API Freshwater Master Test Kit, Kit includes laminated color card, 4 test tubes & holding tray

Product Information

When it’s as simple as dipping a strip into your water and waiting one minute to observe the color readings for multiple parameters at once, test strips have mastered the art of simple testing that you can (almost!) do with your eyes closed. Value The FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT measures pH, high range pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in your freshwater aquarium. Along with the usual water parameter tests, phosphate tests are useful for controlling algae levels, as well as for coral reef aquariums. Recommendations for how frequently you test your water in a seasoned tank vary from once a week to once a month. Having set the industry standard for many years, API produces a liquid test that you can count on to give incredibly accurate results.

API SALTWATER MASTER TEST KIT tests for high range pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, all of which need to be regularly monitored for proper water conditions for your fish. The API® SALTWATER MASTER TEST KIT measures the 4 most important saltwater parameters – pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate – to enable easy testing of your tank’s natural cycle, and to aid in maintaining a thriving saltwater aquarium. Testing is fast, easy, and accurate, yielding precise results, and comes with 4 test tubes and a convenient holding tub for easy storage. This kit also includes a complete, step-by-step instructional booklet with a color chart that provides information on how to correct unsafe water conditions. Each SALTWATER MASTER TEST KIT will conduct 550+ tests, so you can get the most out of your kit for years of fast, accurate water testing. Adding driftwood, Indian almond leaves, and peat are some common ways that aquarists add tannins to their aquariums to reduce pH.In marine tanks, even low levels of phosphates can be problematic, encouraging harmful algae, and causing corals to turn brown. Iron (Fe) Hold the test tube against the white area above the color chart, compare the sample with the printed colors. Each species has its own preferences for pH and water hardness, as well as the trace amounts of toxins like ammonia and nitrites that they can tolerate. Not surprisingly, you have to pay for all the extra tests, so this kit is substantially more expensive than the standard 4-in-1 liquid test kits. Things We Like:

If you have a very old API Test Kit, it may not have an expiry date, but only a date of manufacture disguised in the Lot number. For example, Lot # 28A0107 indicates a date of production in January 2007. Way too old to use! Another fairly comprehensive kit, the Nutrafin Master Test Kit for freshwater and saltwater tanks includes Hagen tests for pH, KH, GH, ammonia and ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, iron, and calcium. In terms of ease of use, test strips win hands down. While liquid tests may be more precise, they do take longer to complete. Each test must be performed in a separate tube, with exactly the right amount of water and drops of test solution for the test to be valid. Without a doubt, the hands-down winner for the best liquid aquarium test kit for freshwater aquariums goes to The API Master Kit. After the first fish go in, it’s not unusual to test the aquarium water every one or two days to make sure that conditions are settled. How Often To Test Water in an Established Aquarium

Add 8 drops from Ammonia Test Solution Bottle #2, holding the dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops added to the water sample. Add 5 drops of Nitrite Test Solution, holding dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops.

The color card that comes as part of the kit offers very detailed readings, with each parameter measured in small increments. Fluval is a premier aquarium brand, best known for its outstanding filters. But their liquid test kits seem less well known. But if you have a problem with your filter or notice your fish with red eyes or sore-looking gills, you can test your water for an ammonia spike – an emergency situation in an aquarium that needs rectifying immediately. Nitrites (NO2)Small levels of phosphates in freshwater aquariums (up to 1 ppm) are beneficial for plant growth, but beyond this, phosphates only encourage algal blooms – leading to cloudy water and oxygen depletion. Obviously, testing during this time is vital to find out if the beneficial bacteria are making progress and to determine when the water is safe to introduce your fish. The API Master Test Kit in particular is renowned for being the most reliable and popular test kit in the industry and is often used as the standard with which to measure the accuracy of other kits. CO2 tests are essential if you’re using a carbon dioxide injection system to boost plant growth in an aquascaped aquarium.

Instead of having two separate tests for regular pH and high pH, this kit simply contains a ‘wide pH’ test, which ranges from pH 5.0-9.5. That’s a wider range than most test kits offer, but it comes at the expense of being divided into larger increments.The tests included in the box are for pH value (pH) total hardness (GH) carbonate hardness (KH) ammonium/ammonia (NH4/NH3) nitrite (NO2) nitrate (NO3) phosphate (PO4) iron (Fe) and copper (Cu). Carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, and chlorine tests are also frequently sought after by aquarists, but for those, you’d typically need to buy a separate set. We highly recommend testing your aquarium or pond water regularly, to ensure it remains a safe and healthy home for your fish. Testing of levels such as pH, ammonia, and nitrite can help you determine whether you may be overfeeding, and alert you to any potential issues early, when they are more easily treatable. If your water tests show that any of your water parameters are very high or very low, it is important to take steps to correct conditions for fish health and wellbeing. Monitoring the water chemistry of the aquarium or pond will allow you to catch problems before they develop. Copper tests are useful when treating fish with copper-based medications, and iron tests are important for diagnosing iron deficiency in live plants.