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Post by starlight on Jan 31, 2005 16:23:43 GMT -5
I use AP tests for pH/ammo/KH/GH/Nitrite/Nitrate. I was wondering if you felt the Hagen Master Test Kit (10 tests) would be an upgrade over AP. I know that you aren't a big fan of AP products but don't know if that includes their test kits.
Regarding pH test instruments. I'd love to have a pH meter rather than doing individual tests on many tanks. A friend of my had a real nice meter but I forgot the name. Some of the testers look cheesy and others I'm not sure about. Milwaukee Instruments has a unit that has caught my eye. Do you have any experience with MI? Is there another tester that you would recommend?
Thanks
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Post by amanichen on Jan 31, 2005 16:38:58 GMT -5
I use AP tests for pH/ammo/KH/GH/Nitrite/Nitrate. I was wondering if you felt the Hagen Master Test Kit (10 tests) would be an upgrade over AP. I know that you aren't a big fan of AP products but don't know if that includes their test kits. As long as the reagants are the same, then the results should be the same. Of course, things like quality control come into play here, and I'd trust the QC at Hagen to produce test kits that are more reliable and accurate. However, any test kit that uses color charts won't be nearly as accurate as one that uses color-transparency for comparison. So, if you want top quality test kits, go with LaMotte. They're basically superior to any other chemical-reagent types. BTW, I don't hate Aquarium Pharmaceuticals as much as I hate Jungle. Jungle ranks in my mind than Aquarium Pharmaceuticals ever would  (Note that there's a company called Aquarium Products, that actually uses AP as an abbreviation.) I don't have any experience with them. Scientific grade pH meters are not intended to take continuous readings. The probes for them must be well cared for (kept in a solution of distilled water) to preserve their life, and accuracy. There are cheaper probes are available, but I can't attest to their usefulness, or lifetime, other than to say that I haven't ever seen any electronic pH meters which are intended for prolonged use (prolonged exposure causes premature damage to the sensor.) The cheaper ones often come with a +/- 0.2 error on the readings. |
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Post by starlight on Jan 31, 2005 17:26:38 GMT -5
Thanks.
I forgot about AP, they make Quick Cure as well as other products. The only Aquarium Pharmaceuticals products I use are their test kits.
Hagen has a good reputation. Their filters work well for me. I know the LaMotte kits are higher quality. They are more expensive. I'll see if the budget allows.
I know the pH testers require care, maintenance and calibration. Am I better off sticking with a good pH test kit rather than an instrument to test pH?
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Post by amanichen on Jan 31, 2005 17:31:11 GMT -5
I know the pH testers require care, maintenance and calibration. Am I better off sticking with a good pH test kit rather than an instrument to test pH? If money is an issue, yes =) |
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Post by Jenova on Feb 9, 2005 17:18:42 GMT -5
When I teach freshmen chemistry lab, we use a TI-83 calculator connected to a pH probe with an amplifier. It appears to be working pretty well. You don't have to keep the electrode in water, but it does have to be calibrated often (really often  ) Unless you want to measure pH with three significant figures, I wouldn't bother.... |
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