Best test kits?

[milkman754]

I need a little help. All the test kits I use for nitrates ( not just nitrates)seem to have different results. What’s the best and most accurate kit?

 

[tdileo]

I believe the Hanna checkers are the most accurate when it comes to hobbyist level equipment. However if you need more precision you can pay $50 each time for something like a Triton test.

 

[Mark Derail]

As a new SW hobbyist, I did some checking. This forum, Youtube, and LFS / Amazon.

Salifert kits are excellent for the price, and you can double-up easily the quantities for extra precision, or, half everything for a quick-check and have kits that last longer.

However I also have an Aqua Forest calcium test kit, and bought a Salifert calcium also. Comparing the two, the Aqua Forest seems higher quality overall. However both kits tested the same within 1% on the same water. The Salifert kits are easy to use so far.
The ones I liked the least, the API test kits.

I have a feeling that they all (Aqua Forest / Salifert / API) are within + 5% - of each other, and this precision is probably good enough for most of us.

I tried to justify the Hanna kits against the Salifert kits, money wise, and it's not worth the premium for Hanna, for the type of SW aquariums I am running (mixed reef w/fish), max 140gal.

Hanna kits have an upfront cost, do 25 tests. You have to buy reagents in pouches for another 25 tests.
70$ Canadian for the initial kit, and 16$ for 25 subsequent tests.
A Salifert kit is between 20-25$ and does 50-60 tests.​

I honestly don't need to know if my phosphates are at 0.02 or 0.05, I just need to make sure I'm below 0.03, and if I reach or surpass 0.03 - that's an immediate water change.

. . .

From my limited experience, the three most important kits to have and test for, often, is Phosphates, Nitrates and Ammonia.

Also prepare yourself for easily doing massive water changes, it will make your life easier.
Like a 40g Rubbermaid tub, RODI water (a six-stage machine or store bought), a 100w heater and a refractometer.
So if you prepare your water ahead of time, and 40g is a 50-60% water change, you can fix any bad water issues in an hour.

Great advice I found here - don't put anything in your water that you can't test for. So don't dose anything if you have to do bi-weekly or weekly WCs, the good stuff is already in the SW mix.

 

[milkman754]

As a new SW hobbyist, I did some checking. This forum, Youtube, and LFS / Amazon.

Salifert kits are excellent for the price, and you can double-up easily the quantities for extra precision, or, half everything for a quick-check and have kits that last longer.

However I also have an Aqua Forest calcium test kit, and bought a Salifert calcium also. Comparing the two, the Aqua Forest seems higher quality overall. However both kits tested the same within 1% on the same water. The Salifert kits are easy to use so far.
The ones I liked the least, the API test kits.

I have a feeling that they all (Aqua Forest / Salifert / API) are within + 5% - of each other, and this precision is probably good enough for most of us.

I tried to justify the Hanna kits against the Salifert kits, money wise, and it's not worth the premium for Hanna, for the type of SW aquariums I am running (mixed reef w/fish), max 140gal.

Hanna kits have an upfront cost, do 25 tests. You have to buy reagents in pouches for another 25 tests.
70$ Canadian for the initial kit, and 16$ for 25 subsequent tests.
A Salifert kit is between 20-25$ and does 50-60 tests.​

I honestly don't need to know if my phosphates are at 0.02 or 0.05, I just need to make sure I'm below 0.03, and if I reach or surpass 0.03 - that's an immediate water change.

. . .

From my limited experience, the three most important kits to have and test for, often, is Phosphates, Nitrates and Ammonia.

Also prepare yourself for easily doing massive water changes, it will make your life easier.
Like a 40g Rubbermaid tub, RODI water (a six-stage machine or store bought), a 100w heater and a refractometer.
So if you prepare your water ahead of time, and 40g is a 50-60% water change, you can fix any bad water issues in an hour.

Great advice I found here - don't put anything in your water that you can't test for. So don't dose anything if you have to do bi-weekly or weekly WCs, the good stuff is already in the SW mix.

Thanks, that was a lot of good info.