Which reef test kits do you use?

[oceanboy]

I’ve been reading and trying to figure out which test kits to purchase but I’ve found that different brands are better/worse for specific tests. What are your personal favorite test kit brands for calcium, magnesium and alkalinity?

[specore]

I like the Red Sea personally

[seabass]

40 minutes ago, oceanboy said:

What are your personal favorite test kit brands for calcium, magnesium and alkalinity?

For those three, Salifert.

[FISHnChix]

Red sea pro kit if you have the cash.. salifert makes a great kit for the money though 

[Polarcollision]

ELOS has always been my go-to for these three, though I recently discovered that a triton water test is a good way to validate the results and reading colorimetric changes in any test kit you choose. I think the universal 'NOPE' is API and the dip and read test strips.

[squamptonbc]

I use several.

 

Calcium I use Salifert and have tested it against the API test I have and API is always within 5ppm so once Salifert is gone, I will just use API, but I rarely test calcium.

 

Magnesium I am using Aquaforest.

 

Alk I use Hanna.

 

Nitrate I use Salifert.

 

I have used Red Sea and seems good too, but in my area difficult to find.

 

 

 

 

[Clown79]

I've used through the yrs.

 

Api

Salifert

Red sea

Hanna(alk)

 

 

Api, salifert, and red sea: all similar to exact results for alk and ca.

 

Salifert and red sea: almost exact results for mag

 

Hanna- way off the mark on alk. Getting a new kit so will be able to see the new kits accuracy

 

For phos I've used salifert- always 0 on all my tanks for over 3yrs. I no longer bother testing. Phos kits are notorious for not reading phos for many hobbiests.

 

Nitrates- 

 

Api, nutrafin, salifert have been used: all similar results but i Iike salifert best as the other 2 only have ranges of 

 

0

5

10 etc.

So if your tank is 2ppm, api and nutrafin will read 0.

 

 

 

 

[oceanboy]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I've been reading up more on the API liquid test kits and it seems like people believe it's pretty reliable and consistent with more expensive test kits. I think I'll go with that brand for calcium and alkalinity since they're more economical and still accurate. Also I think I'll go with Salifert for the magnesium. Thanks again

[seabass]

Just stay away from API's phosphate kit.  Not that it isn't accurate enough, but because it's a high range kit (and you need a low range phosphate kit for a reef tank).

[specore]

14 hours ago, oceanboy said:

Thanks for the advice everyone! I've been reading up more on the API liquid test kits and it seems like people believe it's pretty reliable and consistent with more expensive test kits. I think I'll go with that brand for calcium and alkalinity since they're more economical and still accurate. Also I think I'll go with Salifert for the magnesium. Thanks again

I don't disagree with this...however, it it a little more tedious having to count the drops when doing the titration.  Seemed like I would always get distracted and lose count after twenty something drops 🙂

[burtbollinger]

Red Sea Pro for Calcium

Salfiert for Magnesium

Hanna DkH Checker for Alkalinity

Elos for Nitrate

[Zach W]

Redsea Marine Care: (pH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia)

Hanna: (ULR Phosphorus, Alkalinity)

Aquaforest: Calcium

 

[RustyRocket]

On 6/19/2018 at 7:58 AM, specore said:

I don't disagree with this...however, it it a little more tedious having to count the drops when doing the titration.  Seemed like I would always get distracted and lose count after twenty something drops 🙂

^This, the API asks you to cover and shake after every drop. So you end up taking the lid off, dropping one in, cover and shake again...It seems simple and easy enough, but for doing it 20 times just for 1 test, it gets tedious and loose count quite easily. Plus their test tube covers doesnt seal well, so I always get some on my hands. Cheap and does work, but you get what you pay for.

[MrJoel]

I use a mix or Red Sea for most and Hanna checkers for Phosphorous, calcium & Alk.

[Clown79]

19 hours ago, RustyRocket said:

^This, the API asks you to cover and shake after every drop. So you end up taking the lid off, dropping one in, cover and shake again...It seems simple and easy enough, but for doing it 20 times just for 1 test, it gets tedious and loose count quite easily. Plus their test tube covers doesnt seal well, so I always get some on my hands. Cheap and does work, but you get what you pay for.

