I received a freshwater master test kit from Red Sea to use for myself and recommend to customers. So far Ive not been impressed at all! I just tested my 100 gallon and its giving me a positive reading for nitrite!! It has also given me positive results for ammonia. My tank has been cycled since June, and actually even before that (I seeded it from a 1 1/2 year old tank). I have used my other test kits (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) and ammonia and nitrite are both 0.

I thought since the Red Sea kits were more expensive and most use the two bottle reagents they would be more accurate. I have to say, I really love my cheap Aquarium Pharm kits.

I dont know if my water conditioner is throwing off the RS tests or not. I use different conditioners in my tanks and get the same results for all. Also the RS results are very hard to read.

Anyone else used these? Loved them, hated them?

I haven't used the red sea one myself. Just ordered the salicylate ammonia test from kordon because my old aquarium pharm ammonia test was nessler based and would give false results from using amquel. What types of water conditioner are you using?

I like the AP kits too. My only gripe is that it can be a bit difficult to see the difference between the colours sometimes due to having round tubes instead of flat. They seem reliable though. Haven't tried the RS kits.

I like Tetra kits, they come with "square" tubes... so light doesn't play tricks on you while trying to compare it with the color standards.

Both the Tetra test kits and the AP test kits use the same measurement of water per test. If you like the square "tubes", just purchase one round of Tetra tests, save the square tubes and use them with the ap tests. They work splendidly.

I have a small block of wood that I drilled with holes to hold the round test tubes of the ap, so they will not roll around as they are developing. I have saved enough tubes through the many test kits I have bought that I have a block with 4 tubes per tank. (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH) I can pull all the water from each tank, set each test going, and go on to the next tank. Then I go back and read them and record all the results. It truly speeds testing and allows me to build my complete and balanced chart each week (I know - I am being compulsive, but go with it! )

I also have a block made that holds all the square tubes that I have. It works well too, and allows me to set a group on or by the tank being tested.

darylthanks for the tip on the wooden block headed out to the shop and make me one

I have never heard of square tubes, but it sounds like it would be very useful. Those round ones really do seem to change color ihn different lightings and what not.

I like the Aquarium Pharmaceutical ones, but that could just be because that is what I started out with and is what I am used to.

Aqua

I use the fresh water master kit also byaquarium pharmaceuticals,inc like it

I have not used the Red Sea test kits. But I prefer to use and I would suggest to get Hagen’s MASTER TEST KIT for Fresh Water. It will do complete tests of pH, Ammonia, Carbon and General Hardness of your water, and Nitrites. It is very good.

I absolutely love the Jungle Labs 5 in 1 test strips! and I have purchased allot
of different tests over the years. Clear, fast and acurate.

yep! ap test kits are just about the best as far as im concerned. i find the ammonia and nitrite tests to be very accurate.

i also use the mardel test strips but, i usually only use them when i have to be quick about it. oh yeah, and for my weekly monitering of gh/kh/ph.