The Puffer Forum

which basic test kits...fresh/brackish/marine are the best?

And what other pieces of equiptment can't you live without??

The api test kits seem to be very accurate and good value

My 2 things I could not live without..

Seachem Matrix
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... atrix.html

And pillow stuffing
http://www.joann.com/mountain-mist-fibe ... b/prd3232/

My filters are filled with both. A couple of weeks ago I found the $10 matrix bottles for $1, I bought every single one the store had.

I guess those are not sciency, but they are my must haves

WC should easily replace the 1st item on your list.

Pufferpunk wrote:WC should easily replace the 1st item on your list.

I do do wc, but I love my little rocks!

When, I first started out someone reccomended them to me and everything worked out, just sticking to what works. I probably don't need them at this point..just stuck in my ways I guess..as I get older I notice I do that more....I am turning into my mother

Pufferpunk wrote:WC should easily replace the 1st item on your list.

I was looking for monitoring info...I want to be able to chart my tanks performance so I can predict water quality changes before they happen.

bertie 83 wrote:The api test kits seem to be very accurate and good value

having spent 12 yrs as a water chemist for a major water company ..it's an accuracy and reproducable iusues I'm looking for.

purplecandle wrote:My 2 things I could not live without..

Seachem Matrix
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... atrix.html

And pillow stuffing
http://www.joann.com/mountain-mist-fibe ... b/prd3232/

My filters are filled with both. A couple of weeks ago I found the $10 matrix bottles for $1, I bought every single one the store had.

I guess those are not sciency, but they are my must haves

They aren't...intereasting though ...

As a scientist I want to get repeatable and accurate results so I can poredict any water quality issues over the 3 types of tanks I have, fresh, brackish and marine.

I'm worried that I have fresh water test kits which precipitate some of the salts if I try to use them in my marine system waters..And there's a chart for FW and SW but no BW or intermediate systems..

PC, I think it's a huge waste of $$$.

Pufferpunk wrote:WC should easily replace the 1st item on your list.

I use some too in my fluval and I don't see how any media could replace WCs anyways. That's all it is, just media. I like it, it's very porous so it has a lot of surface area, I had a couple that even floated before they soaked for a while. Downside to the product is it's "naturally mined" and they apparently don't try very much to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. Half of the media I got was useless, everyday, dense rocks. The other half on the other hand worked very well, and I like it as a media. I got it for free basically, it was given as a "refund" for a malfunctioning thermometer I got from my LFS. Otherwise I'd agree with PP, there are some other medias that are more worth it for your money. If they gave you more product and less crap, it wouldn't be too bad.

peeps....I'm looking for advice for scientiific equiptment to help me...not a snipeing match about about media ..


SCIENCE puffer people....science

so...test kits or probes???

I have a FW test kit I was using on my SW and I'm getting precipitation... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v16KFXa2njo...go away Frank..

I'm not sure how the introduced salts affect the ammonia levels...any=one point me to a site that can clear up teh issue for me??

Master of Puffers wrote:peeps....I'm looking for advice for scientiific equiptment to help me...not a snipeing match about about media ..


SCIENCE puffer people....science

Hard to answer since your question is so general... In science, we always ask specific questions. But as for testing equipment, me and my lfs use API master test kits. They have freshwater and saltwater versions, and API themselves recommend using the freshwater set for brackish also. So idk about a master test kit for FW/BW/SW, but if you had one of each kit, you should be covered.

Just stick with basic hobby test kits such as API. Almost all of us use it for fresh and salt. I'm uncertain about brackish water though. Light brackish I would stick with the API freshwater kit and high-end brackish I would use the API saltwater kit. Both API saltwater and freshwater kits are the same bottles with different charts, according to my past google searches. If you just buy one, then you can google the chart that you need.

If your tanks are properly stocked, then weekly water changes eliminates predicting when to do water changes. I'm sure most of us have stopped testing water regularly after our tank is set up for a few months since we do weekly water changes.


Btw I trialed Seachem Pond Matrix. Seems like the product doesn't work. I bought 5 gallons of Pond matrix (yes a 5 gallon bucket full of it) and tested it. I do not believe this product works as advertised. Also the seachem reps states that the pores of the matrix will eventually get clogged with organic waste and kill all the anaerobic bacteria.. I wish I knew this before buying my 5g. I'm pretty happy about the effectiveness of my biomedia though. Aerobic bacteria is doing excellent job in my Fahaka's sump. You're suppose to rinse the matrix with RO water for it to clear up the pores for anaerobic bacteria to survive (the bacteria that decrease NitrAte). Here is my documentation for trialing Pond Matrix: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f6 ... 96466.html

Master of Puffers wrote:

Pufferpunk wrote:WC should easily replace the 1st item on your list.

I was looking for monitoring info...I want to be able to chart my tanks performance so I can predict water quality changes before they happen.

Ok, I see what your after...if I were you and you want that type of info....google RTR, Robert T. Ricketts.......seriously, google him. You will find article after article, and website after website that references his work and he is really well published in dealing with water chemistry. This will take you a while to do...If you want that type of info, his works are the best place to start

Pufferpunk wrote:PC, I think it's a huge waste of $$$.

You are determined to take away my rocks....alright next tank I'll give it a try. I was thinking I would set up a small shrimp or snail tank, not for puff food, just to look at...but I am keeping my pillowcase stuffing