Looking to Upgrade My Testing Supplies - Need Recommendations

[Flexin]

Went from API to Red Sea Algae Control and Foundation Kits. Very happy and results are easy to read.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I got tired of chasing numbers to be honest. Some might disagree but i prefer stability more than anything. The corals are growing and colorful. My ph doesn't drop below 7.9 at night. I switched back to aquavitro from ME coral and the ph is higher and more consistent. I used to freak if the ph wasn't 8.2 or higher, I've noticed no change in constantly dosing to chase ph so I stopped. Alk and calcium dosing has been plenty. I'm not telling you not to check ph or that it's irrelevant, just saying what I do.

I was doing the same but as I've added more SPS corals, the more I've had to keep up with Alk and especially calcium and magnesium. I've been doing regular water changes as the main method of controlling those parameters but it seems that my tank has been steadily lowering in Alk to the point where it was between 7 and 8 dkh the other day when I tested. I like to keep it around 9-10. I've gone back to regular two-part dosing as a result and I need a more accurate way to keep track of specific parameters until I get them stabilized consistently again. I've been worried that pH has been dropping too much at night so I want something quick and easy to check it with in the mornings before I go to work. If I find that it's swinging too much, I'm going to reincorporate some chaeto at night and see if that helps. It's a little tank so everything I can do to help stabilize it helps out a whole lot with the health of the corals.

 

[DSC reef]

The salifert ph test kit is simple. I keep the alk at around 9. 15ml twice a day of the aquavitro eight four keeps everything in check. It's funny, we take care of my mom's nano and all we do is dose 5ml of alk and calcium daily and 5 gallon water change weekly and the tank is doing insanely well. No testing whatsoever. It's 13.5 fluval set on auto pilot. Two BTA, 2 clownfish, no skimmer, orbit led. Tanks is doing amazing and I'm literally amazed.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Went from API to Red Sea Algae Control and Foundation Kits. Very happy and results are easy to read.

I've got one Red Sea kit, the Nitrate Pro. I have to say, this test is the least favorite of all my test kits. I have to use the "high" end test method that requires you to dilute 1 ml of tank water with 15 mls of rodi water, and I can never get the two test cuvettes to be exactly the same level when you put them side to side, and it never fails that the final color, after waiting the required 9 minutes, is a different color than anything on the color wheel. I know my nitrates are on the low end of the high scale (hope that makes sense!) but the color I get is more of a light pink and the color wheel really doesn't have that shade, more of a light violet. I find it frustrating, and I end up guessing which color its most like. I'm not a chemist, and I don't know why anybody makes a no3 test like Hanna does for po4 or alk. I wish they did because I feel like my nitrate testing is just a wild a** guess. I get vastly different numbers between the RS and API with nitrate.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I've got one Red Sea kit, the Nitrate Pro. I have to say, this test is the least favorite of all my test kits. I have to use the "high" end test method that requires you to dilute 1 ml of tank water with 15 mls of rodi water, and I can never get the two test cuvettes to be exactly the same level when you put them side to side, and it never fails that the final color, after waiting the required 9 minutes, is a different color than anything on the color wheel. I know my nitrates are on the low end of the high scale (hope that makes sense!) but the color I get is more of a light pink and the color wheel really doesn't have that shade, more of a light violet. I find it frustrating, and I end up guessing which color its most like. I'm not a chemist, and I don't know why anybody makes a no3 test like Hanna does for po4 or alk. I wish they did because I feel like my nitrate testing is just a wild a** guess. I get vastly different numbers between the RS and API with nitrate.

I do believe hanna has been developing a NO3 checker for years now but the consistency and reliability of the test isn't there. Something about high chloride throwing off the results with a colorimeter test in a saltwater environment using a cadmium reduction method.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

I think I will get the salifert for now just because I can get everything I need at once. I will look into getting the hanna checkers at some point soon too (maybe a Christmas/Birthday Present since my birthday and Christmas are 5 days apart haha

If you go with Salifert, buy from Amazon. That's where we get ours and they are much cheaper then driving to you LFS and having them order them.
Edit: if or when you are ready to by a Hanna don't shop on Amazon lol. For some reason they are double the price then shopping on marine depot.

 

[lolmatt]

The Marine Care Test Kit includes pH, NH3/4, NO2, NO3 and KH (although I don't like this version of their KH test).
The Reef Foundations Pro Test Kit includes Ca, Mg, KH (prefer this KH test).

I had the exact opposite experience here. I had a hard enough time reading the DK pro (titrate) test (the color was WAY off...it went from blue then very slowly changed to green -> yellow -> peach within ~0.1ml and I was just guessing somewhere in a ~1.5dKH range) that I went out and bought a hanna checker just for alk. I actually found myself preferring to use the more basic alk test (which is 1 drop per dKH...so you can only get within 0.5 dKH), but ultimately wanted something more exact.


I do like all of the other red sea tests from both of these kits. I don't have a phosphate kit, but I've heard bad things about the red sea kit. I plan to pickup a hanna checker for phosphate once I finally give in to the $50 cost.

 

[Flexin]

I've got one Red Sea kit, the Nitrate Pro. I have to say, this test is the least favorite of all my test kits. I have to use the "high" end test method that requires you to dilute 1 ml of tank water with 15 mls of rodi water, and I can never get the two test cuvettes to be exactly the same level when you put them side to side, and it never fails that the final color, after waiting the required 9 minutes, is a different color than anything on the color wheel. I know my nitrates are on the low end of the high scale (hope that makes sense!) but the color I get is more of a light pink and the color wheel really doesn't have that shade, more of a light violet. I find it frustrating, and I end up guessing which color its most like. I'm not a chemist, and I don't know why anybody makes a no3 test like Hanna does for po4 or alk. I wish they did because I feel like my nitrate testing is just a wild a** guess. I get vastly different numbers between the RS and API with nitrate.

