Maintenance tool questions

[hgren]

which brand do you guys use or prefer for test kits, salt mix, refractometer, and gravel vacuum/siphon in general?

 

[X-37B]

BRS refractometer.
Combo of Salifert and Hanna for tests.
ESV-B Ionic for salt.
Bare bottom so no siphon.

 

[Armt350]

Salt mix I use coral pro. I have a milwaukee instruments digital refactometer that works great and is quick and easy to use. For a gravel Siphon, I just went and picked up one local from petsmart. Just make sure to get one with enough slits in the bottom for whatever your substrate will be.

 

[reefiniteasy]

VeeGee STX-3 Refractometer
Salifert
Fritz RPM Blue
Turkey Baster to stir up sand and powerhead and tubing for water changes.

 

[Proteus Meep]

Salifert
H2ocean Natural Salt
H2ocean Refractometer
Weekly Sand Vacuum as the way i remove water with a standard vacuum with a syphon bulb atatched

 

[Ebslinger]

I don't clean or test... can't give any advice.

J/K. Following.

 

[hgren]

Seems like many people are using Salifert for their water test.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Seems like many people are using Salifert for their water test.

I can’t say it’s the best. I got all of the test kits on clearance from Drs. Foster & Smith before the site disappeared and I got some on sale from BRS. They are easy to use and for the most part the colors are easy to differentiate now that I’m used to it. I assume it’s accurate bc I haven’t had any issues in my tank but I haven’t verified with other brands.

 

[Cherie cook]

Salt mix I use coral pro. I have a milwaukee instruments digital refactometer that works great and is quick and easy to use. For a gravel Siphon, I just went and picked up one local from petsmart. Just make sure to get one with enough slits in the bottom for whatever your substrate will be.

+1 on the Milwaukee refractometer...love mine.

 

[Cherie cook]

Can’t beat Hanna checkers!

 

[MentalNote]

1. Sybon - 10 years old, has always tests well against calibration fluid
2. Alkatronic/Red sea pro
3. HW-Marinemix Reefer. I liked ESV B-ionic and used for years but switched to HW for additional aminos a few years back.
4. Bare bottom, so just a 1/2” hose. Cleaning process is: move ATO pump into saltwater storage, stick hose into return bulkhead to get siphon, suck detritus out, let tank refill automatically from ATO sensor and move ATO pump back to fresh water storage.