Test kits are the best way to ensure that your aquarium is running properly and that all the components of your aquarium are in order. Since there are so many test kits on the market it is bound to get confusing on which type of test kit to use for your aquarium. This article will help you understand what are the different kinds of test kits for your aquarium and which test kit is ideal for you.

The test kits that are manufactured for aquarium purposes are either freshwater test kits or saltwater test kits. Freshwater test kits are designed to measure PH levels, ammonia levels, nitrite levels and nitrate levels without the presence of sea salt in the water and do not function well with the addition of salt.

Saltwater test kits on the other hand are especially designed to measure the various components of water while accommodating the salinity levels in the water. If you have a saltwater aquarium then it is important for you to get a test kit that is meant for saltwater use.

It is possible to get various types of test kits that allow you to test the water parameters of your aquarium. The most popular test kits are master test kits since these test kits allow you to test all the parameters in your aquarium. Reef master test kits allow you to test pH, phosphate, alkalinity, nitrate, and calcium. The fresh water master test kits allow you to test for PH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. It is also possible to get individual test kits that test only one component of your aquarium and are beneficial to you if you want to test individual components or want to refill your master test kit.

The test kits that are most popular allow you to test the water parameters by filling a tube of water and adding a chemical which will cause water color to change. The color chart in the test kit provides guidance on what each color means, and allows you to decide what steps need to be taken next. It is also possible to get test kits that are actually stickers and need to be stuck inside the water in the aquarium. These test kits are effective and work on the same color principal but the stickers need to be replaced once every 6 months.

It is crucial to remember that saltwater test kits do not measure the salinity levels in the water and in order to test the salinity levels a refractometer is required.