Water Test Kit/Equipment Recommendations

[YSS]

Getting tired of using API test kits. What do the pros here use to test water for nitrate, pH, and hardness/TDS? Thanks!

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Here is what I use to test ph tds and ec. I have to replace my probe after 1 year. I take care of the equipment but it takes a long time to read the ph now after 1 year. The company said it was normal, I disagree but no other on the market that had better reviews.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Hanna_Ins...TEMOMI-vi.html

[Jhhnn]

Not that I'm a pro, but I use & like the Seachem nitrite/nitrate kits, and particularly their ammonia kit. The latter is a must for anybody who uses Prime or Safe...

[YSS]

Not that I'm a pro, but I use & like the Seachem nitrite/nitrate kits, and particularly their ammonia kit. The latter is a must for anybody who uses Prime or Safe...

Is it liquid based test kit?

[Jhhnn]

Is it liquid based test kit?

Yes, but there's no shaking in a vial. Seachem uses a system having a small dimpled tray. Instructions for their various kits are here-

http://www.seachem.com/Library/Downloads.html

I use an inexpensive electronic kitchen timer to make it easy & consistent...

[jimg]

for ec/tds temp I use hanna HI98311, for gh/kh I use nutrafin, for ph mw102 an sm102 and an sms122 or api drops.
all ph meters are very slow, been through that issue many times with many meters/probes.
In my low ph tanks I leave the probes in all the time in other tanks with higher ph I usually don't check ph I rely on ec but when I go awhile without a wc I will check ph with api drops, much faster

[YSS]

I remember not liking api drop test kits. I recall the kits being annoying. I am looking into probe type test devices.

[jimg]

I remember not liking api drop test kits. I recall the kits being annoying. I am looking into probe type test devices.

to be honest, the api drops are faster and never lie, you can take 5 ph electronic testers and all will give you different readings

[YSS]

I remember not liking api drop test kits. I recall the kits being annoying. I am looking into probe type test devices.

I meant to say Seachem test kits. Not API. I currently use API kits. Tired of shaking for a minute with API. But Seachem ones were even more annoying from what I recall.

to be honest, the api drops are faster and never lie, you can take 5 ph electronic testers and all will give you different readings

Not what I wanted to hear.

[jimg]

Not what I wanted to hear.

I know!
I went through the same thing, just wanted an electronic meter to give quick accurate results. I paid over $350.00 for a meter and found it to be not much better than the $100.00+ meters. i mostly now just rely on the ec while doing wc's. ph doesn't matter to me what the reading is too much, as long as it is the same start to finish.