I got the following in my Algae Kit for NO3

https://www.instagram.com/p/BacSluujbAQ/

If was on the low end of the high it would be less than 4. If the color is between, that just means it falls between the two, right? Do you have different measuring tools in your kit?

 

[cmcoker]

I got the following in my Algae Kit for NO3

https://www.instagram.com/p/BacSluujbAQ/

If was on the low end of the high it would be less than 4. If the color is between, that just means it falls between the two, right? Do you have different measuring tools in your kit?

I'm curious too, I wouldnt call anything on the color wheel a shade of violet... I am usually doing the diluted sample as well, been hanging around 6 to 8ppm

 

[XNavyDiver]

I got the following in my Algae Kit for NO3

https://www.instagram.com/p/BacSluujbAQ/

If was on the low end of the high it would be less than 4. If the color is between, that just means it falls between the two, right? Do you have different measuring tools in your kit?

Well, I defiantly get a discernible color, not the colorless top portion of that card. I fall somewhere between 4 and 12 I think. The problem is that the color I develop in the vile is a bit different than the colors on wheel. The color to my eye on the wheel is shades of pink from lighter to darker. I get a shade of violet in my test vile, and it makes it hard to "match" it on the wheel. I end up moving around the house with the test wheel into different types of lighting, I even have a stand type magnifying glass with a built in light to try and help me discern which color it's closest in matching.
- "If the color is between, that just means it falls between the two, right?" Correct, that's my understanding. The problem is, it's not easy for me to determine if a color is "in between." I can probably pick out a color that's in between the 8 and 32, but not between 8 and 12. lol
- "Do you have different measuring tools in your kit?" From what I can see in the picture, it looks like the exact same kit.

 

[XNavyDiver]

I'm curious too, I wouldnt call anything on the color wheel a shade of violet... I am usually doing the diluted sample as well, been hanging around 6 to 8ppm

You're correct, I had the colors backwards as I was going from memory from being at work and not a home at the moment to look at the kit. The wheel and chart are shades of lighter to darker pink (at least that's what I would call that color). The color that develops in my titration cuvette for me is more a shade of violet. My bad.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Just did a no3 test. This pic illustrates what I'm talking about. Center vile is the test vile. High range. I hope the colors come out, but it's violet, or a very pale purple. Outer comparison color ring is shades of pink. Im guessing this is .50 which equates to 8ppm on the high range test.

 

[GonçaloS]

Phosphate - Hanna Checker, but I am discouraged by the packet of powder. I never feel like I get it all, it is hard to open and pour and you have to cut it open early or you don't make the 3 min timeout window (in my experience). Haven't found another kit I like.

I found it easier after buying a second test tube. That way you can use one tube for the blank, while you are shaking the sample tube with the powder.

 

[Flexin]

What you have it on is .5 right now, if it was .25 that would mean rotating it one color counterclockwise correct? (I’m making sure I’m reading it right also looks like you did not shake the bubbles out, that can distort the color.

 

[XNavyDiver]

What you have it on is .5 right now, if it was .25 that would mean rotating it one color counterclockwise correct? (I’m making sure I’m reading it right also looks like you did not shake the bubbles out, that can distort the color.

You're right, it's at .5, which equates to 8ppm. I type before I look.

 

[saltyhog]

I found it easier after buying a second test tube. That way you can use one tube for the blank, while you are shaking the sample tube with the powder.

That is not a good idea according to Hanna. The cuvettes are not that identical and can introduce error.

I don't understand the angst with the Hanna PO4 test. I cut the packet (after thumping it a few times to get the powder to the bottom corner of the packet) before I do anything else. I actually cut about 4mm inside the dotted line, this makes it easier to open and poor.

Create the spout by pushing the two intact corners towards each other and set aside. Then get your water sample, press the button and put the cuvette in when it reads C1. Put the cuvette in and press the button again an wait until C2 is on the display. Remove the cuvette and put the powder in, tap the packet again and pour a second time to get it all. The amount clinging to the inside of the packet is insignificant. Invert back and forth (don't shake)for two minutes (I set a timer on my watch to do that). Put the cuvette back in and hold the button until the 3:00 timer appears.

 

[bif24701]

Hanna for ALK/dKH and PO4/Ultra Low Range

Red Sea Pro for all others

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Hanna for ALK/dKH and PO4/Ultra Low Range

Red Sea Pro for all others

Thanks for your feedback

 

[mucky1957]

The hanna kits are very expensive here in the UK and I like Salifert for all my testing. The only problem is the nitrate tester..very difficult/almost impossible to tell if the nitrate is 0 or 2 or 5 using the colour chart. I keep the nitrate at around 5 so it isn't an issue for me but if you want a real acurate reading then the Salifert nitrate tester isn't it.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

The hanna kits are very expensive here in the UK and I like Salifert for all my testing. The only problem is the nitrate tester..very difficult/almost impossible to tell if the nitrate is 0 or 2 or 5 using the colour chart. I keep the nitrate at around 5 so it isn't an issue for me but if you want a real acurate reading then the Salifert nitrate tester isn't it.

Thank you for your feedback