Re: Lamotte vs AP

[Cavan <millsman7 at yahoo_com>]

"I thought I would save the money and
get the AP kit.  I couldn't tell between 5 and 15.
There's a big difference between those two numbers."

>No, there's really not much difference between those
>numbers. See the info
>presented by The Good Tom (Barr) at

Some of the good info Tom gives recommends Lamotte
kits.  He recommended the Lamotte to me (along with a
couple other people).    

In my tank, there IS a difference between those
numbers.  Nitrate levels were the ONLY thing changed
and led to the disappearance of the green dust.  It
also makes a difference in the coloration of red
plants.  Micro tenellus grows much redder at very low
levels but not at the higher ones (above about 10). 
Same for macrandra.  This has been my experience.

Even if there wasn't a difference between the numbers,
I don't want a kit that's that off.  Why even have one
then?  The AP and Seachem (which makes otherwise great
stuff) that gave me the low readings were new.  I
didn't like that.   

>The range is very flexible, up to 20 ppm at least.

At least?  You're kidding, right?  I would have an
algae farm if it were that high.  Again, I say this
from experience.  Of course, no two tanks are the
same, but I wouldn't go there.    

"The lamotte kit is more reliable too.  I was getting
a
reading of what I thought was 5 from the AP and
Seachem kits.  Why did I have so much green dust then?
 Testing on a friend's Lamotte showed it was actually
17."

>I'm curious as to how you could get a reading of 17.

A friend of mine tested for me with his kit before I
got mine.  I'm assuming he decided the reading was
between two values and went with that.  I've done the
same thing.  Not 100% accurate, but a lot closer than
a paper card.  

>So I still say that the LaMotte is overkill and
>overpriced. And it's not all
>that precise anyway. My opinion, take it or leave it.

You stick with your opinion and I'll stick with mine. 
I think you have to remember that not everybody's eyes
are the same.  I was frustrated with the AP kit.  So
were a bunch of other people (mostly Green Finger
members).  You get what you pay for.  I don't regret
getting the Lamotte at all.  

From George Booth's site (I hope he doesn't mind me
using this - my apologies if not):

"Many people are surprised at the cost of high quality
test kits and will opt for cheaper "hobbyist" grade
kits. Many people report poor results with these for
two reasons: generally poor design or quality control
and they've been on the shelf too long and the
reagents are old. I heard many cases of people trying
two ot three different brands of hobbyists kits,
paying a total amount greater than a good test kit,
and then buying the decent kit they should have bought
in the first place. It's your money. Even worse is
using a bad or out of date test kit and thinking there
is no problem when there are actually very high levels
the thing you're measuring. Cheap nitrate and iron
test kits seem especially prone to this."   


Cavan (Green Finger henchman)  





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