Best BUDGET but ACCURATE Test Kits

[Ocean’s Piece]

I want to get an upgrade from my API test kits. Test kits I want to upgrade are Calcium, Alkalinity, Nitrate, pH, and phosphate. I'd prefer to have test kits in the less than $30 range. Here are some that I have picked out and some I'm still unsure about
Calcium: Salifert
Alkalinity: Heard great things about Hanna, but it's a little out of my budget. I may get it though
Nitrate: Salifert
pH: Probably a digital meter on amazon but still unsure
Phosphate: (same with Alk; I would get the ULR if I got a Hanna)

Thanks.

 

[dedragon]

agree with everything except alkalinity: i love the red sea pro alkalinity kit. Accurate and really easy to use

 

[dedragon]

and also smart to get a magnesium test kit, red sea or salifert because you wont be testing as much. Definitely hanna for phosphate ULR because red sea and salifert phosphate are impossible to read

 

[fuelman]

If you take into consideration the long term cost the reagents are cheaper for Hanna, so it starts to even out after the initial cost of the checker it's self. I use Hanna for Cal,alk, po4. & I love the nyos for nitrate. I started with the salifert for everything still use salifert if I need ph, ammonia,nitrite, mag.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

and also smart to get a magnesium test kit, red sea or salifert because you wont be testing as much. Definitely hanna for phosphate ULR because red sea and salifert phosphate are impossible to read

Ok. May get magnesium but I know that's a parameter to check only when something's wrong with alk, cal, or pH.

If you take into consideration the long term cost the reagents are cheaper for Hanna, so it starts to even out after the initial cost of the checker it's self. I use Hanna for Cal,alk, po4. & I love the nyos for nitrate. I started with the salifert for everything still use salifert if I need ph, ammonia,nitrite, mag.

Yeah that's why I was debating getting some of the hanna checkers because they save money in the long run.

 

[fishybizzness]

If you want i could let u have my redsea Nitrate kit. I got it because of a shipping mixup. I ended up buying the salifert later which I prefer. All I ask is that you cover shipping. I'm not using it and I don't want it to go to waste.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

If you want i could let u have my redsea Nitrate kit. I got it because of a shipping mixup. I ended up buying the salifert later which I prefer. All I ask is that you cover shipping. I'm not using it and I don't want it to go to waste.

I'm probably just going to buy a salifert because they have better reviews for Nitrate and look easier to tell the difference. Thanks for the offer though.

 

[dedragon]

i highly suggest magnesium just in case its too high. forgot about nitrate, +1 nyos or salifert for nitrate.
For me it comes down to either readability, ease of testing, or cost. I only find hanna useful (for me) for phosphate because i can test faster and more reliably using titration or color matching testing for most other readings

 

[dedragon]

great offer too but it seems we all dont trust that red sea nitrate kit lol

 

[dwest]

I want to get an upgrade from my API test kits. Test kits I want to upgrade are Calcium, Alkalinity, Nitrate, pH, and phosphate. I'd prefer to have test kits in the less than $30 range. Here are some that I have picked out and some I'm still unsure about
Calcium: Salifert
Alkalinity: Heard great things about Hanna, but it's a little out of my budget. I may get it though
Nitrate: Salifert
pH: Probably a digital meter on amazon but still unsure
Phosphate: (same with Alk; I would get the ULR if I got a Hanna)

Thanks.

Your plan is good. However, if budgeting is an issue, just get them slowly over time. I would get alkalinity first, followed by calcium, magnesium, nitrate, then phosphate. I use a pH probe on my APEX controller, but ran without knowing pH for many years.

 

[KrisReef]

I like accuracy. I am using a Calcium reactor. If Alk stays in check the CA is always ok (400+) It (CA) is the one kit I feel I can live without. I have an API (yes) for Calcium and a Salifert and since I only want it above 400 either API or Salifert work just fine for CA. I'd recommend getting API for CA and using the savings to get the Hanna Meters ULR for phosphate/phosphorus. Salifert is also good enough for Dkh but Hanna is more accurate and a lot faster than dripping all those drops!

Mg can slowly creep low but if you are doing water changes with good Mg level salts you may never need to measure it?

