Whats the best test kit to use?

danielmanlee · 05/21/2007, 05:31 PM

Good day everyone.... I think this ? is probably ask a million time.. But I still need to know, what is the best test kit you reef expert use out there? please give me some advise

fatrip · 05/21/2007, 05:40 PM

salifert, i have found works the best and is very easy to do and read..it only has two colors, none of this color chart read and guess the color...lol...but this is what has been recomended to me and it has been great.

fewells · 05/21/2007, 07:26 PM

Lamotte and Hach are some of the best. I use the D&D phospate kit. Salifert is probably the best for the money. I also have used seachem.

drummereef · 05/21/2007, 07:59 PM

I use Salifert for alkalinity, calcium, nitrate, phosphate and magnesium. I use my controller for pH. I find Saliferts easy to use and they are reliable.

pjf · 05/22/2007, 04:35 PM

I have both the Elos and the Salifert phosphate test kits and I recommend the Elos over the Salifert. The Elos color chart is easier to read and has more data points between 0 ppm and 1.0 ppm.

The Elos color chart is easier to read because it has more contrast between the color fields. The Elos chart ranges from a faint blue (0.01) to a deep purple (1.0 ppm). The Salifert chart ranges from a faint blue (0.03 ppm) to only a medium blue (3 ppm). It is harder to read the slight differences between the shades of blue in the Salifert chart, particularly in the lower ranges.

As the table below illustrates, the Elos chart contains 6 color fields between 0 and 1 ppm. The Salifert chart only has 4 color fields between 0 and 1 ppm.

Phosphate Test Kit Comparison
ELOS		SALIFERT
ppm	color	ppm	color
0.01	faint blue
		0.03	faint blue
0.05
0.1	light blue	0.1
0.25	medium blue	0.25
0.5	dark blue	0.5
0.75	purplish blue
1.0	dark purple	1.0	light blue
		3.0	medium blue

Until May 31, 2007, Elos is offering a promotional discount to Reef Central members: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1123025

Nano Chris · 05/22/2007, 04:38 PM

I like Salifert because its more accurate, you do pay the price for quality though.

mg426 · 05/22/2007, 05:43 PM

Salifert gets my vote.

bertoni · 05/22/2007, 06:41 PM

I use Salifert for the main test kits (alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium). For pH, a meter works nicely, in my experience. I've used LaMotte and Hach test kits, too, and they're very good.

currentking · 05/22/2007, 07:22 PM

what about hagen? I heard this is a really good kit

szwab · 05/22/2007, 07:39 PM

IME salifert, if you are not concerned about price then get one of these: Medusa CM-750 CHEMTESTER. very easy to use and accurate

b.branscombe · 05/22/2007, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by szwab
IME salifert, if you are not concerned about price then get one of these: Medusa CM-750 CHEMTESTER. very easy to use and accurate

Medusa is phasing these out, as the reagents that are used with it have been changed, so they are no longer accurate from what I have heard recently.

hanas · 05/22/2007, 08:25 PM

IMO Salifert or LaMotte

05/21/2007, 05:31 PM	#1
danielmanlee Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Francisco Posts: 183	Whats the best test kit to use? Good day everyone.... I think this ? is probably ask a million time.. But I still need to know, what is the best test kit you reef expert use out there? please give me some advise

05/21/2007, 05:40 PM	#2
fatrip Yup That Stuff Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: , ny Posts: 4,317	salifert, i have found works the best and is very easy to do and read..it only has two colors, none of this color chart read and guess the color...lol...but this is what has been recomended to me and it has been great. __________________ Vince "We learn from history that we never learn anything from history." Hegel

05/21/2007, 07:26 PM	#3
fewells Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO Posts: 356	Lamotte and Hach are some of the best. I use the D&D phospate kit. Salifert is probably the best for the money. I also have used seachem. __________________ When you look this good you don't have to know anything. Current Tank Info: 90 reef

05/21/2007, 07:59 PM	#4
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I use Salifert for alkalinity, calcium, nitrate, phosphate and magnesium. I use my controller for pH. I find Saliferts easy to use and they are reliable. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

05/22/2007, 04:38 PM	#6
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,758	I like Salifert because its more accurate, you do pay the price for quality though. __________________ Chris ------- 34 Gallon Red Sea Max 130! Setup (Just got back into the hobby) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

05/22/2007, 05:43 PM	#7
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Salifert gets my vote. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

05/22/2007, 06:41 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I use Salifert for the main test kits (alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium). For pH, a meter works nicely, in my experience. I've used LaMotte and Hach test kits, too, and they're very good. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/22/2007, 07:22 PM	#9
currentking Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Palm Bay Florida Posts: 868	what about hagen? I heard this is a really good kit

05/22/2007, 07:39 PM	#10
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	IME salifert, if you are not concerned about price then get one of these: Medusa CM-750 CHEMTESTER. very easy to use and accurate __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

05/22/2007, 08:25 PM	#12
hanas Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 795	IMO Salifert or LaMotte