The standard freshwater pH test runs out of scale in hard, alkaline water and simply reads "high". This kit picks up where that one stops, reading 7.4 to 8.8 — the band marine tanks, African cichlid tanks, goldfish tanks and much of Australia's alkaline tap water actually sit in.
The limitation is the point of it: below 7.4 it tells you nothing useful. A soft-water community tank wants the standard freshwater pH kit instead, and if you are not sure which band your water is in, test with both once and then keep the one that lands mid-scale.
What is in the kit
- 1 test solution bottle
- 1 capped test tube
- Two colour cards and an instruction booklet
Looking after the kit
Rinse each tube with tap water straight after use — dried reagent stains the tube and throws out the next reading. Never wash tubes with detergent; the residue is harmful if it goes back into the tank. Shake the reagent bottles firmly, but invert the capped tube gently.
To move pH rather than measure it, see pH Up and pH Down — both act slowly on purpose.
