Opinion: API Master Test Kit is overrated for the average hobbyist

[Schuyler]

I'm still pretty new to the hobby so if you're new take this with a grain of salt unless some long time hobbyists pitch in and agree.

Starting out there were a lot of people who strongly encouraged me to get an API Master Test Kit because it's much more reliable and accurate. But I held off for a few months and asked for it as a Christmas present.

After getting it, my experience has been that it takes a lot more time and effort to test, the results are just as difficult to read, and it takes up way more space. On top of that the tests boil down to ammonia and nitrites which all you really care about is if they're there or not, nitrates which unless you're running a fine-tuned high energy aquascape you don't need that precise of reading on, and PH which you only really need a high precision on if you are breeding specific fish (for the average hobbyist this just leads to chasing parameters).

I think pushing the liquid test adds one more thing hobbyists feel like they need to buy and raises the perceived barrier of entry for new people.

What are your thoughts?

If you disagree, tell me how I'm wrong.

[Procrypsis]

Disagree to a point.

It all depends on your water parameters - (both tank and supply) and the species you keep or want to keep.

You can't control or improve what you don't measure.

[NOLANANO]

Idk, I personally have always found the test strips are harder to read. But I do agree that the Master Test kit isn't a complete necessity, I just think its a better option than the test strips especially when you are trying to cycle a new tank or are having issues in a running tank.  When things are running smoothly, I will just use a test strip to make sure nothing seems way off.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Agreed with @NOLANANO  When my tanks were new the test kit was a must to help cycle. I personally believe that, when used correctly and exactly to the instructions provided, the liquid test is more accurate. Now that all my tanks have been up and running for years, test strips are quicker and simply confirm that everything is where it should be. 
 

The biggest problem I faced with the liquid test, and I’ve seen others here face the same challenge, is doing the nitrate test EXACTLY as it’s written. 

[Lennie]

I've never used API MAster Test Kits as they are not available here. I'm using Sera ones in addition to Tetra 6in1 currently. Used JBL test strips before all the time.

In addition to test strips, I use ph, gh and ammonia/ammonium liquid test kits. It is not a set and I got them all intentionally and seperately.

Test strips are hard to read, and tend to give more false readings in my experience. After dipping, Do you shake them? Do you keep them still and put on a surface? Do you put them on a towel? You don't shake them at all? how long do you wait exactly to see the net result? You are tend to get lots of different readings in each scenario. A slight water drop touching another reading zone and your reading is not accurate anymore. If I had a chance, I would love to have seperate liquid tests for each value, it is just expensive.

On the other hand, API test kit readings does not seem as easy as Sera ones to read as well, from what I've been seing online. It seems really hard to tell the numbers sometimes.

To me, gh test was a must because all my water sources have 0 gh and I dose Equilibrium with all water changes. I also like using aquasoil and botanicals, and I have 3 different water sources (well, tap and RO), so I wanna know my ph readings and observe any affect of soil and botanicals on my tanks as well. You may be also dosing co2. Or airating/not airating during water changes and need to know your ph differences.

I don't have to explain ammonia/ammonium test I guess. Same goes for nitrite and nitrate. Fish acting funny? Test it. Forgot to plug in a filter? test it. Overfeeding, dead fish, medication effects on bb, and so many more. I think these 3 is a must, but I feel like only ammonia as liquid test kit is enough. Others are good to read from test strips anyway.

 

What I don't understand is, how people decided API Master kit is being the "most accurate" in US as this is what I see most commonly used and everyone claims it being the most accurate.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Lennie

[Darax]

Strips test for ammonia or nitrites/nitrates. Haven't seen a strip that does both. The ammonia testing strips I have require an odd process of dipping in and out for a minite that is similar to counting drops. 

[Ninjoma]

I agree. I don't like the PH tests, because my PH is usually between the high range and low range tests. I also don't like the nitrate test because it's difficult to tell the differences between the different shades of red for the 40-160ppm readings. The nitrite test is fine, but it is much faster, easier and cost effective to use test strips. I do like the ammonia test however because I've never been able to read ammonia test strips accurately. Other important parameters aren't included in the master test kit.

My preferred tests to use in most cases are the API liquid ammonia test, and the ACO multi test strips. 

If I want a 2nd opinion for piece of mind, or want more specific results, I use the following:
-Ammonia: API liquid test
-Nitrite: API liquid test
-Nitrates: I haven't found a test I like for this yet, but I will be trying the Salifert test soon.
-PH: Sera liquid test
-GH: Sera liquid test
-KH: API liquid test

[RockMongler]

The liquid tests are more difficult and annoying to use, but if you follow the instructions properly, they do often give more reliable, repeatable results.  If you follow the instructions properly.

Test strips are certainly easier, and I use them most of the time anymore as a quick check, but if I actually suspect something might be up, I will pull out the master test kit and make sure I follow the instructions carefully to get as good of a reading as I can.  

[JettsPapa]

On 3/1/2023 at 12:57 PM, RockMongler said:

. . .  but if I actually suspect something might be up, I will pull out the master test kit and make sure I follow the instructions carefully to get as good of a reading as I can.  

