essential test kits for a new tank

[Rugops]

Hi!
So I am starting to setup my tank and I was wondering if anyone would recommend the essential test kits that I would need starting up. I was looking at red sea but salifert looks good too. I am not trying to break the bank but eh.

 

[homer1475]

Salifert are cheap, reliable, and repeatable.

For a new tank:
Ammonia, nitrate

Once the cycle finishes and depending on if you want corals, you'll eventually need:
Alkalinity
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphates
Nitrates

 

[Rugops]

Salifert are cheap, reliable, and repeatable.

For a new tank:
Ammonia, nitrate

Once the cycle finishes and depending on if you want corals, you'll eventually need:
Alkalinity
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphates Nitrates

What about nitrite?

 

[homer1475]

Personally I think nitrite is useless.

Saltwater fish are not harmed by it, and really in a cycle all your looking for is the conversion of ammonia to nitrates.

 

[Rugops]

gotcha. Any experience with red sea?

 

[homer1475]

Red sea also is reliable, but I find their kits to be a bit on the expensive side.

 

[Rugops]

Glad it wasn't just me. I needed a second opinion. Thanks!

 

[New9742]

Just my two cents. I'm new too and have been using API's saltwater test kit and am not having the best time with it (you can check my build thread if you want). API may not break the bank, but I wish I had paid more for one of the kits you're looking at. Personally, I like the Red Sea kit based on what I have read about it (may switch to it later). I'm using several Salifert kits right now for other parameters I decided to test for in addition to API and I really like them as well and have no complaints.

 

[Rugops]

Just my two cents. I'm new too and have been using API's saltwater test kit and am not having the best time with it (you can check my build thread if you want). API may not break the bank, but I wish I had paid more for one of the kits you're looking at. Personally, I like the Red Sea kit based on what I have read about it (may switch to it later). I'm using several Salifert kits right now for other parameters I decided to test for in addition to API and I really like them as well and have no complaints.

I've never like the API brand. Even with freshwater, it is like the bare minimum for testing (for me at least).

 

[shakacuz]

salifert for affordable kits.
red sea for a bit more “reliability”.
hanna for simplicity.

ranked cheapest to most expensive.