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Aquarium Water Test Kits

Aquarium water test kits are one of the first equipments that are purchased by all aquarists.

It definitely helps in maintaining the proper water conditions in a thriving aquarium and gives us vital information for stocking and maintaining a stable aquarium.

With the varieties of aquarium water test kits available, how would you know which one you would need and why?

For the marine hobbyist the standard test kits that should be on every hobbyist’s shelf should include alkalinity, pH, Calcium, magnesium, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and ammonia.

All that's left for you to decide is to pick which type and brand.

Let's start with the "type" of test kits. For the most part there are two types: titrimetric and colorimetric tests.

• Titrimetric test kit

  It again uses a reagent or reagents of a known strength to the test water until a reaction occurs, usually a color change.

  Unlike the colorimetric test, the titration test will usually have you count the drops of the reagent or refer to a chart that corresponds to the amount of reagent used, which will give you the concentration of the substance you are testing for.

• Colorimetric test kit

  It is simply a test that forms a color. Generally you will add a reagent or reagents to the water you are testing and match the color with a color chart that will determine the amount of the substance in the water you are testing for.

I myself use both types.

I use titrimetric test kit to test my phosphate and nitrate level.

Why test phospate level?

Well, phosphate can enter your aquarium through tap water, fish waste and decaying organics such as uneaten food or dead algae.

As phosphate increases so does your chance of having unsightly algae and green water blooms. In saltwater, phosphate can also inhabit the growth of corals and other reef building organisms.

I would recommend:
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (API) products . This kit allows you to easily and accurately measure the phosphate level and maintain a healthy aquarium. It does 150 tests.

The phosphate kit contains: two dropper bottles for accurate dispensing of test solutions, easy to read instructions and color charts, one non-staining glass test tube with snap-tight cap.

I will give this product a "5 star" rating for the ease of use.

Another great thing about Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (API) products that I cannot stress enough is "safety". Their test kits have childproof locks which is really great! Many of us have children around our aquariums and even households without children should be aware of the danger that some of these chemicals pose.

I use Mardel 5-in-1 test kit for the other water parameters often tested. This kit is a colorimetric test kit type. Check out my Saltwater Aquarium Outlet Store for availability of this product.

They use the same technology found in medical labs and replace other potentially toxic and time-consuming kits.

They are designed to be accurate and dependable while being safe and easy to use. It test your aquarium water for pH, hardness, alkalinity, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia the quick, easy, accurate and safe way.

It will give you results in just one minute or less.

Aquarium water test kits are one of the vital part of our aquarium system. The ones mentioned on this article are my choice and would highly recommend to others.

The aquarium water test kits products mentioned here provides me with accuracy, safety and ease of use.

I hope that some of the points I mentioned about my preferred testing brands will help you in finding a test kit that suits your needs.

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