Test Kits: Is it worth the extra $$$ - Page 2

Tswifty · 11/18/2008, 11:55 AM

Weekly to bi-weekly... I personally test weekly.

I also never test for phosphate anymore. Haven't since I used up the first kit I bought for it a long time ago.

The only kits I have are:

- pH
- Calcium
- Alkalinity
- Magnesium
- Nitrate

All are Salifert... Although I have also used API with good success.

1DeR9_3Hy · 11/18/2008, 12:22 PM

Ill throw my experience into the mix:

I use Red Sea test kits, but i also take some water to a LFS once in awhile to get it tested (they are a customer of mine so they are very generous

). They use Salifert, and so far they're tests have matched my test (pretty close, my Red Sea Mg test said 1200 the Salifert said 1220). This has held true for all the test i have from Red Sea (Ca, Mg, No3, No2, Po4, alk and ph) The only Red Sea test that is wonky (i have had several of them over the years for fresh water) is the Ammonia kits. They will always read a small amount of ammonia in water....even city tap water.

Kdocimo90 · 11/18/2008, 12:50 PM

ok that is good to know.. so do you think i should stick with with red sea magnesium, and all the other red sea test kits (pH, Calcium, Alk, Nitrate, Nitrite)?

Rueg · 11/18/2008, 01:25 PM

I have used both the Red Sea and Salifert magnesium test kits. The Red Sea magnesium test kit is junk. With the Red Sea I was maxing out the test - getting over 1600 for magnesium. With the salifert I got 1320. I was not adding anything for magnesium so doubted the results of the Red Sea. I probably could have received a refund for the Red Sea since it wasn't that old, but having to package it up and send it back didn't appeal to me so it went in the garbage since I bought it online. I use API for all other testing. I really like API test kits - inexpensive and mostly accurate. The one API kit I am not sure about is the calcium - it seems to measure really high. Will need to get a Salifert to check the results against.

Rueg · 11/18/2008, 01:28 PM

By the way - the API test kits are supposed to be good for 2-years. The solutions in each kit are dated.

11/18/2008, 11:55 AM	#26
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	Weekly to bi-weekly... I personally test weekly. I also never test for phosphate anymore. Haven't since I used up the first kit I bought for it a long time ago. The only kits I have are: - pH - Calcium - Alkalinity - Magnesium - Nitrate All are Salifert... Although I have also used API with good success. __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

11/18/2008, 12:22 PM	#27
1DeR9_3Hy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,575	Ill throw my experience into the mix: I use Red Sea test kits, but i also take some water to a LFS once in awhile to get it tested (they are a customer of mine so they are very generous ). They use Salifert, and so far they're tests have matched my test (pretty close, my Red Sea Mg test said 1200 the Salifert said 1220). This has held true for all the test i have from Red Sea (Ca, Mg, No3, No2, Po4, alk and ph) The only Red Sea test that is wonky (i have had several of them over the years for fresh water) is the Ammonia kits. They will always read a small amount of ammonia in water....even city tap water. __________________ I hope it never catches on, I like having the oldest tank on here and I don't have to worry about calcification, bio pellets, Vodka dosing, DSBs, Chaetomorpha (I don't even know what that is) Carbonite hardness and all of these other things many people worry about. If I had to think about all of that stuff I would get a stroke. My test kit came in a wooden box and the directions say to keep in a cool chariott. I throw some food in the tank, wave hello to the fish and go out with my wife and have a nice glass of merlot with dinner. Have a great day but most of all, have fun. -PaulB Current Tank Info: 27 Gallon DAS softy/fish reef

11/18/2008, 12:50 PM	#28
Kdocimo90 Superior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 6,175	ok that is good to know.. so do you think i should stick with with red sea magnesium, and all the other red sea test kits (pH, Calcium, Alk, Nitrate, Nitrite)? __________________ ¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯) VISIT MY HOME PAGE (¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸ ¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯) TO SEE MY 210G TANK (¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸ -Kevin Current Tank Info: 210 Gallon Softy/LPS Reef Tank

11/18/2008, 01:25 PM	#29
Rueg Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: DeForest, WI Posts: 641	I have used both the Red Sea and Salifert magnesium test kits. The Red Sea magnesium test kit is junk. With the Red Sea I was maxing out the test - getting over 1600 for magnesium. With the salifert I got 1320. I was not adding anything for magnesium so doubted the results of the Red Sea. I probably could have received a refund for the Red Sea since it wasn't that old, but having to package it up and send it back didn't appeal to me so it went in the garbage since I bought it online. I use API for all other testing. I really like API test kits - inexpensive and mostly accurate. The one API kit I am not sure about is the calcium - it seems to measure really high. Will need to get a Salifert to check the results against.

11/18/2008, 01:28 PM	#30
Rueg Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: DeForest, WI Posts: 641	By the way - the API test kits are supposed to be good for 2-years. The solutions in each kit are dated.