Lamott test kits for cheap:
http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_test_kits_lamotte.asp?CartId=
For 2-3x as much, you get a lot more.
Light meters:
I have not used nor spoken with these folks yet, but I am looking into it:
Multi meter sensor:
http://www.specmeters.com/Light_Meters/Multi-Sensor_Quantum_Light_Meter.html
Single point sensors
http://www.specmeters.com/Light_Meters/Quantum_Light_Meter.html
The calibrated unuit with external sensor is ideal.
I am not certain if the sensors are cosine corrected and they likely can be modified to place under shallow water(less than 30").
LI-COR 250 + underwater probe are no less than 700-1200$.
But they are industry and science standards.
These are much cheaper and likely as good for our purposes and still quite accurate and much better than any Lux meter.
Few folks have done anything with PAR and aquatic plants in this hobby.
Other meters for those more inclined to test:
K+ meter
http://www.specmeters.com/Nutrient_Management/Cardy_Plant_Nutrient_Meters.html
Great meter for K+ measurement but 350$
See Ben meadows for K+ spefic test kit colorimeter by Hanna for 1/2 the cost over a 0-50ppm range.
For NO3, PO4 etc: Hanna makes very good and accurate meters:
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/568/cid/157
They also make a PO4 meter, ask for pricing.
Here's one from the other company:
http://www.shopsolution.nl/shop/home.asp?shopid=seameint&prodid=phosphatephoto
PO4:
http://www.rickly.com/wqi/IonSpecificMeters.htm
http://www.benmeadows.com/store/product_group.asp?dept_id=2128&cat_prefix=5WB
and for NH4, NO3 and PO4:
http://www.automatedaquariums.com/h_c103.htm
This is the best price I've seen for these features.
Here's some interesting ag references for sap and dry weight ppm's:
http://www.specmeters.com/info/2.html
Both UC Davis and UF, both places I go/have gone to grad school are sources. Top places for this stuff.
-------------------------------------------
I wanted to say in closing, many folks have seen me pick issues with folks doing testing and they run off testing this stuff without considering the orginal question.
Things like light are not easy to measure and we can spend a great deal of time, $$$$ and work and not get decent results that answer the question.
Some comments on the CO2 mist idea have eluded folks as well.
It's not that I do not think testing is bad obviously, but the way to data is acquired and how it is used/interpted does make a world of difference.
While I might seem critical, this is to help the other person to understand there is more to testing than simply blindly using test kits. Many times they take this as a personal attack, it's not, and never has been.
I fully encourage testing and always have, but some folks and most hobbyist simply do not care. Those that do often have no formal training nor consider many of the basic questions that researchers must consider when they set up their test and methods. Those that don't care want a simple method to solve the issue and grow plants. End of story for them, they care more about scaping or fish etc.
I like to reference and double check things.
I like to use good data and have lots of data points.
The methods I try and make similar to research science, it does not need be a huge production worthy of some journal publication, just a fairly good idea and run enough tanks/replicates to make sure you are in the ball park. From there you can focus things down.
Using good equipment and testing methods will greatly enhance things.
The above kits are roughly as good as most research scientist often use and better pricing in most cases.
So if you are really into measuring the NO3/PO4/K+ levels, there are high quality meters that are very accurate(by about 100X).
Regards,
Tom Barr
http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_test_kits_lamotte.asp?CartId=
For 2-3x as much, you get a lot more.
Light meters:
I have not used nor spoken with these folks yet, but I am looking into it:
Multi meter sensor:
http://www.specmeters.com/Light_Meters/Multi-Sensor_Quantum_Light_Meter.html
Single point sensors
http://www.specmeters.com/Light_Meters/Quantum_Light_Meter.html
The calibrated unuit with external sensor is ideal.
I am not certain if the sensors are cosine corrected and they likely can be modified to place under shallow water(less than 30").
LI-COR 250 + underwater probe are no less than 700-1200$.
But they are industry and science standards.
These are much cheaper and likely as good for our purposes and still quite accurate and much better than any Lux meter.
Few folks have done anything with PAR and aquatic plants in this hobby.
Other meters for those more inclined to test:
K+ meter
http://www.specmeters.com/Nutrient_Management/Cardy_Plant_Nutrient_Meters.html
Great meter for K+ measurement but 350$
See Ben meadows for K+ spefic test kit colorimeter by Hanna for 1/2 the cost over a 0-50ppm range.
For NO3, PO4 etc: Hanna makes very good and accurate meters:
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/568/cid/157
They also make a PO4 meter, ask for pricing.
Here's one from the other company:
http://www.shopsolution.nl/shop/home.asp?shopid=seameint&prodid=phosphatephoto
PO4:
http://www.rickly.com/wqi/IonSpecificMeters.htm
http://www.benmeadows.com/store/product_group.asp?dept_id=2128&cat_prefix=5WB
and for NH4, NO3 and PO4:
http://www.automatedaquariums.com/h_c103.htm
This is the best price I've seen for these features.
Here's some interesting ag references for sap and dry weight ppm's:
http://www.specmeters.com/info/2.html
Both UC Davis and UF, both places I go/have gone to grad school are sources. Top places for this stuff.
-------------------------------------------
I wanted to say in closing, many folks have seen me pick issues with folks doing testing and they run off testing this stuff without considering the orginal question.
Things like light are not easy to measure and we can spend a great deal of time, $$$$ and work and not get decent results that answer the question.
Some comments on the CO2 mist idea have eluded folks as well.
It's not that I do not think testing is bad obviously, but the way to data is acquired and how it is used/interpted does make a world of difference.
While I might seem critical, this is to help the other person to understand there is more to testing than simply blindly using test kits. Many times they take this as a personal attack, it's not, and never has been.
I fully encourage testing and always have, but some folks and most hobbyist simply do not care. Those that do often have no formal training nor consider many of the basic questions that researchers must consider when they set up their test and methods. Those that don't care want a simple method to solve the issue and grow plants. End of story for them, they care more about scaping or fish etc.
I like to reference and double check things.
I like to use good data and have lots of data points.
The methods I try and make similar to research science, it does not need be a huge production worthy of some journal publication, just a fairly good idea and run enough tanks/replicates to make sure you are in the ball park. From there you can focus things down.
Using good equipment and testing methods will greatly enhance things.
The above kits are roughly as good as most research scientist often use and better pricing in most cases.
So if you are really into measuring the NO3/PO4/K+ levels, there are high quality meters that are very accurate(by about 100X).
Regards,
Tom Barr