Quality Test Kits

[jdspacker4]

Hi, all I'm new here :mrgreen: and this is a great place, though I have looked around in years past. I have a FOWLR aquarium right now so I don't test my water too often. I would eventually like to set up a nice reef tank around 120 gallons. Anyways, I was wondering what a good quality low level test kit(mostly for PO4 and NO3, but really any chemical) you here recommend. It seems like there are many new ones and many discontinued ones so I'm not current on what the good test kits are at the moment. If there are any test kits your have used and could post a review of the cons and negatives that would be appreciated. I looked around but had trouble finding reviews so if there is another post on this topic please direct me there.
Thanks in advance,
Josh

 

[Anonymous]

:welcome:

Well, I know people have some strong opinions about test kits, but I've had good luck with any kit that falls in mid price range...neither the cheapest nor the most expensive. Last ones I bought were Salifert and they worked just fine for my purposes.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, :welcome: !

I'm using the Seachem Marine basics kit at the moment, but it's early days, so it's hard to know whether I'd recommend it or not. It's telling me what I want to hear (zero ammonia, nitrites and nitrates), but I suspect that's not the case...

It was a cheapish option. Maybe that was a mistake...

 

[jdspacker4]

I have used seachem before and thought they were decent. I haven't used salifert, maybe I will try those out and see how I like them. I use to use aquarium systems fasTesT which became instant ocean tests that I think are now discontinued all together.

 

[AZDesertRat]

The API liquid master test kit if fine for the basics like nitrates, nitrites and ammonia when cycling a new tank, you really don't need spot on accuracy, just that it is present or absent. Once you are up and running accuracy becomes an issue with things like calcium, alkalinity and magnesium so you will want someting more like the Salifert or Elos kits at that point.