Mistake was made...

[ZaneGreay]

So I bought an API salt water aquarium master test kit... I thought because it was a master test kit it would have everything I would need.... I have freshwater tanks so I have freshwater test kits, is the saltwater test kit different? As of opening and looking through its contents it does not appear to be. The main problem is once again I bought a master test kit thinking it would have everything like alk, cal, and mag... it does not... After a little research I found that I need a API "reef" test kit... but I am now broke for fish funds till the end of next month... My Lfs wont take it back because its open... what do I do? Is there a better test kit I should buy that's relatively inexpensive? I see API everywhere, but it seems like they get a lot of hate? Anyone want to santa me a test kit lol

 

[homer1475]

Nope

API FW and Marine use the same reagents, just different colored charts.

AND FYI....

API is horrible for marine tests. Accurate enough once you get things dialed in, but no where near precise enough for the things we measure and at the levels we measure them. With that said, api is fine while cycling as your only looking for things to rise and drop not a specific number.

I personally use Salifert for CAL and MAG, Hanna for ALK and phosphate, and redsea pro for nitrate.

 

[ZaneGreay]

So why different test kits? why not stay with one brand? with the hanna are you using the digital testers?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I personally like salifert myself.

 

[homer1475]

Simply because the hanna are so darn easy to use. Yes they are the digital.

I use salifert because they are cheap and consistent(I used to use salifert ALK also till I got the hanna). Red sea because it measure super low values, and very consistent.

 

[New&no clue]

I personally like salifert myself.

+1 for salifert

how old is your tank and what’s in it? If you are cycling API master kit is fine, just know that ammonia tends to test high.

if you’re fish only, then testing isn’t too important. Regular water changes are all you need. I didn’t start testing until corals were added.

 

[Mical]

Personally I use API for Nitrate, Phos, I use Hanna for Alk & Cal and Red Sea for Mag. I did the same when I first got into reef keeping and found APIs were very limited on accuracy.

 

[Sashaka]

I wouldn't worry about waiting the month to test the tank until your next paycheck arrives. It takes time to cycle a tank. Just test for ammonia and when it reads near zero or zero, test nitrates. That's really all you need to do when cycling a tank. When ammonia read zero and nitrates are high, do a water change and then worry about testing for other things.

Another +1 Salifert, though I love my Hanna copper checker and hope to switch over to other Hanna digitals too.

 

[Marco S]

Another vote for Salifert here! I use it because they are easy to read and consistent. I tested API against Red Sea and Salifert by doing the same tests three times in a row and the Salifert got the exact same results all three times, Red Sea was close and API was drastically different each time.

I am slowly switching over to Hannah Checkers though since they are so easy to use. I have the Alk and Copper ones so far, (copper is just for QT btw, but very useful for me).

 

[S2G]

I like the hannah alk and ulr phos. The rest I use salifert or if I need a more detailed nitrate I use redsea. Im just trying to keep no3 around 10 & phos under .1

I think testing phos on fish only is a necessity. Unless you like gha. Ask me how I know lol. A decent no3 test is a necessity as well. I find api highly inconsistent.

 

[ZaneGreay]

My tank is cycled and has had fish and corals for about four months so still young. I was thinking of starting to dose to get more coral growth but my buddy informed me that dosing with out testing and knowing all my levels is stupid lol So thats when I went to the lfs and bought the wrong test kit

 

[ScottB]

Nope

API FW and Marine use the same reagents, just different colored charts.

AND FYI....

API is horrible for marine tests. Accurate enough once you get things dialed in, but no where near precise enough for the things we measure and at the levels we measure them. With that said, api is fine while cycling as your only looking for things to rise and drop not a specific number.

I personally use Salifert for CAL and MAG, Hanna for ALK and phosphate, and redsea pro for nitrate.

+1 for these kits. Better set up a GoFundMe campaign!