what are the actual good tests for calcium / magnesium / phosphate ?

[BubbleTrouble]

I use a Red Sea test kit that tests all the other things other than calcium/magnesium/phosphate. What are some good and affordable options for testing those three? I know the Hanna testers are great but they are a bit out of my budget. But I guess really they are cheaper than dying corals so who am I to judge!!

[natalia_la_loca]

I was thinking of getting Hanna for phosphate but was scared off by bad reviews, although I know a lot of people like them. I use Salifert for cal, mg and phosphate, they seem to work well enough.

[seabass]

I'd recommend Salifert for both calcium and magnesium.  In fact, Salifert makes decent test kits for just about everything you'll need to test for.  I certainly wouldn't go out and buy all of the Hanna Checkers; they are expensive and don't always provide enough benefits to justify the cost.  In most cases, I'd actually prefer Salifert to Hanna (even if they were the same price).

 

One exception might be the Hanna ULR Phosphate checker.  In my opinion, this particular Checker can provide a higher resolution for phosphate levels than the Salifert phosphate test kit.  This was more critical when we used to try to keep phosphate at or below 0.03 ppm.  However, today, more people are recommending that phosphate should be at least 0.03 ppm, and that levels as high as 0.10 ppm might be preferable (with 0.20 ppm even being acceptable).  With the target range being higher today, Salifert's phosphate kit has suddenly become fairly usable.

 

But for what it's worth, a lot of people like Red Sea too.  And while I haven't used Red Sea tests for these particular parameters before, I believe that they should also work fine.

[BubbleTrouble]

Those are great, thank you I'll look into those!

[TheKleinReef]

What I decided on:

alk: hanna

ca: salifert

mg: salifert

(I also have a trident for these three though)

 

po4 (ulra low range): hanna

no3 (high range): hanna

[BubbleTrouble]

1 minute ago, TheKleinReef said:

What I decided on:

alk: hanna

ca: salifert

mg: salifert

(I also have a trident for these three though)

 

po4 (ulra low range): hanna

no3 (high range): hanna

Sweet!!! I really like the way you formatted this, really easy to understand 

[fenderchamp]

@BubbleTrouble  

 

Are you having some issues with corals dying?   

 

All of them or just some of them? 

 

Provide tank details and maintenance details please, that might prove to be more helpful to you than more test kits and chemicals. 

[BubbleTrouble]

7 hours ago, fenderchamp said:

@BubbleTrouble  

 

Are you having some issues with corals dying?   

 

All of them or just some of them? 

 

Provide tank details and maintenance details please, that might prove to be more helpful to you than more test kits and chemicals. 

I don't have the tests for the three I mentioned which is why I asked for recommendations!!

 

My hammer coral has been splitting for a long time, perhaps the hidden factor lies in the tests I am unable to perform

[TatorTaco]

11 hours ago, TheKleinReef said:

What I decided on:

alk: hanna

ca: salifert

mg: salifert

(I also have a trident for these three though)

 

po4 (ulra low range): hanna

no3 (high range): hanna

This is exactly what I use for each thing I measure for.