Test Kits

dwilloby · 01/01/2018, 11:52 AM

Happy New Year!

I'm getting back in after a few years out of the hobby, and I'm re-evaluating everything.

What test kits does everyone recommend?

jjwillia · 01/01/2018, 12:21 PM

The general consensus will be Salifert or Redsea. If your tank is new and starting the cycle you can use API to save a little money

homer1475 · 01/01/2018, 12:40 PM

Hanna for PO4 and Alk, Salifert for calcium, magnesium, and NO3.

Emma1234 · 01/01/2018, 01:00 PM

I haven't had much luck with the Hanna Checkers. Maybe the phosphate one is OK. But Calcium NO and Alkalinity no. I was sent off on wild goose chases trying to fix problems that did not exist. I eventually settled on Salifert and Red Sea. I used both to confirm the readings.

My suggestion is, if you get readings that seem off, don't go crazy. Try and find a way to confirm your readings before acting.

homer1475 · 01/01/2018, 01:12 PM

I have heard and read issues with the hanna calcium checkers, but my ALK checker reads almost identical to my salifert kit(I'll check it once in a while).

Emma1234 · 01/01/2018, 02:13 PM

Good to know. I check the ALK readings on my Hanna checker again and see how it does overtime. I haven't used it in a while bc I didn't think it was working well. I'll provide an update after I've checked it for awhile and compared the Hanna ALK to the Salifert ALK readings. Maybe I'm wrong about the Hanna ALK. I'm still trying to get comfortable with all this stuff.

Dmorty217 · 01/01/2018, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

hanna for po4 and alk, salifert for calcium, magnesium, and no3.

+1

dwilloby · 01/01/2018, 05:07 PM

Thank you all for the advice! Salifert is what I've always used.

Everything that I have is about 3 years old. I'm assuming this stuff goes bad after a certain time period?

bearpeidog · 01/01/2018, 06:21 PM

Couldn’t agree more!

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

Hanna for PO4 and Alk, Salifert for calcium, magnesium, and NO3.

nereefpat · 01/01/2018, 06:31 PM

Kits should have an expiration date stamped on them.

I may be in the minority, but I like API for alk and Ca. It's quick, cheap, and plenty accurate and repeatable for me.

Easy E · 01/01/2018, 11:05 PM

API seems to work pretty well, if you don't need precise readings, but they don't have a magnesium test. For that I use Salifert.

Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk

Vincero · 01/02/2018, 12:59 AM

The geissman series is excellent.

cincyjim · 01/02/2018, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

Hanna for PO4 and Alk, Salifert for calcium, magnesium, and NO3.

Exactly what I use as well.

01/01/2018, 11:52 AM	#1
dwilloby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 2	Test Kits Happy New Year! I'm getting back in after a few years out of the hobby, and I'm re-evaluating everything. What test kits does everyone recommend?

01/01/2018, 12:40 PM	#3
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Hanna for PO4 and Alk, Salifert for calcium, magnesium, and NO3. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

01/01/2018, 01:12 PM	#5
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	I have heard and read issues with the hanna calcium checkers, but my ALK checker reads almost identical to my salifert kit(I'll check it once in a while). __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

01/01/2018, 06:31 PM	#10
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	Kits should have an expiration date stamped on them. I may be in the minority, but I like API for alk and Ca. It's quick, cheap, and plenty accurate and repeatable for me. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

01/01/2018, 11:05 PM	#11
Easy E Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 101	API seems to work pretty well, if you don't need precise readings, but they don't have a magnesium test. For that I use Salifert. Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk __________________ “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. ~Mark Twain~” Current Tank Info: 55 gal FOWLR w/15 gal above tank refugium, 10 gal nano FOWLR

01/01/2018, 12:21 PM	#2
jjwillia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 21	The general consensus will be Salifert or Redsea. If your tank is new and starting the cycle you can use API to save a little money

01/01/2018, 01:00 PM	#4
Emma1234 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 167	I haven't had much luck with the Hanna Checkers. Maybe the phosphate one is OK. But Calcium NO and Alkalinity no. I was sent off on wild goose chases trying to fix problems that did not exist. I eventually settled on Salifert and Red Sea. I used both to confirm the readings. My suggestion is, if you get readings that seem off, don't go crazy. Try and find a way to confirm your readings before acting.

01/01/2018, 02:13 PM	#6
Emma1234 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 167	Good to know. I check the ALK readings on my Hanna checker again and see how it does overtime. I haven't used it in a while bc I didn't think it was working well. I'll provide an update after I've checked it for awhile and compared the Hanna ALK to the Salifert ALK readings. Maybe I'm wrong about the Hanna ALK. I'm still trying to get comfortable with all this stuff.

01/01/2018, 05:07 PM	#8
dwilloby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 2	Thank you all for the advice! Salifert is what I've always used. Everything that I have is about 3 years old. I'm assuming this stuff goes bad after a certain time period?

01/02/2018, 12:59 AM	#12
Vincero Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 120	The geissman series is excellent.