Water test kit recommendation

[richyd]

I have decided to purchase a water testing kit to keep tabs on my pond. I've been told all pond owners should own one :redface:
Can anyone recommend one which tests all the important parameters I need, to be a responsible pond owner. There seems to be so many out there and different types and I honestly don't know where to start

Rich the n00b

 

[addy1]

api, pond master. the best thing to keep in mind is get a liquid test kit, a lot more accurate.

 

[richyd]

api, pond master. the best thing to keep in mind is get a liquid test kit, a lot more accurate.

Thank You

 

[Waterbug]

Liquid tests (reagents) give better results than strips. Strips are faster for quick ballpark looks. All reagents are standard. They use the same chemicals and yield the same result. So all brands would be the same.

Much more important than testing is understands the results. For example testing ammonia is normally a test for Total Ammonia, a combination of toxic and safe. Given a Total Ammonia measurement you then measure pH and water temperature to determine the ammonia of toxic ammonia. People freak out sometimes doing harmful stuff to the fish when the ammonia they're measuring is actually safe. Or a person measures "high" pH thinking it's harmful to fish, freak out, dump a bunch of pH lowering chemical into the pond and kill the fish.

I think it's better to not test water if it isn't paired with some basic knowledge. So imo it's better to learn and then pick a test kit because then you will know why you're getting the kit and you'll know which one you want.

 

[richyd]

Liquid tests (reagents) give better results than strips. Strips are faster for quick ballpark looks. All reagents are standard. They use the same chemicals and yield the same result. So all brands would be the same.

Much more important than testing is understands the results. For example testing ammonia is normally a test for Total Ammonia, a combination of toxic and safe. Given a Total Ammonia measurement you then measure pH and water temperature to determine the ammonia of toxic ammonia. People freak out sometimes doing harmful stuff to the fish when the ammonia they're measuring is actually safe. Or a person measures "high" pH thinking it's harmful to fish, freak out, dump a bunch of pH lowering chemical into the pond and kill the fish.

I think it's better to not test water if it isn't paired with some basic knowledge. So imo it's better to learn and then pick a test kit because then you will know why you're getting the kit and you'll know which one you want.

Thank you for the advice Waterbug