Lets have a fun vote! Best test kit!

[Bradsreeeftank]

Lets see what one is your favorite!

 

[brentsreef]

Salifert, best I've used

 

[dsmhero]

I really like Salifert for the majority of my tests. They have great customer service.

I do have a Hanna 713 for my phosphates though.

 

[Marquiseo]

RedSea is an excellent test kit. It is just too tedious. If you are very patient and have time to kill, it is the one to go with. Salifert is also great. It's accurate and doesn't take a book-long method just to get the results which is why it gets my vote. But I did use both for testing.

 

[robbrouse]

I use API for cycling.. Cheap and you go thought a lot. After that I use REDSEA and Salifert, mistly redsea, but they dont have the basic tests.

 

[watdachuck]

I send out samples to AquariumWaterTesting.com once every couple months for a full breakdown. It isn't the cheapest but it tells me just about everything that is going on with my water chemistry.

 

[427HISS]

This will be interesting , as I've been out of the hobby since the 90's.

 

[427HISS]

I send out samples to AquariumWaterTesting.com once every couple months for a full breakdown. It isn't the cheapest but it tells me just about everything that is going on with my water chemistry.

That's a great idea. Please add more details like, what brands have you tested and has their been enough different's to report that any paticular company's has had poor results. And cost versus accurate results, because as we all know, just because a price is high doesn't mean it's a better product !

What does this company charge and how long does it take ?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[bigfoot86]

Always used salifert kits. Been good to me.

 

[NC2WA]

I use Elos for most of my tests, but also use the Hanna checker for PO4..I have used AquariumTesting before, but only when I wanted a large amount of elements tested at once...

The result posted by watachuck says Mg level of 1187 is good, but actually is low...level should be around 1350-1500...so take the results with a grain of salt...excuse the pun.

 

[vetteguy53081]

API. Low cost and accurate

 

[JMSKI333]

I have had great success with red sea

 

[bencameron27]

Started out with API as my first test kit I bought, before this my local store used to test for me So yeah well received my kit tested my water all looking good until the nitrate test OFFFFF the scale and I mean bad like 120 so I kinda freaked out W/C, nitrate minus and poly filter added that day, I waited a couple of days tested the water again using API no difference nitrates off the scale so I took some water to the local store and they tested it using Sailfert and to my surprise was 0, I also took my test kit with me and we tested their water which is always 10 on nitrates and yep off the scale according to API, for one last try I tested my water again and it was still off the scale so definitely knew it was the nitrate test the other ones seemed okay but would always give a different reading to the sailfert ones. After this incident I spent a while deciding which one to buy and managed to get a full kit from red sea, which yeah you can say takes a little reading to begin with but once you have done it a few times its pretty straight forward and seems to be accurate, Hope this helps you can still get a red sea basic test kit (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH and Alkalinity) from ebay free postage for £35.00. Thanks for reading.

 

[watdachuck]

That's a great idea. Please add more details like, what brands have you tested and has their been enough different's to report that any paticular company's has had poor results. And cost versus accurate results, because as we all know, just because a price is high doesn't mean it's a better product !

What does this company charge and how long does it take ?

Thanks,
Kevin

I use API for the basics (PH, Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia) and American Marine Pinpoint Monitors for a constant PH reading and to monitor Calcium. I really only use AWT on occasions where I notice something wrong in my tank (i.e. cyano, or some other algae outbreak) or as a general check up several times a year.

A full test like the one I pasted runs about $40 (14 parameters) and is discounted the more you buy. The company sends you two bottles to fill approximately 3 oz each. These also come with a box and pre-paid label (all included). You fill them, drop them off at the post office and about 3-4 business days later the results are emailed to you. They are also available online and are tracked via dated bar graphs for comparison.

Regarding accuracy, the only parameters I can completely vouch for are Calcium (w/ American Marine Pinpoint) and Phosphate (Salifert). I would say PH, NH3, NO2, NO3 via API but these tests don't really allow me to quantify precise levels down to decimal points. Also, readings I have been given on previous tanks have accurately explained tank symptoms and ultimately helped me to resolve several issue. I have seen Cyanobacteria outbreaks explained by high Silicate, I have lost invertebrates explained by excessive copper/iodine etc.

I am not trying to be some type of promoter for this company, but I have zero complaints.

 

[glb]

API for cycling (and always for freshwater tanks). For my saltwater, I use salifert for mg, ca and nitrates. Hanna checkers for alk and phosphates. Refractometer for salinity. Used Red Sea Pro for a while but found it too tedious.

 

[NC2WA]

glb,

that is almost spot on what I do, but use elos for alk and ca...I found the hanna checker for calcium to be cumbersome so use test kit instead...I would love to get an all in one photometer to do all my test, but they are pricey.