Poll on test kits

[Lynn]

Whats everybodies view on the best test kits out there, and is there really a big difference?? I haven't checked it out here yet, but in Edmonton it's hard to get anything besides Hagen.

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

There's a big difference between the different brands of test kit.

Cheaper kits, like Hagen, are not capable of reading some reef paramters with sufficent accuracy.

For example the Hagen Phosphate test is calibrated down to 0.1ppm, yet in a reef you need to be able to measure down to at least 0.01ppm.

Salifert is a very good brand. There are one or two others too.

 

[Roach]

I like Seachem test kits. They are really affordable and so far seem to be very reliable. I use the Ni/Na, phosphate, silicate, iodine and ammonia kits. They are really easy to use and the color compaisons are also easy. I don't reccommend any of the Hagen kit's. Comparing the colors on them is a real challenge and they also seem to be somewhat inaccurate. There are some very expensive kits out there but I have never really heard anything about them. La Motte makes some good kits and they aren't that expensive. I use their calcium test kit and it seems to be very accurate. One thing to keep in mind with test kits is to always use the supplied sample they give you to make sure the kit is testing accurately.

 

[cubera]

Salifert IMHO.

 

[Katspaw]

I use salifert myself

Tracey

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

Seachem have had problems with their kits in the past.

Each kits does a lot of tests. The problem was that the life of the reagents was not as long as the kit was likely to last in use.

That problem aside they are quite nice tests.

 

[mako]

IMO - Salifert!

 

[toptank]

Saliferts IMO

 

[fishnbarefoot]

I've been using aquarium systems fast test for 17 years. Acurate and easy. Only problem they don't have kits for everything and their phosphate doesn't go low enough. For the basics they are fine. For my "more advanced" tests I use salifert. Like magnesium, Iodine, strontium, silicates, Etc. Only problem is no refills. You have to buy a whole new kit each time you run out of regents. I love NatuReef's test kits but they are probably just sold here in Fl. Extremely accurate and easier than salifert. I use them for some tests.

 

[THillson]

I only test for Ca and Alk using Sailfert kits