JBL PROAQUATEST LAB water analysis case closed, black box with handle on a white background

JBL PROAQUATEST LAB case open on a white background, the 13 liquid tests in the upper tray and the lower compartment

JBL PROAQUATEST LAB, upper tray of the kit and its 23 reagent bottles

JBL PROAQUATEST LAB kit with its analysis sheets and colour charts spread out

Reading a JBL PROAQUATEST result in the laboratory comparator block.

JBL PROAQUATEST CO2 conversion table, to be cross-referenced between pH and KH

14-in-1 water analysis kit for aquarium

Name: 14-in-1 water analysis kit for aquarium
Brand: JBL
Price: 104.0 USD
Availability: InStock

$104.00

(27 avis)

The JBL PROAQUATEST LAB brings together 13 drop tests in a single case and covers 14 freshwater parameters, from pH and nitrite through to iron and CO2.

Whether for an aquarium, a pond, or an aquaponic system, the laboratory comparator block gives reliable readings even on coloured water. The instructions are multilingual, French included, and reagents are available as separate refills.

7/7 customer service by e-mail

Payment in instalments, free of charge

The summary

What you receive: the JBL PROAQUATEST LAB kit, 13 drop tests, 23 reagent bottles, 12 glass test tubes, comparison block and thermometer.
What you measure: 14 freshwater parameters, from ammonia to nitrates, iron to phosphates, silicates to dissolved oxygen.
How long it takes: 5 minutes for a single test, around 30 minutes for a complete assessment of all 14 parameters.
How to choose: the 6-parameter version is sufficient without demanding plants, this one becomes essential when you need to monitor iron and phosphates.
What buyers say: 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon.fr, the accuracy compared to test strips comes up in almost every review.
What gets delivered to you: a parcel weighing 2.11 kg, reagents in their original case, to a collection point or your home.

JBL drop test case with 13 tests, 14 parameters, aquarium, pond and aquaponics

An aquarium gives few warning signs before something goes wrong. By the time fish are breathing rapidly at the surface or plants are yellowing from the top, the imbalance has been building for several days. This kit lets you see it coming, with 13 drop tests and 14 parameters read in half an hour of straightforward testing, on freshwater from an aquarium, pond, or aquaponic system.

🔬 Drops and block comparator

The difference from a test strip is not simply a matter of convenience. A strip dipped for two seconds gives an approximate colour reading on a medium that has already absorbed moisture from the air. Here, a volume of water measured with a syringe reacts with a dosed reagent, in a glass test tube, and the reading is taken in a comparator block that cancels out the water's own tint. This detail makes all the difference with water coloured amber by peat or a bacterial strain, where a direct reading consistently returns a falsely high value, as our notes on cloudy water in aquaponics explain.

🧪 The 14 parameters measured

The nitrogen cycle trio

Ammonium, nitrites and nitrates show the true state of biological filtration. The three values to monitor during a start-up and after every incident.

The substrate, pH, KH and GH

KH holds the pH, pH determines the proportion of toxic ammonia, and GH governs shrimp moulting. These three values should be read together.

What plants live on

Phosphates, iron, and carbon dioxide make up the ration for aquatic plants. An iron deficiency shows on young leaves first.

The unwanted

Copper, silicates, and lack of oxygen explain problems that seem inexplicable, from lost shrimps to brown diatoms.

Rinsing, holding the bottle, light

Rinsing test tubes with tap water rather than tank water will permanently skew phosphate and silicate readings. Laying a dropper bottle on its side lets air in and produces uneven drops, giving false titration results for KH and GH, whereas the instructions specify holding the tip vertically, pointing downwards. Reading a colour under artificial evening lighting shifts nitrite readings. Finally, testing the day after a medication treatment does not measure your water: it measures the medication.

