The invention discloses an apparatus for testing the propping effect of a solid propping agent in a hydraulic fracturing fluid, and a method thereof. The apparatus comprises a sample slot seat, an X ray detector, a high-pressure water injection pump and a pressure tester. X-ray scanning, medical imaging, hydraulic fracturing and mechanical test are integrated to solve the test problem of the effect of a water-based fracturing fluid solid propping agent used in a shale gas exploitation hydraulic fracturing technology for the first time, especially imaging of the solid propping agent through the medical imaging technology is innovated, and the propping effect of the solid propping agent is assessed through tracking and observing the fluid state of the solid propping agent in a shale core crack and testing the absorption amount of the fracturing fluid backflow rock core to X-ray. The method is provided for the first time, is scientific and reliable, allows obtained experiment data to be accurate, and cannot be substituted by present other technologies.