Time for new test kits

[Murphs_Reef]

Ok so it's time to get some new test kits, I have been using numerous brands, redsea, API, Salifert and hanna. 

 

Overall I am very pleased with my phosphate Hanna checker so will continue with that. 

 

I have a TMC salinity checker which I just don't like it is very blurry and hard to dial in (not sure if it's just old and dud now.) Might have to purchase a new one or different brand.

 

Temperature I have a hydrometer with thermometer built in that I like to keep in the sump for an rough eye ball salinity check, and I'm ok with this.

 

It would be good to hear what other people use for calcium, pH, magnesium, nitrate and alkalinity testing as I'm due new test kits for all of these testing items. 

[paulsz]

pH - i have a probe (Apex). pH is low in the morning (before lights are on) and high in the evening (before the lights turn off). I wouldn't' bother testing it religiously with a test kit. If you have tested it before and it's within the range of like 7.7 and higher, you should be okay without testing it. 

calcium - Red sea calcium pro. 

Magnesium - Red sea magnesium pro.

Nitrate - Salifert.

Alkalinity - Hanna checker. I've also used Red sea alkalinity pro when i was testing it daily (a few years ago after i bought a bunch of sps frags). But during my last purchase of a red sea alkalinity pro kit, the reagent was off. The colour was too light that you couldn't tell when it was transitioning into the green colour. So it was pretty much garbage from day 1. And so now i only do Alkalinity (and becuase i only test once a week now).

 

 

 

[MrP]

After using test kits from various brands, I settled for these. Consistency is more important than accuracy.

 

Calcium - Red sea pro. 

Magnesium - Salifert.

Nitrate - Salifert.

Phosphate - Hanna checker.

Alkalinity - Hanna checker.

[DevilDuck]

Salinity - Hanna digital

Calcium - Salifert

Magnesium - Salifert

Nitrate - API 

Phosphate - Hanna ultra low range checker.

Alkalinity - Salifert

 

I normally do not test ph

 

@MrP and @paulsz is the Hanna alkalinity checker much better than salifert? I do this check the most and wondering if there was anything faster/easier than counting drops

 

 

 

[paulsz]

1 minute ago, DevilDuck said:

Hanna checker much better than salifert? I do this check the most and wondering if there was anything faster/easier than counting drops

for Alkalinity you mean?

 

Hanna alk checker (the one is use is model 772 for dKh. There's also the ppm version) is really quick and easy. Could get expensive if you do it daily, which is why i used to use red sea pro. 

 

But it's so easy to use the hanna checker. You pop the tube in with tank water, click the button, take out the tube, add 1ml of reagent, turn the tube over 5 times to mix it and pop it back in. That is all. I do the whole process test while my hanna ultra low phosphorus checker is in the "3 minute" testing period. 

[Murphs_Reef]

Brill this is confirming that I will continue with Hanna expanding out to the alk as well as the calcium I think. And stick with Salifert for the rest.

I do use API for nitrate which seems absolutely fine bad I aim for around 10ppm. 

[paulsz]

53 minutes ago, Murphych said:

calcium I think

i've heard too many complaints about the hanna calcium checker. I'd stick with a salifert or red sea pro for calcium. 

[Murphs_Reef]

Will.keep that in mind thanks @paulsz