For which water, and for whom

This test kit is designed for freshwater use, whether in a planted aquarium, a community tank, a garden pond or an aquaponic system. Several tests remain usable in salt water thanks to the third band on the colour chart, but a reef setup requires the marine version of the range. If you are starting your first tank without demanding plants, the 6-in-1 kit covers the nitrogen cycle, pH and KH for half the price, with the option to add the iron test separately later on.

Each colour chart has three reading strips, each identified by a pictogram: the fish for freshwater, the koi carp for the garden pond, the starfish for seawater. The same colour does not give the same result depending on the environment, firstly because salt reduces the intensity of the reaction, and secondly because a pond is subject to temperature and light variations that an indoor tank never experiences. Each strip runs from green to yellow then red, giving you both the measured value and the course of action to take.

🕐 A complete testing session

A full testing session runs in three stages. Draw water from the middle of the tank, never from the surface or close to the substrate, because the surface film and the bottom zone give readings that don't represent the overall volume. Work through the immediate-read tests while those requiring a rest period wait out their timer, this brings the whole session down to around thirty minutes. Finally, record the values on the analysis sheet provided, along with the date, the temperature read from the kit's thermometer, and the last action taken on the tank. It's that column of dates that proves most useful, since a single reading tells you little, whereas a six-week series reveals a trend.

🌿 Target values in aquaponics

In aquaponics, the target values are not those of an aquarium. Nitrates become a resource here, since they're what feeds your lettuces, whereas a fishkeeper aims to bring them down. pH sits between two opposing requirements: the filter bacteria work best in slightly alkaline water, while roots absorb iron and phosphorus more efficiently in slightly acidic water. Two further parameters determine the health of your crops, iron and phosphate, and neither is measured by simplified test kits. Yellow leaves with veins that remain green indicate an iron deficiency: without a measurement, any correction is guesswork.

🧫 The parameters we overlook

Three tests in this kit are used only once a year, and they are often the ones that resolve a puzzling situation. Copper explains most invertebrate losses where the fish remain unaffected, whether it comes from an antiparasitic treatment or ageing pipework. Silicates feed the brown diatoms that coat the glass of a new tank, and their source is almost always the fill water itself. Oxygen, finally, is rarely measured, yet its level drops sharply on summer nights in a pond, at the very moment your fish need it most. None of these three values needs routine monitoring, but each one answers a question that would otherwise go unanswered, and they are already there in the kit when you need them.

♻️ What remains, what wears out

This is kit that doesn't end up in the bin. The waterproof plastic case, the 12 glass test tubes, the syringes, the measuring spoons, the comparator block, the thermometer and the colour charts will last you year after year. Only the 23 reagent bottles run out, and they can be bought separately, which makes the second purchase a fraction of the first. The water testing section brings together the most common refills, from pH to nitrates, iron and copper. Check which bottles you need before ordering rather than after, since a missing reagent puts an entire parameter on hold while the rest continue to work perfectly.

Technical specifications

The essentials

Parameters measured: 14, of which 13 are drop testsThe fourteenth, CO2, is read from a chart cross-referencing the pH and KH already measured.
Method: Liquid reagents, colorimetric readingThe comparator block supplied cancels out the water's own colour at the point of reading.
Media covered: Freshwater, pond, aquaponicsOne test strip per medium on each colour chart, including saltwater.
Reagent bottles: 23, child-safety capsFrom 1 bottle for KH or iron to 3 bottles for ammonia, silicates, and oxygen.
Manufacturer reference: JBL 2408400, PROAQUATEST range
Cabinet dimensions: 38.2 x 31.8 x 8.5 cmThe kit box stores flat on a shelf, handle facing up and clip-fasteners to the front.

