Best Parameter tests?

[Gtinnel]

Interesting. I found one of my LFS has better prices on Hanna Checkers than either Amazon or EBay (once you consider shipping cost, their price is even better)

To get the Hanna checkers for cheaper I usually just wait until BRS sends out the $10 promo codes that they do fairly frequently and use that to get the checker. The checker plus the cheapest item I can find gets me free shipping. So I effectively get the Hanna checker for about $40 which is only about $20 more than the cheapest test kits.

I'm surprised you found them cheaper than $50 at a lfs (I'm just guessing they were less than $50), I thought Hanna set a $50 MAP price.

 

[burningmime]

This is what I use...

Alkalinty - Just got a Kh Director, so we'll see how that goes (but if Hanna is too expensive...)
Calcuim - Red Sea
Mag - Red Sea
Nitrate - Nyos
Phosphate - Hanna Checker

I'm pretty happy with the quality, etc. of all the Red Sea ones. There are better for certain parameters, but you can buy a red sea pack and save money; then upgrade individual ones later.

 

[Gtinnel]

I guess I never actually answered the original question. If I cant count my trident or Hanna checkers then:
Alk-Red Sea Pro
Cal- Red Sea Pro
Mag-Red Sea Pro
Nitrate- Salifert
Phosphate- Hanna (I realize it said no Hanna, but for this one that is the only option IMO)

 

[Koty]

I recently got the Hanna for alkalinity that I check every day as I add kalkwasser "Julian's style": add a 300-400 ml slurry with half a teaspoon kw.
I have the RedSea, Salifert and the Hanna. IMHO Salifert is the best for the price and speed if you know the range takes less than a minute and the color change point is easy to reproduce. Hanna is pricy and prone to errors as the tip connected to the syringe is a bit loose, the glass tube opening is narrow so that operating it is slower (also each stage need to wipe the glass carefully not to mess up the results). RedSea is also fast if you do not use their crappy useless injector but the color change in the titration is much less easy to reproduce ( Also why not reverse the numbers in the syringe????? Salifert did it!). So my verdict is Salifert for alkalinity. Phosphate I use RedSea it takes a good 15 min incubation but it is very reliable in my hands. Nitrate I use also RedSea but do not recommend it! when diluting DT water with RO (Even ultrapure > 18 megaOhms) for the high range detection you get a different color from that of their wheel. So you end up half-guessing.

 

[Ryan3313]

Mag- Red sea
Cal- Red sea
Alk- Red sea and Hanna
Nitrate- Nyos
Phos- Hanna ulr

 

[Emerson]

Alk: Hanna or Red Sea
Ca: Red Sea
Mg: Red Sea
NO3: Salifert
PO4: Hanna ULR; really the only one unless you have high levels. I run levels < 0.10 ppm

 

[BTimms]

As a newbie I bought the red pro kit for alk, mag, cal.
Salifert for pho4.

I feel these taught me proper habits for testing, monitoring and recording my levels. Now that I have the hang of things, I wish I had a triton or auto test system....I’d rather just see all the levels real time charted out properly.

That all said, I have told myself that when any of the parameter testkit runs out I will go with Hanna.

 

[QTI]

Alkalinty - Alkatronic
Calcuim - Salifert
Mag - Salifert
Nitrate - Hanna
Phosphate - Hanna

I have Hanna checkers for all except Magnesium, and Salifert for all. The above are my preferred kits taking into account accuracy, reliability and ease of use.

 

[QTI]

[duplicate post deleted sorry]

 

[Rmckoy]

Even owning Hanna for nitrates , phosphorus , alkalinity

I sometimes still double check with salifert .
Everything else I use salifert for

 

[AceShadow_Reefer]

Think someone is a Hanna fan Lol. All good, I understand. Just at $50 a pop they are abit pricey.

See it seems pricy when you first buy in, but the refills are inexpensive and the accuracy is phenomenal. Hanna checkers will save you time and eliminate any error caused by the human eye!

If Hanna is off the table, I think Salifert is the second best. I wish Hanna would create a mag checker...

 

[AceShadow_Reefer]

Well if you are taking Hanna off the table IMO just shoot your self in the foot.

TRUE! Hanna is the best lol

 

[galantra]

Alkalinty - Hanna
Calcuim - Aqua Forest
Mag - Salifert
Nitrate - Nyos
Phosphate - I check phosphorus and do the calculations for phos with Hanna

Now let’s say I tried almost everything like the easiness of Hanna but for the nitrate and calcium I just can’t seem to get this working right cause comparing to the others test it was way off. I always used salifert but they change the way they done calcium

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, a DIY alk titration is the best for alk:

A DIY Alkalinity Test: By Randy Holmes-Farley - REEFEDITION

Alkalinity is one of the most important measurements that a reef aquarist can make. It can become rapidly depleted in many aquaria, requiring frequent measurement in order to maintain stable levels.

www.reefedition.com

 

[Rmckoy]

Well the exchange rate fluctuates of course. They are $69. CAD but my LFS has a points system, 1500 points gives you $35. And Wednesday’s are double points days, (two points for every dollar you spend) so I do get a bit of a discount too

What lfs is this ?
2 point Wednesday’s are always good .

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

alk-hanna
calcium-hanna
no3-hanna ulr
po4-hanna/nyos
mag-A.Forest

this may not help you unless your keeping track of whats really being used out there. the hannas are not that expensive and when you get a testing process that you dial in to be consistent every test they are very accurate, the actual number might not be exact but you know you water hasnt drifted one way or another. just trust the list and start practicing testing, it does take practice if you dont know what i mean just do a few hundred test and notice your own human errors before you bring up the tests possible errors>:}

 

[Rmckoy]

alk-hanna
calcium-hanna
no3-hanna ulr
po4-hanna/nyos
mag-A.Forest

this may not help you unless your keeping track of whats really being used out there. the hannas are not that expensive and when you get a testing process that you dial in to be consistent every test they are very accurate, the actual number might not be exact but you know you water hasnt drifted one way or another. just trust the list and start practicing testing, it does take practice if you dont know what i mean just do a few hundred test and notice your own human errors before you bring up the tests possible errors>:}

You prefer Hanna for cal and n03 ?

I find them a pain in the butt .
especially the dilution process .
a inconvenience if you don’t have fresh saltwater made

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

You prefer Hanna for cal and n03 ?

I find them a pain in the butt .
especially the dilution process .
a inconvenience if you don’t have fresh saltwater made

the hanna cal takes r.o water for the test, and i use the h.r hanna and nyos for nitrate test

 

[Kayanarka]

I like the nyos nitrate kit, super easy to read with the dual vials and chart. I bought the Hanna pro kit with three testers plus an electronic salinity tester that I love when mixing water. The kit came with a lot of extra calibration packs for the salinity tester, as well as extra refills for the regents, which might account for its increased cost. I did not realize it came with so many extra regents when I first got it. I love it and think it 8s worth saving for. Phosphate gets annoying if you forget to read results after the 3 Minute timer.

The rest (amonia, ph, nitrite, magnesium) I went with salifert. I think salifert is considered the cheapest option for testing if your on a super tight budget.

I am curious how important iodine is to test, and am I missing any other important tests.