These strips measure pH, nitrite and nitrate levels as well as general and carbonate hardness for a multipurpose test that helps keep your fresh- or saltwater aquarium safe for its inhabitants. The kit includes information on how to correct unsafe water conditions and precise colour charts to help make testing simple.

Overall rating:

2.5

(11 reviews) 11

2 of 11(18%)customers recommend this product.

Reviews for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Review 1 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

2 / 5 11 reviews

disappointed

February 3, 2013

by kjrf

fromnc

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Effectiveness

2 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

2 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

2 / 5 11 reviews

this is what was recommended to me but the results were vague and difficult to discern. wish i had spent more time comparing products

Cons: didn't work

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 2 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

3 / 5 11 reviews

fair product, but expensive

August 3, 2012

by lsloan

fromAnn Arbor, MI

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

These test strips were OK, but they measured a lot more than I needed, which may be why they are so expensive. I only needed pH test strips, but these 5-in-1 tests are all that my local PetSmart could offer.

Since then, I've found that good, cheap pH tests can easily be bought online. For about the same price as this product, one can get about 100 times more pH test strips.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 3 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

2 / 5 11 reviews

A few issues.

July 17, 2012

by Greyhoundredux

fromNL

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

For starters, the colors bleed. So if you already have these bought, when you dip the strips in, dip them horizontally. That might help with the running colors a little bit, but it won't fix the problem completely.

I don't think they're very accurate. Mine read everything to be low. I don't know if everything was low, or if the colors just didn't absorb much at all.

Honestly, you might as well just put your money toward something that will actually work - in the end, you'll probably have to buy something else, anyway, so may as well save some money.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 4 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

1 / 5 11 reviews

not accurate

February 9, 2012

by silent

fromnc

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Effectiveness

1 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

1 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

3 / 5 11 reviews

i get my water tested all the time at petsmart for free everytime you nitrates are high I use prime do water changes etc. Bought the tube water master test kit guess what nitrates were fine.

Cons: didn't work

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 5 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

2 / 5 11 reviews

Try another brand

January 25, 2012

by Jessica04

fromPearland, TX

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Effectiveness

1 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

1 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 11 reviews

These test strips are very difficult to read. The pH tends to give mixed results and the colors run. It is nearly impossible to tell the difference in color between the Nitrite readings and I have found the Nitrate readings to be inaccurate. I have used several brands of test strips and found these to be the worst quality of them all. Try the ones made by Jungle labs as they work much better.

+2points

2of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 6 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

2 / 5 11 reviews

Very difficult to read!

January 15, 2012

by Paintcraze

fromIllinois

Effectiveness

2 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

3 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

3 / 5 11 reviews

I found these strips very hard to read....there were only very slight color changes between each reading, many of which represented large swings in water chemistry. I will be going back to the tube tests which are much easier to read as well as much cheaper.

Cons: hard to use

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 7 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

2 / 5 11 reviews

Not consistent data

December 9, 2009

by Spyd3r

fromMichigan

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Effectiveness

2 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

2 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 11 reviews

I can dip 3 different strips in, all will have different results. Not really a problem with the product itself but with the testing method, its near impossible to get the exact same amount of water coming in contact with the medium every time so the results are always different.

Do yourself a favor and just get the API Master Fresh or Saltwater Kit, its not as easy and quick but its very accurate. The liquid test method is very consistent and reliable.

Pros: easy

Cons: inconsistant

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 8 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

2 / 5 11 reviews

November 25, 2009

by Izzys613

fromToronto, Canada

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?A few times a year

Effectiveness

2 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

2 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 11 reviews

I bought this product to help me cycle a new freshwater tank.

It is indeed very easy to use, but when compared with "laboratory grade pH strips", the 5-in-1 strip gives a difference in pH of a whole point.

Also, I find the difference in the pink hue between a trace amount of nitrates and a lethal one to be too close.

The test strips are still very useful to adequately measure general hardness and carbonate levels.

Pros: very easy to use

Cons: questionable accuracy

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 9 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

1 / 5 11 reviews

Faulty Strips

September 3, 2009

by CavyGoldfishEnthusiast

fromFrancestown, NH

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

These strips decided this morning that my pH was 6.8. A few hours later I checked. It was what it has been for the last few weeks - 6.0. I tested about an hour and a half later and it was 7.0. After another 45 minutes the pH was still 7.0. During that time the nitrite and nitrate stayed at 0, the KH went from 40-60-40, the and the GH stayed at 160. The tap water (I don't add anything to it during water changes) was nitrite and nitrate 0, pH approximately 7.4, KH 50, and GH 30. I have concluded this product is faulty.

-1point

0of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 10 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

5 / 5 11 reviews

February 11, 2009

by SolitaryRosez

fromCelina, TX

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Effectiveness

5 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 11 reviews

I don't know how I ever maintaned a fish tank without these test strips. You always need to know where you stand when it comes to salt, pH balance, water hardness etc etc.

Just because your water is clear, doesn't necessarily mean it is healthy for your fish!

This product will healp you create a safe water environment for your fish!

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 11 for API(r) 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips

Overall rating

5 / 5 11 reviews

I love these stripes!!!!

January 4, 2009

by iluvisabella

fromRoanoke, VA

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Effectiveness

4 / 5 11 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 11 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 11 reviews

I love these stripes!!!!! They do have one flaw, the ph is hard to read and is some times inaccurate. I use a different test for the ph. Other than that, it works very well.

Pros: tests many things at once

Cons: ph is hard to read

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.