If I suspect something might be up I just grab my water change equipment and skip the testing part.

[Schuyler]

It sounds like the main thing coming out these comments is that the ammonia test is better. 

On 3/1/2023 at 9:43 AM, Pepere said:

they were actually only reading free ammonia and not ammonium

On 3/1/2023 at 9:29 AM, NOLANANO said:

its a better option than the test strips especially when you are trying to cycle a new tank

 

On 3/1/2023 at 9:39 AM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

When my tanks were new the test kit was a must to help cycle

 

On 3/1/2023 at 10:41 AM, Ninjoma said:

I do like the ammonia test however because I've never been able to read ammonia test strips accurately.

Other than using the liquid ammonia method to cycle a tank when do you need more than just a true or false for ammonia? Either there isn't ammonia (good) or there isn't (bad). Maybe pH will convert some ammonia to ammonium but unless your running something like a blackwater tank you'll still pick up some ammonia.

I'd also argue that the liquid ammonia method is not suggesting beginners should be doing either. Cory has quite a few videos about why he doesn't like that method. But if someone is doing that method they don't need the whole master test kit they'll just need the ammonia test and then normal test strips.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Strips are a quick check. Liquid helps back up what I saw on the strip as I personally believe the liquid test to be more accurate. 
 

I have tanks that run at 40 nitrates and have for years. Test strip barely show up as 5. 

[Lennie]

Like tetra 6in1 was reading 0-3 gh while I had 7. And as I said, I dose equilibrium personally.

Imagine trusting fully to test strips and adding more and more to reach that 7 I already had.

Test strips once read I have 9.3 ph!!!!! I was losing my mind lmao. Thank god I had liquid test kit to check.

they also show 0 nitrate on app, meanwhile I can clearly see the pink color in person on the strips.

So yea.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Lennie

[Ninjoma]

On 3/1/2023 at 11:51 AM, Schuyler said:

Other than using the liquid ammonia method to cycle a tank when do you need more than just a true or false for ammonia? Either there isn't ammonia (good) or there isn't (bad).

Basically very low ammonia readings, like 0.5ppm or less, especially in low temperature and low PH tanks suggest non toxious levels of NH3. I personally don't take any action when this is the case. When ammonia levels are around 1ppm, I like to detoxify the ammonia with Fritz complete. Higher ammonia levels above 2ppm, I always do at least a partial water change. 

[Scapexghost]

B4 the coop test strips came out, most test strips were inaccurate and all were overpriced. The api kit is reasonably accurate and available everywhere

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/1/2023 at 8:42 AM, Schuyler said:

What are your thoughts?

If you disagree, tell me how I'm wrong.

I think it has it's place, but there needs to be a better kit.  Here's my issue.

USA Test Kit: 4 tests ---> PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. 

 

EU test kits:  10 Tests ---> PH, KH, GH, Chlorine, Iron, Ammonia, Ammonium, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate

 

JBL has one as well that's pretty good.

I do know that Fritz is working on one.  Let's just say it better have more than 3-4 tests to be useful.

At minimum, I want beginners to be able to test:
-Chlorine
-Ammonia
-Nitrite
-Nitrate
-PH
-GH
-KH

I want an advanced kit for metals / planted tanks.
-Magnesium
-Iron
-Phosphate
-Potassium
-Manganese
-Calcium

API sort of messed up when they called it the "MASTER KIT".  It just isn't.  And they do have secondary kits but that doesn't fit into your box / kit holder like the other brands do.  Just like much of the US hobby, a pretty basic re-thing, update, and methodology change would make things easy on everyone.

Kit 1: Beginner kit #1
(take the existing master kit and add chlorine)

Kit 2:  Beginner kit #2
-GH, KH, Phosphate, Iron,

Kit 3: Advanced kit
-Calcium, Cholorine, Free Ammonia, Magnesium, Potassium, etc.

[A3M0N]

On 3/1/2023 at 8:31 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

USA Test Kit: 4 tests ---> PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate.

 

On 3/1/2023 at 8:31 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

At minimum, I want beginners to be able to test:
-Chlorine...

Wait, the API kit doesn't even have a chlorine test? I've only used the strips, I didn't see a need to spend the money on a test kit. I got Tetra 6-in-1 strips once, and API strips since then. 

[Ninjoma]

On 3/1/2023 at 10:41 AM, Ninjoma said:

I also don't like the nitrate test because it's difficult to tell the differences between the different shades of red for the 40-160ppm readings

On 3/1/2023 at 10:41 AM, Ninjoma said:

Nitrates: I haven't found a test I like for this yet, but I will be trying the Salifert test soon.

I had an opportunity to use the Salifert test today, so I wanted to provide an update. I definitely think I like it better than the API test. Where the api test showed a terrifying bright red that I couldn't decipher, the Salifert test pretty clearly indicated my nitrates were around 50ppm (what I was aiming for).

