The Puffer Forum

I want to buy a test kit for my Puffer tank I am setting up....It will be freshwater to start off with but i will be gradually changing it over to BW....my question is....do I need to buy a saltwater test kit or a Freshwater test kit????

I'm sure the Hagen Master or Mini Master Test Kits are suitable for both FW and SW. Remember reading it in the pack that came with mine. I'll check tonight unless someone else knows for sure before then which is likely.

When I talked to a Rep from Hagen...I was told to use the results from the SW side of the tests for my brackish tanks...but most of the tests I have show different scales for fw and sw...but they are on the same test...

I also hedge my bets by making sure it looks good on both scales..(SW is a little more stringent), but my tanks are low end brackish, and probably closer to FW than SW

The same test kit can give differeing results in FW and BW. The higher mineral concentrations of the BW tanks does affect the reading of the results. Peregrene has the correct idea - where the same kit can be used for FW and BW/SW, different color charts are required. Exactly where on the scale you need to change charts is a function of the particular test chemistry, and should be found out from the company that made the kit.

Why then, does the AP test kits have a 1-step process for FW ammonia & a 2-step process for SW ammonia?