Test Kit?

[Mak]

Which test kits is the best and easy to use.. Is it still Salifert?? Cuz I find that's not that easy to use. Anyone??

Thanks

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Depends on which tests you are performing. Sailfert, Lamotte and Elos seem to be favorites of members here. But if you're testing for phosphates many people agree that the above mentioned tests don't do a good job measuring PO4. At the high end of the price range here would be a Hanna PO Meter.

I am using Salifert kits at the moment and have no complaints. Pretty easy to read for Alk, Mg, Ca and No3. I'm using a lousy Red-Sea test kit for PO4 and I hate it.

 

[Mak]

What about the Ammonia, are you using the salifert? The instruction that comes with it, is very confusing. Can you tell me how you use the ammonia?

This is what I got so far, am I missing anything?
Ammonia
PH
Nitrite
Nitrate

 

[SI REEF]

calcium and alkalinity for sps corals

 

[mstrofdisaster]

What about the Ammonia, are you using the salifert? The instruction that comes with it, is very confusing. Can you tell me how you use the ammonia?

This is what I got so far, am I missing anything?
Ammonia
PH
Nitrite
Nitrate

I'm not using the ammonia from them. Is this a titration test? If it is, just match the syringe value to the value on the sheet.

 

[iconoclast]

i like to use API test kits. they are very cheap, very easy and quite reliable. they may not have as much accuracy as some test kits but usually this does not pose any practical problem.
on the RC they did a roundup testing and API did very well to more expensive kits. Everything should have API tests, atleast just for back ups.

 

[masterswimmer]

What about the Ammonia, are you using the salifert? The instruction that comes with it, is very confusing. Can you tell me how you use the ammonia?

This is what I got so far, am I missing anything?
Ammonia
PH
Nitrite
Nitrate

You're missing a few very important kits. Alk, Calcium and Magnesium are critical tests. If those are out of balance then you can have lots of things go wrong.

As stated above, phosphates are important to test for as well and the titration tests are poor at best. The Hanna meter will work wonders for you.

swimmer

 

[Mak]

Thanks Swimmer... But what's a hanna meter?? Is it a TDS Meter??

 

[Killerdrgn]

Thanks Swimmer... But what's a hanna meter?? Is it a TDS Meter??

Well hanna instruments makes a bunch of electronic testing tools, like temp, ph, conductivity, ... But the one they are probably refering to here, and is most famous, is the hanna phosphate meter.

 

[masterswimmer]

Well hanna instruments makes a bunch of electronic testing tools, like temp, ph, conductivity, ... But the one they are probably refering to here, and is most famous, is the hanna phosphate meter.

Right on the money!

swimmer

 

[Mak]

this is the one??? Wow this thing is not cheap at all....

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15437

 

[Killerdrgn]

this is the one??? Wow this thing is not cheap at all....

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15437

thats the one! which is why not everyone buys one.