You don't have to do it.

 

The ca you can add multiple drops at once and then do single drops closer to the end for final results.

 

I've done it with the alk tester and my results were the same as doing 1 single drop.

 

It's not the most convenient but if you don't want to waste money the testers work and are pretty accurate.

 

Works better than the Hanna I have.

[squamptonbc]

I find counting drops on API for calcium easier then reading the syringe on the other kits, in fact those kits and the syringe are more work in my view.  I know my tank is around 440ppm calcium, so I just put in enough drops at once to bring me to 380, then do single drops from that point.

 

No home test kit is 100% accurate, and so much room for simple user error, we just need to be in a ball park.

[Recci]

API test kits are simply not accurate enough for reef tanks. You need super high resolution test kits. Salifert test kits are ok and half the price of the red sea pro test kits but they are not as good. Red sea are the best kits in my opinion. 

[Clown79]

5 hours ago, Recci said:

API test kits are simply not accurate enough for reef tanks. You need super high resolution test kits. Salifert test kits are ok and half the price of the red sea pro test kits but they are not as good. Red sea are the best kits in my opinion. 

That's not necessarily true.

 

 

I've tested the 4 mainly used kits- 3 were all within the same range.

 

Red Sea and Api were spot on the same results.

 

The 3 that were almost bang on with each other Api, Salifert, Red Sea.

 

I've compared api tests to others numerous times. Pretty much the same as the 2 mainly used brands.

Api gets a bad rap, most affordable products do.

 

none are 100%. It's really about stability. So you just wanna maintain the numbers your kits read, regardless of kit.

 

 

The 2 I personally use specific testers is:

 

Alk- most important parameter and I want to know if its 7.8, 8.2 (api only reads 7, 8, 9 etc)

 

Phos- Api is only high range so it's not suitable for our needs.

 

 

There are also hobbiests that don't test at all and have great success.

 

I don't test my 5g. Tank has had no coral loss, no issues to really remark on besides a very shy blenny. 

[Recci]

The api nitrate and phosphate are both high range and no use what so ever to a reef tank! The KH test is not really accurate enough either and they don't even make a magnesium test. Unless you want to measure ammonia or nitrite which you will hardly ever need to in a reef tank then as I said API are a waste of time for reefers get something with a higher resolution.

[reeferx2]

On 6/18/2018 at 6:51 PM, Clown79 said:

 

 

Hanna- way off the mark on alk. Getting a new kit so will be able to see the new kits accuracy

 

see I thought I was crazy when I used a Hanna checker, my Alk tests roughly 9 with salifert religiously with Salifert and 7.5 with Hanna. No thanks. 

 

 

 

 

 

[squamptonbc]

I have no real issue with API tests except for the phosphate which I agree is not worthwhile for a reef tank.

 

I currently have both API for Calcium and KH.

 

Calcium:

 

API 420

 

Salifert between 420 and 430.

 

Alk

 

API 8.0

 

Hanna 8.1

 

I have tested the 2 above many times against one another and every time they are in the same ball park.

 

Other the alk, I don't really test much for anything else anymore.

 

 

 

 

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, reeferx2 said:

 

You are not alone.

 

My api and read sea read alk at 9dkh

 

Salifert was 8.9

 

 

Hanna 7.3

 

 

So, api was more bang on than hanna.

 

 

Just cause its digital and with a big price sticker- doesn't make it the best.

 

1 hour ago, squamptonbc said:

I have no real issue with API tests except for the phosphate which I agree is not worthwhile for a reef tank.

 

I currently have both API for Calcium and KH.

 

Calcium:

 

API 420

 

Salifert between 420 and 430.

 

Alk

 

API 8.0

 

Hanna 8.1

 

I have tested the 2 above many times against one another and every time they are in the same ball park.

 

Other the alk, I don't really test much for anything else anymore.

 

 

 

 

I did the same thing.

 

Api has been pretty much the same as salifert and red sea.