master water test kits

[BubbleTrouble]

According to some amazon reviews, the freshwater master test kit by API works just as well for Saltwater. Does anyone have any experience towards that? (it's cheaper so its worth the ask haha)

[less than bread]

Some do just fine with API, others like more accurate/digital (and expensive) testing kits. I would say it all depends on what you're keeping in your tank. The API freshwater and saltwater master test kits only test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. This is probably fine for fish only tanks and is probably useful when cycling a new tank, but those kits lack many of the major parameters in a reef tank. If you go with API, I would only get the Reef Master Test kit, the other ones are pretty much useless when it comes to ongoing reef tank testing.

 

The reef master kit is the one I started with and it was fine as I saved money each month to eventually build a collection of digital Hanna checkers and that's all I use now since those tests are proven to be accurate and give a actual number readout vs a color you have to try to interpret. Go with the API Reef Kit to start but have the intention of replacing that with a more accurate testing repertoire in the future

[BubbleTrouble]

5 minutes ago, less than bread said:

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Okay fair enough! I'll see if the local fish store has it, if not i'll find it online.

 

I do want to get the Hanna checks with time for sure

[DevilDuck]

Another option I want to put out there are the Salifert branded test kits. They are more economical than the Hanna digital ones and are quicker to perform. 

 

For saltwater tanks I start with the following:

 

1. Hanna Digital Salinity tester
2. API Ammonia Test
3. Salifert or Hanna Alkalinity tester
4. Nyos or Salifert Nitrate Test or Hanna if you want to know a very exact number
5. Hanna Ultra Low Range Phosphate checker
6. Salifert Calcium test
7. Salifert Magnesium test
8. Hanna Digital pH tester (optional) or probe when/if you decide to get an aquarium controller

 

Bolded tests are my most run tests. I do them several times a week.

Italic tests I run infrequently. Maybe once or twice a month.

I also never test nitrite since it's not very toxic in saltwater except at really extreme levels.

 

 

 

 

[Tiki_Reef]

Hanna is the way to go, I have just about every checker one would need plus a few you might not use as often, the accuracy that they provide is worth their weight in gold. One word of advice DO NOT buy the Hanna low range nitrate test totally useless now that they have the High Range.

[Reefkid88]

I use RedSea Marine Carekit,$70 yeah but I trust RS 10000x more than API and a lot easier on the pocket than Hanna to start with. 

 

Aquacave has them for $60

https://www.aquacave.com/red-sea-mcp-test-kit-marine-care-master.html

[BubbleTrouble]

2 hours ago, Reefkid88 said:

I use RedSea Marine Carekit,$70 yeah but I trust RS 10000x more than API and a lot easier on the pocket than Hanna to start with. 

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Sweet!! I'm canadian so the price is different, but I found it on amazon so I'm going to add it to the list

4 hours ago, DevilDuck said:

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This list is incredibly helpful, thank you!!!!!!! Gonna save this info.

[Murphs_Reef]

For cost (and this is what the OP was looking at) I would absolutely not go with API as the range and accuracy are not great enough for reef. Salifert would be my target 👍🏼

[Toomanymatts]

I have mostly Salifert.  But when I'm learning is that I suck at telling the difference in color shades.  While I believe that for a lot of the tests the "range" that the color tests provide is acceptable, it really is importable to be more exact if you are dosing.  I figured this out while dosing copper in a QT tank,  I can be pretty damn near accurate with what I'm  putting in copper wise and know what to expect VS if I used the API copper test which isn't even close enough to being precise.   A lot of the parameters you are looking for are trends, which color matching tests do just fine. Once I get this round of fish through QT and add them ,and start adding corals, I plan to get more Hanna kits for magnesium and phosphate.  From what I can tell you can get a pretty decent reading form the Salifert ALK test, as I'm not matching colors.  but as I use that kit more I might upgrade if I'm having trouble dosing as needed.