Test strips

What are they?
Test strips are the generic name given to aquarium products that are used to measure the levels of chemicals in water.

They are strips of plastic on which are embedded tiny pads impregnated with test chemicals. When exposed to water and left to stand for a minute the pads change colour to show you the level of that particular chemical.


 * These types of test kits are called Nessler.

What chemicals are tested?
Here is a list of chemicals that can be tested on sticks :




 * Ammonia
 * Nitrate
 * Nitrite
 * pH
 * KH
 * GH
 * Free Chlorine
 * Total Chlorine
 * Chloramines

Advantages

 * Quick and easy to use
 * Less bulky to store
 * Easy to carry about

Disadvantages

 * More costly than liquid test kits
 * Less accurate than liquid test kits
 * Low levels can be difficult to read in poor light
 * Ammonia neutralising liquids will still show up as a false positive.