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Can someone please recommend a good test kit for my planted tank.



My Scapes

Hi,
I use the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Freshwater Master
Test Kit. To that I have added the Nitrate test kit.
There are also individual test kits that test for iron,
for Phosphate, and other elements. You could purchase your
own personal lab! If you choose your substrate wisely,
I think you can do without some of the specialized kits,
and stick with the basics. You need to know the pH, KH,
and Nitrate levels. If you use flourite, or laterite,
for your substrate, you could do away with an iron kit.
If you have troubles with algae, you might consider a
phosphate kit. More importantly, you should look at your
plants and learn to determine what they are telling you.
Read: http://badmanstropicalfish.com/plant_problems.html

Then, if need be, purchase additional test kits, as
necessary.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks Frank. I use eco-complete.
Which I know has pretty much everything in it.

I'm concerned about my nitrAte levels. I'm testing with "Red Sea" nitrate kit but after adding about 1/2 tsp of Greenlight Stump Remover to my 46 I still get a zero reading. I read somewhere that java moss (which I have alot of over my substrate absorbs alot of nitrAte from the water column. Do you think this could be screwing around with my reading. I also have a phosphate pad in my cansister.

My Scapes

I have the same test kit as Frank, it works very well.