The 14 parameters, test by test

pH, wide range: 3.0 to 10.0For placing an unknown water before refining with one of the two narrow ranges
pH, acid range: 6.0 to 7.65 ml of water, 4 drops, read after 3 minutes
pH, alkaline range: 7.4 to 9.0Hard water, cichlids, koi ponds. 5 ml of water, 4 drops, read after 5 minutes.
KH, carbonate hardness: Titration, 1 drop = 1 °dHThat is 1.78 °f, 0.36 mmol per litre of alkalinity, or 21.8 mg per litre of hydrogen carbonate.
GH, total hardness: Titration, 1 drop = 1 °dHThat is 1.78 °f and 1.25 °e. On 5 ml of water, no colour chart needed
NH4 and NH3, ammonium: Colorimetric, 3 reagentsThe genuinely toxic ammonia fraction is derived from a table cross-referencing pH and temperature
NO2, nitrites: Colorimetric, 2 reagents5 ml of water, read after 5 minutes. The reference test during cycling
NO3, nitrates: Colorimetric, 2 reagentsPer 10 ml of water. In aquaponics, this is the nitrogen ration for the crops
PO4, phosphates: Version Sensitive, 2 reagentsFormulation designed for low concentrations, those that determine the balance between plants and algae
Fe, iron: Colorimetric, 1 reagentA key parameter for planted troughs and aquaponic systems
Cu, copper: Colorimetric, 2 reagents5 ml of water, read after 15 minutes. Check after treatment or with old pipework.
SiO2, silicates: Colorimetric, 3 reagentsThe trail to follow when brown diatoms keep coming back on the glass
O2, dissolved oxygen: Colorimetric, 3 reagentsOn 20 ml of water drawn without bubbles, the most delicate test in the kit
CO2, carbon dioxide: No reagent, reading from a chartThe value is read by cross-referencing the pH and the KH on the table provided

Procedure

Water volume per test: 5 to 20 ml5 ml for pH, KH, GH, nitrites and copper, 10 ml for nitrates, 20 ml for oxygen
Waiting time: 3 to 15 minutes3 minutes for pH 6.0 to 7.6, 5 minutes for nitrites, 15 minutes for copper.
Titration tests: KH and GHCount the drops until the colour change — there is no colour chart for these two tests
Bottle handling: Vertical, nozzle facing downNo bubbles, otherwise the drop volume varies and the titration is inaccurate
Reading: Colour chart, in natural daylightWarm artificial light shifts the perception of pink and orange tones
Full overview: Approximately 30 minutesRough timings for the 14 parameters, allowing for the waiting periods between each

To budget for separately

Reagent refills: Reagents sold individuallyGlassware, colour charts, comparator block and thermometer keep indefinitely: only the liquids run out.
Calcium, magnesium, potassium: Separate JBL testsThese three parameters are primarily relevant to marine water and advanced aquascaping, and are therefore not included in this kit.

20 further specifications are available in the detailed view.

In the box

1 water-resistant plastic case with handle and clip fastenings
13 liquid tests, comprising 23 reagent bottles with child-resistant caps
12 graduated glass test tubes, for running several tests in succession without rinsing
2 plastic test tubes
2 sampling syringes
3 micro-scoops for the powder reagents
1 laboratory comparator block
1 thermometer, needed to convert ammonium into toxic ammonia
1 set of colour charts, 3 reading strips per test
1 CO2 conversion table, with pH and KH inputs
1 ballpoint pen and 1 set of analysis record cards
1 multilingual instruction manual, French included

Contents, dimensions and reference taken from official datasheet 2408400 on 10/09/2026. The 14-parameter count adds CO2 to the 13 tests, read from the supplied table.

Six parameters or fourteen?

Both kits use the same liquid reagents and the same colour comparator block. What sets them apart is the range of parameters they allow you to test.

The six-test kit covers nitrogen and pH, nothing else It gives pH, KH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonium and CO2 via a table. Total hardness, iron, phosphates, copper, silicates and dissolved oxygen are not included.

