HCA: Hermit Crab Association

What type of water quality tester should I get? Does the API master kit cover both the salt water and freshwater in one kit? Or do I need to get two separate kits? And would just the strips work or should I get the chemicals?


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API has two kits, one for freshwater and one for salt.

Strips are less accurate, but since the crabs don’t live in water I don’t think you need to be super precise, anyways.


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Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are the big three to know because they can cause gill damage. The other parameters aren't as important for land animals as they can adapt to a range of variables. I'm trying to remember what the differences are between the salt and fresh tests. Some are interchangeable but some have to be specific because of the salts.

I use the api master freshwater kit for both. There’s YouTube videos showing the difference and why you only need to buy one. All you need is the chart for the saltwater if you buy the freshwater. Courtney Karr also touches on this exact subject. That’s where I first heard to just buy one kit. I found a printable chart for the saltwater kit online. It wasn’t easy to find. And I printed it on a gloss paper for photos. I’m just saying what I’ve done.

https://youtu.be/fE77Q8tTTRw

https://youtu.be/vVPLKLJWlIY

https://youtu.be/4ZvBcrxy8Ic

I’m having trouble finding the chart I printed but api has this:
https://www.americanaquariumproducts.co ... ml#nitrate

Does either the API fresh water or the API saltwater master test kit cover all of the test that I need for good water, for my crabs?


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I have the api freshwater master kit and found a color card for saltwater online. Not sure that’s the be route but that’s what Courtney said. There may be a way to obtain the saltwater card from api which would be better than printing one. Also my eyesight isn’t the best and there’s a certain way to read the colors. Sometimes I can hold the tubes in different ways under different lighting that the colors look different. I think if you hold it about an inch away from a white background is best. But you really have to get a feel for the colors. Sometimes I like to test my water before adding it to the pools just to see what clean water looks like. Also some fish tank forums advise of using a different brand than api.

Edit: there’s also probably nothing wrong with using test strips.

I know I looked into this when I started my pools, I think both the freshwater and saltwater kits are the same testing stuff, just the cards are different. Like Wode said the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite are most important. I have a terrible memory but it was cheaper to just get the three separate kits for just those than the master kit.

Ok thanks


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