Colombo Quicktest 6-in-1 Pond Test Strips – 50 Pack

Colombo Quicktest 6-in-1 Pond Test Strips – Pack of 50

Check six freshwater parameters with one test strip

Colombo Quicktest 6-in-1 strips offer a straightforward way to check several aspects of your pond water together. Each strip measures pH, carbonate hardness, general hardness, nitrite, nitrate and chlorine. The pack contains 50 strips, making it a convenient option for keeping a regular record of your water conditions without setting up six separate liquid tests each time.

This is the six-parameter Quicktest pack. It is suitable for freshwater ponds and aquariums. Choose it for convenient routine checks, and keep a separate ammonia test available: ammonia is not one of the measurements included on these strips.

What does each strip measure?

Parameter	What the label means
pH	The acidity or alkalinity of the water.
KH	Carbonate hardness.
GH	General or total hardness.
NO₂	Nitrite.
NO₃	Nitrate.
Cl	Chlorine.

The six results describe different water characteristics, so read each pad against its own matching scale. KH and GH are separate measurements, just as nitrite and nitrate are separate results. Recording their names alongside the readings makes your pond log easier to compare over time.

Fifty strips for fifty sampling occasions

One strip provides six parameter readings from a water sample. There are 50 strips in the pack, rather than 300 separate strips. This distinction is useful when deciding how many packs to keep: testing several ponds or aquariums uses a separate strip for each sample.

The manufacturer describes Quicktest as a convenient way to obtain water readings in approximately one minute. Follow the instructions and colour chart supplied with your particular pack, including the timing for each result. Keep the chart with the container so the correct reference is always available when you test.

Preparing to test

Before taking a reading, have the pack’s colour chart and a timer ready. The six-way Colombo instructions use different reading times for chlorine and the other pads, so it helps to know the sequence before dipping the strip.

How to use the six-way test

1. Immerse one strip in the water for two to three seconds.
2. Lift it out and shake off surplus water.
3. Compare the chlorine pad with the container’s scale straight away.
4. Wait 60 seconds before comparing pH, KH, GH, nitrite and nitrate with their corresponding scales.

Use the directions enclosed with your pack if they differ. Reading every pad at the same moment misses the distinction in Colombo’s six-way instructions. Keep each result labelled in your notes rather than writing down an unlabelled sequence of numbers.

Checking a newly established pond

Colombo highlights the importance of testing during pond start-up and after thorough cleaning. Its pond leaflet explains that filter bacteria develop over time and process ammonia through nitrite to nitrate. These strips cover the nitrite and nitrate parts of that sequence; pair them with a Colombo NH3 Ammonia Pond Water Test Kit to obtain the separate ammonia measurement.

That combination is useful when choosing a testing kit for a new pond: check the actual list of measured parameters, rather than choosing solely by the number printed on the box. Keep any separate liquid-test instructions with that test, because its sampling and reading procedure will differ from a strip.

Choosing the right testing format

These strips suit a quick check of the six listed parameters. If you need a measurement that is not included, choose a dedicated test for that parameter rather than trying to infer it from another result. In particular, a nitrite reading does not provide an ammonia reading.

For an alternative testing format, see the Colombo Pond Test Lab Professional. Compare the parameters included in each kit with the checks you want to carry out. The Quicktest strips and the professional kit are separate products; the latter is not included with this pack.

Keeping a useful testing record

Note the date, the pond or aquarium tested and each individual result. Keep water samples from different systems clearly identified, especially if you look after a main pond and a separate quarantine system. A written record lets you compare readings without relying on your memory of a colour match.

Use the supplied guidance when interpreting results, and keep the original reading scale available when comparing your recorded figures.

Storage and pack care

Colombo advises keeping the strips dry after opening and notes that their usable life is limited. Follow the storage and expiry information on your pack. Keep the original container and its reference chart together rather than transferring loose strips to an unlabelled container.

At a glance

• Colombo Quicktest 6-in-1 freshwater test strips.
• Pack of 50 strips.
• Measures pH, KH, GH, nitrite, nitrate and chlorine.
• Suitable for freshwater ponds and aquariums.
• Approximately one minute for the test process; follow the supplied reading instructions.
• Separate ammonia testing required if you want an ammonia result.