	Parameters covered (parameters)	Drop tests included (tests)	Reagent bottles (bottles)	pH, KH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonium and CO2 by table	GH, total hardness	PO4, phosphates	Fe, iron	Cu, copper	SiO2, silicates	O2, dissolved oxygen	Available pH ranges	Glass test tubes	Sampling syringes	Measuring scoops	Plastic test tubes	Laboratory comparator block	Thermometer	CO2 conversion table	Analysis sheets	Box width (cm)	Box height (cm)	Case thickness (cm)	Price
6-in-1 Aquarium Water Testing KitYour choice	6 parameters	5 tests	9 bottles	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	A single one, from 3.0 to 10.0	3	1	1	1	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	26,6 cm	22,6 cm	5,2 cm	$50.00
Recommended 14-in-1 kitYour choice	14 parameters	13 tests	23 bottles	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Three, including two fine ranges	12	2	3	2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	38,2 cm	31,8 cm	8,5 cm	$104.00

6-in-1 Aquarium Water Testing Kit

What each kit measures

Parameters covered (parameters)6 parameters

Drop tests included (tests)5 tests

Reagent bottles (bottles)9 bottles

pH, KH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonium and CO2 by tableYes

GH, total hardnessNo

PO4, phosphatesNo

Fe, ironNo

Cu, copperNo

SiO2, silicatesNo

O2, dissolved oxygenNo

Available pH rangesA single one, from 3.0 to 10.0

Equipment supplied

Glass test tubes3

Sampling syringes1

Measuring scoops1

Plastic test tubes1

Laboratory comparator blockYes

ThermometerNo

CO2 conversion tableYes

Analysis sheetsYes

Footprint and budget

Box width (cm)26,6 cm

Box height (cm)22,6 cm

Case thickness (cm)5,2 cm

14-in-1 kitRecommended

What each kit measures

Parameters covered (parameters)14 parameters

Drop tests included (tests)13 tests

Reagent bottles (bottles)23 bottles

pH, KH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonium and CO2 by tableYes

GH, total hardnessYes

PO4, phosphatesYes

Fe, ironYes

Cu, copperYes

SiO2, silicatesYes

O2, dissolved oxygenYes

Available pH rangesThree, including two fine ranges

Equipment supplied

Glass test tubes12

Sampling syringes2

Measuring scoops3

Plastic test tubes2

Laboratory comparator blockYes

ThermometerYes

CO2 conversion tableYes

Analysis sheetsYes

Footprint and budget

Box width (cm)38,2 cm

Box height (cm)31,8 cm

Case thickness (cm)8,5 cm

Parameters covered, equipment included and contents of both test kits taken from their official product pages on 10/09/2026.

Product videos

JBL water tests: how to test correctly and what the advantages are.

Official presentation of the kit, in German

JBL TV 53, mastering water tests and avoiding common mistakes, in German

JBL TV 27, testing aquarium water step by step, in German

Documents & manuals

Official JBL PROAQUATEST instructions

Official JBL manual, multilingual with French. Volumes, drops, waiting times and corrections to apply, parameter by parameter.

PDF · 3,3 Mo

Download

Estimate your
delivery time

Parcel of 2.11 kg, dispatched to a Mondial Relay collection point or to your home with Colissimo, your choice during payment. The exact amount is shown in your basket.

Reviews of this product

4.6/5 · 912 reviews · source: Amazon.fr

Really comprehensive! All drop tests at this price point is genuinely excellent value. Much more accurate and reliable than my strip tests. Part of any aquarist's starter kit, I'd highly recommend it.

The case is very comprehensive and the instructions are straightforward. It also indicates which products to use if your readings aren't right. The tests are very simple to perform.

Most tests are straightforward, except one or two where you need to be a proper little chemist. I had strips and an electronic meter for pH, EC and TDS, and for pH I was getting three wildly different results. That's why I switched to the kit, which is said to be more reliable than strips.

Very simple to use, the manual is very clear. If we had to find a fault, it is a pity that the magnesium and calcium test is not in the kit, it must be purchased separately.

Very well packaged, as described.

Frequently asked questions

10 questions

6 key questions, 10 in the detailed view

This 14-in-1 kit or the 6-in-1 case?

Three situations arise, in the following order.

