RE: Test Kits

[Lobos <lobos0331 at yahoo_com>]

>>>>>
Travis wrote:
Diane,

I wouldn't spend any additional money on test kits.
For test kits you'll
want a nitrite, Ph, KH, and Fe. You're much better off
right now investing
in ferts. I'm just starting in this planted aquaria
thing myself (8 months
now I think) best investment ever, was going the PMDD
route. I bought my
recipe ingredients through
http://www.hydroponics.com/info/aquatics/pmdd.htm
It Cost me a total of $35 including the cost of UPS
shipping. They even send
you the recipe. I cut the recipe by 50% and keep it in
an old Sera
fertilizer bottle. Huge difference in plant growth. I
even upped my KNO3%
for my particular tank and it has been helping the
plants to out-compete the
GW bloom that is always waiting to strike. If you can
use measuring spoons,
then you can mix your ferts. The amount I purchased
will easily last me a
year. One 300ml bottle of Sera fert at my LFS cost
$15. I can't afford that
every three weeks! Good luck

>>>

Diana,

In terms of kits at a minimum you should buy a KH
(Tetra or Sera) and narrow range pH (Aquarium
Pharmaceuticals or LaMotte), so that you can determine
the CO2 concentration in your water.  Other kits I
find useful are a phosphate (Seachem or LaMotte), iron
(Seachem or LaMotte), and a nitrate (Seachem).  I buy
Seachem, Aquarium Pharma, and Tetra kits.

Definitely, dose fertilizer if you have medium-high
lighting conditions.  I use PMDD and Seachem (Fluorish
and Trace) products.  Look at theKrib.com for info on
these products and other plant related info.

Lobos




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