API Phosphate Test Kit For Freshwater And Saltwater, 64 OUNCES

This is the best kit for daily use to monitoring phosphate content in foodstaff. Extremely easy to use. The result reliability sits between the expensive photometer device and the color sticks kit. Both of thise two methods have fatal shortcoming for use in the kitchen. A photometer is rendered nearly it useless as it requires a perfect clear liquid which is impossible with foods. The simpler sticks are way inaccurate/biased, thus almost useless. By comparison, this API kit tolerates minor cloudness of the test liquid which is easily achievable by letting it settle until a relatively clear supernatent appears at the top layer to be analyzed.

This is about the easiest phosphate test kit I have ever used, and the company that makes them has really great customer service. One of the test tubes arrived broken (not a huge deal, there are two in the package) so I reached out to the customer service email to see if they had extras available for purchase. They took a while to get back to me, but were very apologetic about the wait and went above and beyond to make it right. They sent me a brand new test kit, and a hand-written note expressing their apologies for taking a few extra days to get back to me. I, myself, work in customer service, so I have pretty high standards for how I am treated as a customer. This company exceeded my expectations and then some, and the product they make is, in my humble opinion, one of the best available. I can't wait to try some of their other products, because I really do believe that if I ever have any issues they will be sure to make it right. I actually haven't really had issues with this phosphate test, it seems very accurate and the user experience is significantly better than competing tests. It's easy to read, with a nice, clear color card, and very clear instructions. A+ product, A+ customer experience. Well done!

Great kit as always with API testers.

Beginner aquarium hobbyist here. I accidentally added a buffer for pH control then later determined I caused a phosphate imbalance which resulted in an algae bloom. Oops. I used this test kit to monitor my various attempts to reduce the phosphate levels. Between water changes and using a phosphate remover medium, as well as reduced light to inhibit algae growth, I eventually got things under control. This test kit was integral in the process. As I learned, phosphate is a nutrient for algae. I little algae build up over time in a planted aquarium might be impossible to avoid. Too much phosphate and you can get an algae bloom.

I use, and swear by, the API Master Test kits for my freshwater aquariums. I have recently had some issues with mysterious foamy bubbles on the surface of one of my tanks, and rampant algae growth. Master kit indicates "all is well," but obviously something was going on. Then I remembered about phosphates (as used to be used in household soaps and cleaners and bubbled up our waterways so badly back in the day.) So, I got this kit, and sure enough, my phosphates were high! (Turns out that the frozen food I had started feeding my fish is high in phosphate.) The test is easy and quick enough to use- 6 drops of each reagent, shake for 5 seconds and read after 3 minutes. The card with the color chart is a bit difficult at first, though. The colors are quite opaque on the cards, but not so in the test tube, leading one to wonder if the test was done correctly. It's OK. Use good light, and you will see that the color on the card is in your test tube as well, just watered down. This test kit is fine for reference for a typical freshwater aquarium. If you need very specific results as opposed to ranges, or must be able to measure between 0 and 0.25 ppm, then this kit is not for you.

Overlooked water parameter for planted tanks. Good way to test for phosphate levels which can affect plant growth and algae issues. API tests are the gold standard for aquarium water parameter tests. Stay away from test strips. Just invest in these liquid tests, it’s worth it.

Great for cycling fish tanks

I don’t recommend this kit for freshwater planted aquariums if you need accurate results below 1ppm. As you can see in the pic the color values below 1ppm are all so similar that it could be 0ppm if you hold the tube one way, or 0.5ppm if you hold it another way. For freshwater planted aquariums often times you are trying to diagnose an algae problem where phosphate levels of 0.5ppm vs 0ppm is a major difference. In that respect this test is useless. I’ll give API 3 stars for ease of use because their instructions are clear unlike Salifert, but in terms of accuracy I don’t recommend them.

good

So so helpful and easy to you !! Will order more

very poor item test result not come poperly

They do the job well. Api and salifert are the only tests I trust to use while housing 1000's of $ of coral.

Does exactly what its supposed to do. Gives you an accurate reading of phosphates for water tests.