13164 - API Pond Master Liquid Test Kit (MPN 164M)

This is much more worth it than the test strips. Super easy to use! Comes with clear instructions! One of my tubes did break eventually after using it a lot but you can get replacements online (glass or plastic ones).

I bought a master test kit 5 years ago. Absolutely worth it. I just bought a new one and the vials are plastic now instead of glass. You cannot easily get them out either and every single plastic vial was cracked at the base in multiple areas. They may still hold liquid fine but now that's an area that will not get cleaned as easily and introduce possible issues. They also don't fit in the vial holder so I assume the amount of liquid is now different as well. API charging more for lesser quality is all this is. I may now look at different brands for testing. Trust in API is cracked like those vials.

People told me it was a must-buy and that it was way more accurate. We will see if it's a lot more expensive than regular 9 in 1 test strips.

Ammonia test leaked inside the package, looks like it was that way from the factory.

This test kit comes with everything you need for a tropical aquarium. Very easy to use and very accurate. A must have for every aquarium owner. Much more accurate than the strips.

I have used both the saltwater and freshwater API test kits hundreds of times now. There are only two differences between the two test kits: 1.) The printed materials that come with the two test kits have a slight variation to the gradient scale when reading your test results. An example of this is when you test for nitrates, the color of the water you have collected to be tested will change from a yellow to orange at 20 (ppm) parts per million when testing saltwater, and at just 5 (ppm) that change occurs for freshwater. This makes it more difficult to tell how many nitrates you have in your saltwater tank since the color does not change until 20 (ppm). 2.) The second difference is that API's saltwater test kit does not come with a "normal" or low ph test solution. You will receive what looks like the same kit only it's missing this one solution. Since testing for both alkalinity and phosphates are more important in a saltwater aquarium, it would be better if they added one of these other solutions instead of leaving an empty space where the ph test solution is normally located. I see the API test as a good test for freshwater and acceptable test for saltwater aquariums. The tests are easy to perform and have repeatable results. It can leak a little when you shake it around while performing your tests, but that's not a deal breaker for me personally. For saltwater it's more difficult to recommend because the test is not always the easiest to read and with saltwater you need precise readings. I would suggest for saltwater a Red Sea test kit instead. Although you can certainly get by on the API test just fine if you perform more frequent water changes.