API TEST KITS

Safe to use, good quality and has instructions. Size is great which means the kit lasts forever, it doesn’t smell. Easy to use with clear instructions. Brochure looks great and good material. Price beats all sellers.

This test kit is definitely accurate — I’ve used it side-by-side with other tests and it consistently gives clear, reliable readings. It covers everything I need for my freshwater tanks (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH), and it’s saved me from some serious water parameter issues more than once. That said, the process isn’t exactly quick or convenient. You’ve got to measure out water into test tubes, shake bottles, time everything exactly, and match colors that sometimes look way too similar. It works, but it’s not something I look forward to doing, especially if I’m testing multiple tanks or running through every parameter at once. What I liked: - Very accurate and consistent results - Covers all the main water parameters - Plenty of tests per bottle - More reliable than strips or cheap alternatives What I disliked: - Takes a while to run a full round of tests - Color matching can be hard under certain lighting - Lots of little pieces to keep track of It’s a solid kit and does the job well — just be ready for a bit of a routine every time you use it. I keep using it because I trust the results, but I wouldn’t mind if they made the process a little more user-friendly.

I picked up the API Freshwater Master Test Kit when setting up my 6-gallon planted tank, and it’s been a huge upgrade over the test strips I started with. The strips were frustrating—hard to read, not very precise, and the gaps between values made it difficult to really understand what was going on in my tank. With this kit, the results feel much more accurate and consistent. I actually feel confident making adjustments based on the readings now. It’s also just a better overall experience. The process is straightforward, and there’s something oddly fun about it—it definitely gives off “mad chemist” vibes in the best way.

Amazing kit! It helps continuously check the water parameters in my tanks to keep my fish, shrimps, and snails healthy. It's a great value for your money. It's safe to use; however, if you get the product on your hand, it will stain, lol.

Have you passed high school chemistry? (And by pass, I mean be able to follow the rules while in a lab?) Then great! You'll have no problem using this test kit! However, be aware the instructions are like stupid tiny. I'm only 20 and even with reading glasses on top of my regular glasses these instructions are tiny. API offers a .pdf version of the instructions on their website, so I recommend those more than the little booklet. I also recommend one of those little syringes for like pet medication or human medication. It makes getting the water in the tubes a lot easier and with good accuracy. A lot of reviews mention the test tube caps not being tight when capped. I haven't had this problem, but also when I invert the tubes, I hold my finger on the cap and at the bottom of the test tube. This was a habit I picked up in college chemistry because sometimes it better to be safe than sorry. Gloves aren't necessary, but if you feel safer (especially since some of the chemicals are corrosive) then ball out with gloves! A lot of reviews also mention the nitrate test. I'm not a biologist, so I can't say the accuracy, however, make sure you read the instructions REALLY good as it's completely different than the others. You add 10 drops of solution bottle 1, shake the tube, shake solution bottle 2 for 30 seconds, add 10 drops, shake the tube for a minute, then wait the 5 minutes to develop. My few complaints is why I'm giving this a 4/5 stars because I feel like they really hinder the product. There's simply not an appropriate number of tubes. There's 5 tests, but only 4 tubes. Beyond that, they should really have 6 tubes since accidents are super prone to happen with tiny test tubes like this. Even beyond this, I feel a silicone or even plastic caps that screw with a rubber seal would be icing on the cake to eliminate the leaking and hardening issue. I'm also not buying API's 24 kit of tubes for a few extra tubes, that's just ridiculous. My next complaint is I believe they should add the GH and KH test in with this kit. pH, GH, and KH are usually all related to each other, so having that in the kit rather than paying $10 separately for it. I'd rather get it with the kit and pay 5-7 dollars more for the kit. To feed off some other reviews, adding the syringe like I mentioned would be better too since a lot of people probably won't think about it. Finally, I think a chlorine test would be great since it's toxic to most fish. However, I do believe in giving credit where credit is due and this kit is affordable which is great for those just starting to get into the hobby! I think the hobby is gate-kept by super expensive products, so having something like this that isn't $50+ is really helpful for those just starting out! I also love the size of this kit, it's easy to store. No test kit will probably ever be 100% accurate nor will they probably ever match up, but I feel this is good for America's market. I say that because I've used Sera, which is imported from Germany, and it's super nice with detailed and intense instructions which makes the tests feel a bit more accurate than this high school chemistry project. (Sorry API). However, the $80 keeps me from repurchasing and instead, buy this one. So, I guess that's the magic of capitalism and having other bills to pay rather than spending $80+ on a water testing kit. Even after being in the hobby since I was in middle school, I feel a lot of the prices in this hobby prevent people from advancing further and wanting to get into saltwater, reefs, or ponds. I stick with freshwater simply because it's the cheapest and easiest. Overall, recommend. 7/10, just be aware and take some of the recommendations some reviewers have already said and it should be smooth sailing.

