What test kits are you using?

That is the way to do it. Leave it standing in the mug for a while (half hour recommended) and it is way more accurate than chemical. I will check however and make sure.

 

Ah well, I use mine about every time I feed just to make sure everything is still fine. Call me paranoid, but I don't want to suffer another loss due to ignorance...

 

So I checked out the Sera test kits last night. The Sera ammonia kit's first reading is 0.5 which is quite a high reading and the next reading is 1.0. The Nutrafin kit's first readings are 0.1,then 0.3 and then 0.6 etc. So there is quite a big difference in the size of the increments.

 

Might aswell stick to chemical then, a PH test takes me less than a minute. 5ml water 4 drops solution shake and compare. +-30 sec

 

We are talking absolute presision on those waiting times. A pen does it quick as well, but the longer you wait, the more accurate. Depends what you want to do. Do you want to move fish, from one water column to the next? Worth waiting a bit, as we heard what pH shock can do. With chemical you do not have the option to wait a bit. Even 5 min wait for a pen is going to be more accurate than chemical. I am testing now with a very precision instrument and find a .4 differance at least, vs chemical. What will a .4 shock do to fish?

 

Nowadays when I go shopping for new fish, I just chuck my pH pen in my pocket when I leave the house. I then go about testing the water of the LFS when considering purchasing a fish. Only takes a few seconds, and that way I know if I'll be risking another chemical shock when I get home! You'll be surprized to see the pH some shops keep their fish at... 8-\

 

....hmmmm they cost more....hahahhah

 

Is there anybody here that don't use test kits?

 

Do you mean not testing at all, or only pens vs. test kits?

If you mean not at all, I think you will find those people advertising their setups in Junkmail.
If you mean the other way, you need a test kit even if you use a pH pen, because there is many other parameters you must test, like NH3 , NO2 , NO3 and then some, if you are fanatic. pH Pens is just to save you from refilling your chemical kit so often, and maybe accuracy. The jury is still out about that!

In my opinion, everyone is using a kit. Some is using pH pens as well and yet some others more sophisticated electronics as well.

 

Everyone should be testing. If you not testing you running a ticking time bomb.