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Your plan is good. However, if budgeting is an issue, just get them slowly over time. I would get alkalinity first, followed by calcium, magnesium, nitrate, then phosphate. I use a pH probe on my APEX controller, but ran without knowing pH for many years.

I'm not too worried about pH. I'm going to get all the kits at once because it's just cheaper with shipping (If I stagger buying stuff, shipping could be the cost of another test kit/other stuff), and buying new test kits becomes a second thought to me after I order them

I like accuracy. I am using a Calcium reactor. If Alk stays in check the CA is always ok (400+) It (CA) is the one kit I feel I can live without. I have an API (yes) for Calcium and a Salifert and since I only want it above 400 either API or Salifert work just fine for CA. I'd recommend getting API for CA and using the savings to get the Hanna Meters ULR for phosphate/phosphorus. Salifert is also good enough for Dkh but Hanna is more accurate and a lot faster than dripping all those drops!

Mg can slowly creep low but if you are doing water changes with good Mg level salts you may never need to measure it?

I have an API test for every single test above. I may just stick with my current API calcium test depending on how I feel and what other people say.

 

[hyeteck]

I've been using the redsea test kits with zero issues. They have a combo pack with Alk, Magnesium and Calcium which has been consistently working well for me.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I've been using the redsea test kits with zero issues. They have a combo pack with Alk, Magnesium and Calcium which has been consistently working well for me.

That combo test pack looks like a good deal for all three of those. I'll have to look into how accurate they are compared to others.

 

[Reef.]

I want to get an upgrade from my API test kits. Test kits I want to upgrade are Calcium, Alkalinity, Nitrate, pH, and phosphate. I'd prefer to have test kits in the less than $30 range. Here are some that I have picked out and some I'm still unsure about
Calcium: Salifert
Alkalinity: Heard great things about Hanna, but it's a little out of my budget. I may get it though
Nitrate: Salifert
pH: Probably a digital meter on amazon but still unsure
Phosphate: (same with Alk; I would get the ULR if I got a Hanna)

Thanks.

I agree with all your choices apart for the Hanna for alk, Salifert and Aqua forest are very good, they are accurate but take a couple extra minutes to carry out the test, no need to spend the extra on the Hanna, the Hanna PO4 I would say is definitely worth getting.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I agree with all your choices apart for the Hanna for alk, Salifert and Aqua forest are very good, they are accurate but take a couple extra minutes to carry out the test, no need to spend the extra on the Hanna, the Hanna PO4 I would say is definitely worth getting.

Ok. Here are my updated ideas for what I'm going to get:
Phosphate: Hanna Phosphate ULR
Nitrate: Salifert
Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium: I'm really torn between these three. The combo pack is such a great deal but BRS seemed to dislike the alkalinity test it a little. I may get that combo pack because it's such a great deal and if it's worth a little more of my time for testing, so be it. If not, I'll probably get Salifert for Alkalinity, and I'm still unsure for Calcium and Magnesium. I will probably get the pack though.
pH: Not worrying too much about it for now.
Tell me what yall think

 

[flyfisher2]

I have the Red Sea, Salifert and Hanna. I like the Salifert for just about eveything and love hanna for ULR Phosphorus and Alkalinity.

 

[Reef.]

Ok. Here are my updated ideas for what I'm going to get:
Phosphate: Hanna Phosphate ULR
Nitrate: Salifert
Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium: I'm really torn between these three. The combo pack is such a great deal but BRS seemed to dislike the alkalinity test it a little. I may get that combo pack because it's such a great deal and if it's worth a little more of my time for testing, so be it. If not, I'll probably get Salifert for Alkalinity, and I'm still unsure for Calcium and Magnesium. I will probably get the pack though.
pH: Not worrying too much about it for now.
Tell me what yall think

what brand is the combo pack? If Salifert it's a no brainier get it.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

what brand is the combo pack? If Salifert it's a no brainier get it.

It's RedSea. $51 on Amazon. I wish it was Salifert though.

 

[Reef.]

It's RedSea. $51 on Amazon. I wish it was Salifert though.

I have all of those in Salifert, (I have the alk in both Salifert and aqua forest both measure the same.

I wouldn't pay extra for Red Sea, Salifert is very good in those tests.