What's the most "cost-effective" way to test water chemistry in a pond?
(pH, nitrates, ...)
I've had aquaria for many years, and am familiar with the "color-based"
tests.
My pond water is not color-less, so, I'm unsure of the results.

Doug
..

Color tests should still be best.
Jim Humphries, Victoria, BC
"J. Douglas Mercer" wrote in message
news:lapua.769455$3D1.421857@sccrnsc01...
What's the most "cost-effective" way to test water chemistry in a pond?
(pH, nitrates, ...)
I've had aquaria for many years, and am familiar with the "color-based"
tests.
My pond water is not color-less, so, I'm unsure of the results.

Doug
.

somebody on rec.gf posted this.
"Okay people, since I'm the only one here with way too much time to do nothing,
I've done a little homework for all of us lazy persons who are tired of little
test tubes and timers and exact drops.

I've FOUND THE TEST STRIPS!!! for almost everything, including prices and
sites..Ready??

The sites I've checked are easy to find, but I've been looking for a few hours,
and the most complete site with strips for almost everything (and the lowest
prices for more strips) is

http://www.northcoastmarines.com/tstkts.htm

I've checked the Hach and LaMotte sites, LaMotte has no test strips, and Hach
has limited tests, which are twice the $.

Also, check petgeneral.com they have varied tests also.

Hope this helps!
Deanna, the bored"

"J. Douglas Mercer" wrote:

What's the most "cost-effective" way to test water chemistry in a pond?
(pH, nitrates, ...)
I've had aquaria for many years, and am familiar with the "color-based"
tests.
My pond water is not color-less, so, I'm unsure of the results.

Doug
.

I like test strips for a quick look.... but one thing I noticed with the 2
brands I used, is when they hit that expiration date they are truly
expired. I would suggest to double test them with a liquid test kit as one
approaches that date. ~ jan

On Thu, 08 May 2003 14:07:28 GMT, wrote:

somebody on rec.gf posted this.
"Okay people, since I'm the only one here with way too much time to do nothing,
I've done a little homework for all of us lazy persons who are tired of little
test tubes and timers and exact drops.

I've FOUND THE TEST STRIPS!!! for almost everything, including prices and
sites..Ready??

The sites I've checked are easy to find, but I've been looking for a few hours,
and the most complete site with strips for almost everything (and the lowest
prices for more strips) is

http://www.northcoastmarines.com/tstkts.htm

I've checked the Hach and LaMotte sites, LaMotte has no test strips, and Hach
has limited tests, which are twice the $.

Also, check petgeneral.com they have varied tests also.

Hope this helps!
Deanna, the bored"

"J. Douglas Mercer" wrote:

What's the most "cost-effective" way to test water chemistry in a pond?
(pH, nitrates, ...)
I've had aquaria for many years, and am familiar with the "color-based"
tests.
My pond water is not color-less, so, I'm unsure of the results.

Doug
.




See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

I go with Jan..
Test strips are ok to use as an estimate. They certainly are easy to use,
and fast to get results on the positive side.
Liquid reagents generate more reproducible results than either strips or
solid reagents ("the pills"), but the tradeoff is they have a shorter shelf
life.
Many recommend they be discarded yearly, but almost all recommend at the
least they be discarded after the second season. Their accuracy suffers.
Shorten this time frame if they are exposed to high temperatures/freezing,
etc.
I have chemicals (sodium nitrate, etc) that I use to make stock solutions to
test the accuracy of the various kits. I made several up and used them as a
club project, to compare accuracy of ammonia, nitrite and pH readings
between club members kits.
You should have seen some of the variations we got on the test water
samples!! (especially on ammonia and nitrite levels .. 2 of the more
critical of course).
It opened folks eyes as to how results could vary, based on kit types, age
of kits, and how they were used.
There are very adequate/reproducible liquid test kits, that check a number
of parameters for $40 or so.
Happy ponding,
Greg


"~ jan" wrote in message
...
I like test strips for a quick look.... but one thing I noticed with the 2
brands I used, is when they hit that expiration date they are truly
expired. I would suggest to double test them with a liquid test kit as one
approaches that date. ~ jan

On Thu, 08 May 2003 14:07:28 GMT, wrote:

somebody on rec.gf posted this.
"Okay people, since I'm the only one here with way too much time to do
nothing,
I've done a little homework for all of us lazy persons who are tired of
little
test tubes and timers and exact drops.

I've FOUND THE TEST STRIPS!!! for almost everything, including prices and
sites..Ready??

The sites I've checked are easy to find, but I've been looking for a few
hours,
and the most complete site with strips for almost everything (and the
lowest
prices for more strips) is

http://www.northcoastmarines.com/tstkts.htm

I've checked the Hach and LaMotte sites, LaMotte has no test strips, and
Hach
has limited tests, which are twice the $.

Also, check petgeneral.com they have varied tests also.

Hope this helps!
Deanna, the bored"

"J. Douglas Mercer" wrote:

What's the most "cost-effective" way to test water chemistry in a pond?
(pH, nitrates, ...)
I've had aquaria for many years, and am familiar with the "color-based"
tests.
My pond water is not color-less, so, I'm unsure of the results.

Doug
.




See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website