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/1/2023 at 7:35 PM, Ninjoma said:

I had an opportunity to use the Salifert test today, so I wanted to provide an update. I definitely think I like it better than the API test. Where the api test showed a terrifying bright red that I couldn't decipher, the Salifert test pretty clearly indicated my nitrates were around 50ppm (what I was aiming for).

JBL also has strips you can scan.  Some error there, but also another choice if you don't trust yourself.

Tetra's app will also analyze their strips for you too.
 

 

On 3/1/2023 at 7:26 PM, A3M0N said:

Wait, the API kit doesn't even have a chlorine test? I've only used the strips, I didn't see a need to spend the money on a test kit. I got Tetra 6-in-1 strips once, and API strips since then. 

Nah... just use dechlor and fooorgetaboutit.

[drewzero1]

I started with the strips and let people talk me into the liquid kit when I ran out-- never again! Testing is much more cumbersome which means I end up doing it much less often. Chemicals and glass test tubes are just more things I have to keep out of reach of my children. The strips may be less accurate but really I just need to know if it's time for a water change or not. Most of the time now it's just easier to reach for the siphon and dechlorinator instead of going through the trouble of testing first.

[Schuyler]

On 3/1/2023 at 10:13 PM, drewzero1 said:

Chemicals and glass test tubes are just more things I have to keep out of reach of my children.

Yep, I second that.

"Daddy, let's do science!" - My Son

[Cinnebuns]

On 3/1/2023 at 10:42 AM, Schuyler said:

ammonia and nitrites which all you really care about is if they're there or not,

I disagree. The amounts matter. If you are having a cycle crash, you need to know how bad it is so you can take different actions. One time I had an ammonia/nitrite spike and just added some prime and stability and was fine. One time I had an all out crash with massive amounts of nitrite and had to spend all night moving fish into other tanks. I wouldn't have known to take those 2 dramatically different actions without knowing the amounts. On top of that, the amounts help you to know how much prime to dose.  Prime can be dosed up to 5x it's dosage but should be 1 dose per 1 ppm ammonia + nitrite. 

 

On 3/1/2023 at 10:42 AM, Schuyler said:

PH which you only really need a high precision on if you are breeding specific fish (for the average hobbyist this just leads to chasing parameters).

Again I disagree. You need to know if you PH has gone up or down as that indicates a problem with the tank as a whole. 

 

On 3/1/2023 at 11:29 AM, NOLANANO said:

I personally have always found the test strips are harder to read.

That's my main problem with the strips. 

On 3/1/2023 at 11:43 AM, Pepere said:

other than that ph is not as critical.

There are things that can cause ph to change that need to be acted on. Ph is important even without co2

On 3/1/2023 at 12:41 PM, Ninjoma said:

it's difficult to tell the differences between the different shades of red for the 40-160ppm readings.

Anything red requires fixing and a large wc anyway so it really doesn't matter at that point. But I do agree. Red is red. It just all means the same action needed anyway is all. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 3/1/2023 at 1:51 PM, Schuyler said:

do you need more than just a true or false for ammonia?

Absolutely. See above. 

On 3/1/2023 at 2:04 PM, Pepere said:

I have seen 3 ppm ammonia via liquid test kit that barely registered on test strip.

 

I have found that too concerning to bother with test strips..

100% I have seen that before too. Scared me so much I threw the strips away. 

[Lennie]

On 3/2/2023 at 8:39 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Tetra's app will also analyze their strips for you too.

It's app readings are very bad, in my experience. No matter how cycled your tank is, it shows nitrite. 

It has very unstable readings. I've tested them multiple times in a row. It read most stuff different in a row.

It once showed me 9.3 ph while I had 8.0. LOL

It shows 0 nitrate all the time, while I clearly see pink on nitrate bar.

So yea, I am definitely on the team of liquid test kits. BUT, I have been using only test strips until a very recent time and still haven't run any issues. I guess I was more happy with JBL easy test strips tho.

Probably going back to JBL again after I finish tetra ones. I love tetra's products in general, especially their heater is my fav, but test strips didn't do it for me.

to visualise, these are the test results I got in a row:

Meanwhile liquid test kits read 8.0 ph and 6 gh.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Lennie

[RockMongler]

On 3/1/2023 at 1:19 PM, JettsPapa said:

If I suspect something might be up I just grab my water change equipment and skip the testing part.

I prefer to make sure that...

1) Something is actually wrong

2)What is actually wrong

My own tap water sometimes does contain very noticeable amounts of Nitrite, depending on what my local reservoir/farmers/etc are doing at the moment.  I want to try to know what is actually wrong so I know what I am trying to do, and if I do take action, it has actually caused the parameters to change.  If you go to change things without having an actual baseline on what it was like before you changed it, you don't necessarily see the full picture, and you might miss something, and continue to have problems.  I've also had issues in the past of just doing a water change introducing more nitrite than my tank had, because I was monitoring just my tank water, and not my tap water.  So, a scientific background plus having easily-fixed-by-properly-testing problem fixed by properly testing, I prefer to collect information before I move to do anything else.