With fish only and undemanding plants, the 6-in-1 kit covers the nitrogen cycle, pH, KH, and CO2. That's sufficient.
With demanding plants, shrimp, a pond, or an aquaponic system, four tests become critical and are missing from the shorter version: iron, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, and silicates.
After a treatment or with old pipework, a copper test is added to the list, and it's only available in the full kit.

How often should you test the water in your aquarium?

During cycling, test for ammonium and nitrites twice a week until both drop back to zero and nitrates appear. The full process is described in our article on the nitrogen cycle.
On a stable system, a full set of tests once a month is sufficient.
After an event, check nitrite levels within 48 hours of adding fish, a die-off, a pump failure, a treatment, or a filter media clean.
In a pond during summer: add an oxygen test during heatwaves.

How many tests can be carried out with this kit?

The 23 bottles do not run out at the same rate: the nitrite, nitrate and pH reagents go quickly, while the silicate and copper ones last for years. Think in terms of test sessions rather than bottles, and keep a close eye on the three reagents for the nitrogen cycle — those are the ones that will run out on you first.

Reagents can be repurchased separately, one test at a time: you never need to replace the entire kit.

Is it accessible to a complete beginner?

Yes, provided you read the instructions through once at a quiet moment: each test comes down to drawing a volume of water with the sampling syringe, adding the stated number of drops, waiting 3 to 15 minutes depending on the test, then comparing the colour.

Two tests require a little more care: oxygen and silicates, because they involve three reagents in sequence with specific waiting times between each. The comparator block, for its part, eliminates the most common beginner's mistake: reading a colour distorted by the natural tint of cloudy or amber-coloured water.

Is this unit suitable for a garden pond or a marine aquarium?

Yes, and it is catered for: each colour chart includes a reading band marked with a koi carp pictogram, with its own specific thresholds. The recommendations differ from indoor freshwater because a pond is subject to far greater fluctuations in temperature and light — a point we cover in detail in our guide on pond algae in summer.

In saltwater, several tests remain readable thanks to the third band on the colour chart, but a reef tank requires parameters specific to a saline environment that this kit does not cover. For a marine tank, look at the marine version of the range.

Can it be used on an aquaponic system?

It is one of the applications where this kit delivers the most value, because an aquaponic system requires monitoring two populations with opposing needs.

Ammonium and nitrites: these protect the fish and must remain at zero.
Nitrates: these measure what is actually available to your plants.
Iron and phosphates: these explain foliar deficiencies.
pH and KH: these determine whether these minerals can be taken up by the roots.

These are precisely the parameters that simplified kits leave out.

Do the reagents have a shelf life?

Yes, like any chemical reagent, and an opened bottle deteriorates faster than a sealed one because air enters it.

The most reliable indicator is the behaviour of the test itself: a reagent whose reference colour has turned brown, or that gives inconsistent results from one session to the next on water that has not changed, should be replaced rather than interpreted. Reagents should be stored in a dry place, at room temperature, and in their original packaging.

How do you read the CO2 value without a reagent?

Measure the pH using the fine-range test suited to your water.
Measure the KH by titration, counting the drops.
Cross-reference both values on the table provided: the intersection gives the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration.

This method assumes that the acidity of the water comes from dissolved CO2, which is the case in the vast majority of freshwater aquariums, but not in heavily peaty water or immediately after the addition of a chemical acidifier.

What precautions should be taken with the reagents?

The bottles have child-resistant caps and the kit closes securely, but several reagents carry official hazard statements. The most serious are:

KH and silicates 1: H314 and H318, serious burns and eye damage.
Ammonium 3: H225, highly flammable liquid, and H336, drowsiness or dizziness.
Most of the others: H319, serious eye irritation, and H226, flammable liquid.

Keep the bottles out of reach of children, avoid contact with eyes, rinse thoroughly in the event of splashing, and keep the original label to show to a doctor. Never pour the remaining contents of a test tube back into the aquarium.

Is a thermometer needed to interpret ammonium readings?

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14-in-1 water analysis kit for aquarium

The summary