need a good starter test kit

Mark75 · 07/23/2007, 10:51 AM

I have my 30 gal. long set up with ro/di water, 45 pounds of substrate, and my live rock will be here tommorrow. I have had the water in the tank with the skimmer and pumps running for a week or two with a couple of pounds of live rock I bought locally to help get things started. I need a good test kit for my basic's. Who has a good , easy to use kit?? O' yea remind me again what I need to test for when my tank is cycling.

an411 · 07/23/2007, 11:19 AM

Hey Mark I am not sure how to do this but I posted a similar question if you can bring up my post which i am Not sure how to do. I bought individual tests made by salifert. In my post I have all the test kits that are needed. Hope this helps

marduc · 07/23/2007, 11:24 AM

For a newer tank you will want to test ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. After things get rolling along, you will find you rarely need to use these (possible exception of nitrate). I would recommend getting test strips for these so you can just dip them in the water and go.

Long term (especially if going reef tank) the biggies to monitor are calcium, alkalinity, ph and magnesium. For these I like salifert.

conefree · 07/23/2007, 11:27 AM

In the beginning, while cycling a tank you can get by with the cheap test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. But once your tank is established and you start adding corals, you will need to monitor calcium, alk, magnesium, ph. For those I would recommend Lamotte or Salifert to give you the precise results you need.

conefree · 07/23/2007, 11:27 AM

lol Marduc we must have been typing at the same time

an411 · 07/23/2007, 11:30 AM

Calcium
Alkalinity
PH
Magnesium
Ammonia
Nitrate
Nitrite
Phosphate

These are the tests kits that I bought for the PH I am using a hanna digital ph checker purchased off ebay.

marduc · 07/23/2007, 11:34 AM

hehe i think so.. a couple of things I forgot to mention inmy first reply though.

For PH nothing beats a PH monitor, I do not use, nor have I ever liked a test kit for this, too inaccurate. A pinpoint meter will set you back about $100.

Also you need to test salinity, and temperature obviously.. hydrometers are notorious for being inaccurate, best way to go here is a decent refractometer.

conefree · 07/23/2007, 12:00 PM

Good call on the ph monitor marduc. Also, when you buy a refractometer, use a cal standard to calibrate it. Do not use DI water, it won't be as accurate.

Mark75 · 07/23/2007, 12:18 PM

I have a pin point ph monitor I used on my old reef tank a few years back. I put a new battery in it yesterday and dropped it in the tank. The readings are all over the place. When I first dropped it in it read 7.8 but with in 5 minutes it had dropped to 6.2. From what I have heard I will be needing a new probe. Does anyone know if the new Pin Point ph probes come with calibration solution??

marduc · 07/23/2007, 12:25 PM

no the probe does not come with calibration solution, that you will have to buy separately. Get PH 7.0 and PH 10.0 solution, i buy mine as a 10 pack of each whenever I buy my replacement probes.

07/23/2007, 10:51 AM	#1
Mark75 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: East Tenn. Posts: 740	need a good starter test kit I have my 30 gal. long set up with ro/di water, 45 pounds of substrate, and my live rock will be here tommorrow. I have had the water in the tank with the skimmer and pumps running for a week or two with a couple of pounds of live rock I bought locally to help get things started. I need a good test kit for my basic's. Who has a good , easy to use kit?? O' yea remind me again what I need to test for when my tank is cycling.

07/23/2007, 11:27 AM	#4
conefree Gene Pool Lifeguard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 758	In the beginning, while cycling a tank you can get by with the cheap test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. But once your tank is established and you start adding corals, you will need to monitor calcium, alk, magnesium, ph. For those I would recommend Lamotte or Salifert to give you the precise results you need. __________________ Chris "A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot" - Unknown Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, Ecosystem 3612, 6X54 TEK light, Tunze Osmolator, Lifereef dual overflow all down

07/23/2007, 11:27 AM	#5
conefree Gene Pool Lifeguard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 758	lol Marduc we must have been typing at the same time __________________ Chris "A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot" - Unknown Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, Ecosystem 3612, 6X54 TEK light, Tunze Osmolator, Lifereef dual overflow all down

07/23/2007, 12:00 PM	#8
conefree Gene Pool Lifeguard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 758	Good call on the ph monitor marduc. Also, when you buy a refractometer, use a cal standard to calibrate it. Do not use DI water, it won't be as accurate. __________________ Chris "A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot" - Unknown Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, Ecosystem 3612, 6X54 TEK light, Tunze Osmolator, Lifereef dual overflow all down

07/23/2007, 11:19 AM	#2
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	Hey Mark I am not sure how to do this but I posted a similar question if you can bring up my post which i am Not sure how to do. I bought individual tests made by salifert. In my post I have all the test kits that are needed. Hope this helps

07/23/2007, 11:24 AM	#3
marduc Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tampa, Fl. Posts: 780	For a newer tank you will want to test ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. After things get rolling along, you will find you rarely need to use these (possible exception of nitrate). I would recommend getting test strips for these so you can just dip them in the water and go. Long term (especially if going reef tank) the biggies to monitor are calcium, alkalinity, ph and magnesium. For these I like salifert.

07/23/2007, 11:30 AM	#6
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	Calcium Alkalinity PH Magnesium Ammonia Nitrate Nitrite Phosphate These are the tests kits that I bought for the PH I am using a hanna digital ph checker purchased off ebay.

07/23/2007, 11:34 AM	#7
marduc Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tampa, Fl. Posts: 780	hehe i think so.. a couple of things I forgot to mention inmy first reply though. For PH nothing beats a PH monitor, I do not use, nor have I ever liked a test kit for this, too inaccurate. A pinpoint meter will set you back about $100. Also you need to test salinity, and temperature obviously.. hydrometers are notorious for being inaccurate, best way to go here is a decent refractometer.

07/23/2007, 12:18 PM	#9
Mark75 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: East Tenn. Posts: 740	I have a pin point ph monitor I used on my old reef tank a few years back. I put a new battery in it yesterday and dropped it in the tank. The readings are all over the place. When I first dropped it in it read 7.8 but with in 5 minutes it had dropped to 6.2. From what I have heard I will be needing a new probe. Does anyone know if the new Pin Point ph probes come with calibration solution??

07/23/2007, 12:25 PM	#10
marduc Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tampa, Fl. Posts: 780	no the probe does not come with calibration solution, that you will have to buy separately. Get PH 7.0 and PH 10.0 solution, i buy mine as a 10 pack of each whenever I buy my replacement probes.