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Test kit for dummies

confusedman

Member
Joined
30 Jan 2021
Messages
151
Location
London
Hello

Two weeks in the hobby. Bit overwhelmed.

We got some test strips but

I have to put them in the water for two seconds
wait sixty seconds
then I got 30 seconds to check 6 or 7 different colours before the strip gets ruined.

You should see my face when I do it.

In the end I don't get an idea of what the situation is in fact, if I do it before or after the water change I have the impression the the colours are exactly the same (which worries me)

Is there any affordable test kit for the brain of a ten year old? ( Obviously I am not ten but that is how I feel when I look at the bloody strip in the live 30 seconds....)

Thanks again for the info and the support
 
What make are your test strips? Are they still in date?
Try taking a pic of results with your phone? Might give you a better chance of reading them all.

Test strips are not that good when you are starting a tank. You need a arcuate reading, which they don't give.
I would use the liquid ones.
Personally, I like the NT Labs Aquarium Lab Water Test Set @ around £21. They are a good place to start and should give you more time to read the results. It is a bit longer to do. Keep your test strips. When you get used to the tests and your tank is stable, they will be fine for just having a quick look because you are worried.



And a bit of light reading to backup my thoughts Beginner’s Guide to Aquarium Test Strips (Why They Suck!)
 
Last edited:
Hi all,
Is there any affordable test kit for the brain of a ten year old?
This is going to seem a strange statement, when the shops are packed with test kits and the advice on many forums it "test, test, test", but I don't think there is.

Have a look at <"A fresh look at "> and links, and it will give you a bit more idea of <"where I'm coming from">.

cheers Darrel
 
What make are your test strips? Are they still in date?
Try taking a pic of results with your phone? Might give you a better chance of reading them all.

Test strips are not that good when you are starting a tank. You need a arcuate reading, which they don't give.
I would use the liquid ones.
Personally, I like the NT Labs Aquarium Lab Water Test Set @ around £21. They are a good place to start and should give you more time to read the results. It is a bit longer to do. Keep your test strips. When you get used to the tests and your tank is stable, they will be fine for just having a quick look because you are worried.



And a bit of light reading to backup my thoughts Beginner’s Guide to Aquarium Test Strips (Why They Suck!)

They are Bosike 6 in 1 strips and the date is ok
 
Is there any affordable test kit for the brain of a ten year old? ( Obviously I am not ten but that is how I feel when I look at the bloody strip in the live 30 seconds....)
Hello,
As mentioned above the best thing to do is to avoid test kits entirely. Test kits hypnotize normal people and turn them into mindless zombies. You would do well to simply perform weekly water changes of 50% or more and just carry on. You will not learn anything from those kits. They were invented to line the pockets of shopkeepers.

Cheers,
 
Please read.
What about test kits.

Generally I find the best value test kits I have found, are the ones left in the fish shop. They don't cost me anything and have never caused me to change water, add fertiliser or other chemicals or keep fish anyway different than I do now.
 
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