Freshwater Aquarium Test Strips - Recommendations, Please!

Hi Folks,

Can anyone recommend any reliable water test strips for freshwater tanks? Of particular interest to me is nitrate. But the following parameters are also of interest - KH, GH, pH and phosphate. Although I have liquid tests for most parameters, there are many times when convenience is high priority. I'm sure that many of you can relate to this.

I look forward to getting any suggestions.

JPC

I use / have used the JBL and Tetra water test strips (and possibly the API).  They are much the same as one another and provide similar results, although I possibly have a slight preference for JBL although I can't put my finger on why.

I find them accurate, and much easier to read, than liquid-based test kits for nitrate and nitrite.  For PH, I find they give a much lower reading than liquid-based test kits and my water supply website of PH readings. For KH and GH, I find they give a much higher reading than liquid-based test kits and water supply website.

In summary, for the nitrate, nitrite and chlorine aspects alone, and the convenience of these, they are worth it (but I'd more or less ignore what they say for PH, GH and KH).

I also have API ammonia test strips but struggle to read them - the JBL NH4 liquid-based test kit is so much easier to read - so I wouldn't bother with buying ammonia test strips.

I've only ever used King British test strips so I can't really compare them to any other but I found that they needed a little shake to prevent any water droplets from joining between 2 test pads and influencing the results.