The liquid kit for pond keepers, covering pH, ammonia, nitrite and phosphate. Phosphate earns its place here in a way it does not in most aquarium kits — in an outdoor pond it is what feeds green water and blanketweed, and it arrives with run-off, leaf litter and overfeeding rather than from the fish alone.
Over 500 tests in the case, which for a pond tested weekly is years of use. It also works on tap water, worth doing before a big top-up.
What is in the case
- 6 liquid test solutions
- 4 test tubes with snap-tight caps and a holding tray
- Laminated colour-matching charts and an instruction booklet
When to test
Weekly through the warmer months, and after any large water change or heavy rain. Ammonia and nitrite rise fastest in spring, when fish start feeding again before the filter bacteria have fully woken up.
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 pond. Shake the reagent bottles firmly, but invert the capped tube gently.
Quicker weekly check: Pond 5-in-1 test strips. pH only: Pond Wide Range pH Test Kit.