Great to have on hand and use often

You will find this freshwater kit is far more accurate than test strips. The soaking of a tiny doped pad method of test strips just isnt an accurate way to test. This is the industry standard water test kit that most aquarists swear by. 1st, be sure the test chemicals you get are not near expiration. You should easily be able to use this kit for up to a few years before the chemicals included lose their effectiveness. The expiration date is on the kit box and on each bottle of solution. The glass test tubes that used to be included in this kit have been replaced by plastic ones. The glass tubes made cleaning up a breeze and were far better than the plastic ones that don't clean up as well. Also the 5ml fill line is a bit difficult to see on the plastic tubes. It was always inevitable though that you would eventually break a few glass tubes before you got through the 800 tests this kit can provide. They now just assume that by the time the plastic tubes get permanently stained, you'll be on to a new test kit with new tubes. While not a deal breaker, I prefered the glass tubes. Be sure you purchase the kit best suited for the tanks or ponds you keep. This kit is the freshwater version. This kit tests pH in two different ways. If you have ph generally higher than 7.4 you use the high pH test solution. If you have pH below 7.6 youll use the standard pH test kit. This is great of you are keeping multiple tanks with different pH levels or if your one tank tends to bounce around between 7.4 to 7.6. Once you figure out which test best suits your aquariums, youll likely not use the other solution. This kit tests for total ammonia using 2 solutions in one test. Ammonia is a very hazardous chemical to your fish and plants. Use this kit to keep these levels of ammonia at or near 0. This kit tests Nitrites using 1 solution. This is the second step in the nitrogen cycle. While not as harmful as ammonia, it's still something you should strive to get as close to 0 as possible. Now some people using heavily planted and fertilized tanks will actually strive to have this level low but present. This kit tests for nitrates in two solutions for 1 test. While nitrates are not as harmful to fish as Ammonia or Nitrite, most fish keepers still strive for low readings. Long term exposures to high nitrates can still cause harm to fish. Generally youll get rid of nitrates by water changes or heavy plant growth. Many people with heavily planted and fertilized tanks prefer this value to be a little higher to feed the plants but still low to protect the fish. With this test kit testing 4 of your most important chemicals in fresh water, it is a necessity to have on hand. Test strips might be more convenient but are seldom very accurate. This liquid master test kit is the standard if you want true values at an affordable price. It comes in several varieties, depending on whether you have freshwater, marine, reef or ponds. Its a great way to see what is going on in your setup before any loss of life occurs.

Does this scale look a little wonky to anyone else? The 7.6 and the 7.4 seem to be out of order, but also the color gradation jumps dramatically between the ones labeled 7.6 and 7.4. It's almost like the labels were printed backwards? Edit: I'm dumb. those are two different ph test scales. There are two separate PH test reagents. All the tests seem to work just fine, and after realizing my mistake, the color chart is fine. There are still some typos and incomplete sentences in the instructions, but everything was still clear enough to follow. I'm gonna have to get an alternate pH test for a sanity check here. which doesn't inspire confidence for the rest of the test get either, as well as the typos and incomplete sentences in the instruction manual. at least it is cheap and it's giving me some metrics to go off of.

I moved away from test strips and bought the API 800 Test Freshwater Master Kit. One of the best decisions I have made for my aquarium. Test strips may look convenient but once the container is opened and the strips are exposed to air the clock is ticking. Moisture and oxygen start degrading the reagents immediately. After about 30 days the accuracy drops off badly. At that point the readings are questionable and you may as well consider them unreliable. For something as important as water quality, that simply is not good enough. The API Freshwater Master Kit solves that problem completely. The reagents are stored in sealed bottles so they remain stable and accurate for a long time. Using it is straightforward. Fill the test tube with tank water to the line, add the correct number of drops from the bottle, cap the tube and shake. For nitrate there is a second bottle and a longer shake but it is still very simple. Wait the specified time, then compare the colour against the chart. That is it. What you get in return is far more reliable information. The colour changes are clearer and the scale is more precise than strips. You can properly track ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH rather than relying on vague strip colours that can be difficult to read. Each kit also lasts a very long time because you get a large number of tests from the bottles. It ends up being far better value than constantly replacing strips that degrade quickly. If you want accurate, repeatable readings and a clear picture of what is happening in your tank water, this kit is excellent. Simple to use, dependable and well worth the money. Highly recommended for any serious fish keeper. 🐟

Good 👍 Work's Well

Excellent Quality. Accurate test result. I recommend this product. Delivery recieved early

After using another brand from the petstore, we switched over to these brand a few years back. It is sensitive and easy to use. It is avaliable at petstores (sometimes cheaper) so check your local store first. I check the water for my axolotl once a week and this kit lasts months. I actually only use half for the ammonia and nitrate drops and measured exactly half the liquid amount to extend the life of the kit. Exactly the same results just use 4 drops and half a vial. OVERALL: Would recommend this to any tank lover :)

There is a reason why this test kit is considered the best amongst aquarists and fishkeepers. It is more on the pricey side and there are definitely more cost effectivr kits in the market. However, it very simple to use and the instructions are easy to follow. Highly recommend this kit for individuals starting out in the hobby as testing the water is essential for keeping your fish alive.