert-------ppm
salinity------specific gravity

Is this what you were looking for?

Rick.. very close! What scale of numbers, measurements do they use on these? For example, the Ammonia... if you test for ammonia and then look at the scale, does it show it as 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 or some such?? That is the type of additional information I am looking for.

[DaveJ]

Hi Folks,

Well after a little e-mailing and a phone call to the makers of SeaTest and FasTest, I have those covered. I also have the Dry-Tab brand covered for PH,NH3,NO2,NO3,CU. I have the Alkalinity and Calcium tests from SeaTest as well. What I am looking for now is La Motte, SeaChem, Salifert and Red Sea users I know there are some of you out there.

Fishinchick, that would be wonderful thanks!!

Rick O, the Salifert Calcium test, does it have a scale or do you just add drops and use a multiplier to get the ppm? On the Tetra Test for Ammonia and Nitrites, do they have a scale or cards to compare color to? If so what are the values of them? What do you use to test nitrates?

[Rick O]

Originally posted by DaveJ
Rick O, the Salifert Calcium test, does it have a scale or do you just add drops and use a multiplier to get the ppm? On the Tetra Test for Ammonia and Nitrites, do they have a scale or cards to compare color to? If so what are the values of them? What do you use to test nitrates?

Sorry I didn't respond sooner.

With the Salifert ca test kit you start with a measured amount of reagent. You add drops until the color changes then you read the remaining amount and compare it to a chart. This is an abbreviated description of how it works but hopefully you get the idea.

The Tetra ammonia kit gives you four colors to compare the test to. The scale is "0", "0.25", "1.5", "5.0"

The Tetra nitrite kit gives you five colors to compare to. The scale is "<.1", ".1", ".25", ".5", "1 to 10"

Sorry, but I don't test for nitrates. I just do water changes about every two weeks or so.

[DaveJ]

With the Salifert ca test kit you start with a measured amount of reagent. You add drops until the color changes then you read the remaining amount and compare it to a chart. This is an abbreviated description of how it works but hopefully you get the idea.

Kinda... The remaining amount in the dropper? When you look at the chart, I assume it has some qty that is left in the dropper and you match that chat (a ppm scale?). What values are on that scale?

The other informaiton was just what I needed!! Thanks!

[Rick O]

The scale goes from 10 to 500 in intervals of 10.