[APD] Hagen test kits? Flying blind

[Andrew McLeod <thefish at theabyssalplain_freeserve.co.uk>]

On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 01:40:52 -0600, Candy M. 
<cry_little_sister at hotmail_com> wrote:

> I would like to know if anyone is aware of any reason I should not order 
> the following test kits: Hagen
> NUTRAFIN TEST KIT PH LOW RANGE (6.0-7.6)
> NUTRAFIN TEST KIT PHOSPHATE FRESHWATER/SALTWATER
> NUTRAFIN TEST KIT NITRATE FRESHWATER/SALTWATER
> NUTRAFIN TEST KIT IRON FRESHWATER/SALTWATER
> NUTRAFIN TEST KIT GH/KH FRESHWATER/SALTWATER
> NUTRAFIN TEST KIT CALCIUM FRESHWATER/SALTWATER
>
> Are they accurate enough?
>
> Thanks
> Candy

I generally like the Hagen tests. At your hardness you _might_ find you 
need the high-range pH kit (I have soft water, ~60 ppm KH and my pH is 
about 7.4-7.6 ish), so if you had a pH reading in your water report you 
might want to check it. Obviously if you're adding CO2 to drop the pH, you 
will probably need the low range. The iron test tests for both chelated 
and non-chelated iron separately (which is good), and I have heard the 
Nitrate test (although still pretty bad) is better than some others. It 
doesn't really measure it well though, it sort of measures at 5ml, 10ml, 
20ml, 50ml and 110ml, with very little difference in colour between these 
(you can measure if you have <5ml, a bit more than 5ml or lots, but that's 
about it). The calcium test, like the KH and GH tests, is a titration test 
(drop by drop), but as it measures 20mg/l per drop it's not designed for 
freshwater, unless (like you say) you have quite hard water.
Hagen sell a Master Test Kit with all of these plus a few more which I got 
second-hand from someone (if anybody in the UK knows how to get the 
refills individually I'd be grateful).
As for the usefulness of the tests, I can't think why you would *need* to 
know the Ca/Mg ratio. The nitrate test would possibly be one to get a 
better test kit if possible. I've heard that most Iron test kits don't 
read low enough to read the commonly found levels in the aquarium. This 
one reads 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0, so considering the estimative index's 
advice of >0.5mg/l it should be alright. The colours on that test (just 
looking at the instructions) don't seem to be too bad either.
I saw the Hagen tests being used in my LFS last time I was there, if that 
means anything. I live in the UK, though, and I'm not sure if any better 
tests are easily available over here. (Over here I can't find compact 
fluorescent ballasts or half the other things you can get over there quite 
easily. I'm making the assumption you live in the U.S.A. from your -6 hour 
timezone).

--
Andrew McLeod
thefish at theabyssalplain_freeserve.co.uk

This email was scanned carefully before transmission to remove any 
content, information or relevance.
_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/aquatic-plants