Newbie question .. about test kits ..

[Jason mack]

hi R2R
I'm back with another question for you super people ,
My lFS where I normally go sell/use products from Red Sea / Colombo .. so naturally so do I .. it's a good shop healthy stock ..
when I started I was using test kits from jbl and products from HS, but that shop ( 30 meters from my house) well it wasn't very good .. qua information or live stock .. that's why I changed .. so anyway that shop has a new owner now and he's gonna go full out corals and fish .. nice .. so I was just chatting with him over his ideas for the shop and my tank and what I use .. so he tells me Colombo products are bad and the test kits too .. .. blah blah bla ..
so knowing a lot of it is personal taste or experience here's my question what is the general consensus over which test kits are best /reliable.. and the same for products .. Is there a low opinion over Colombo .. or is this guy just talking trash .. I need some good factual adivice here ...

 

[twilliard]

red sea pro kits

 

[JaimeAdams]

I don't know anything about colombo, but most people are going to suggest red sea pro and salifert.

 

[Brew12]

I don't know anything about colombo, but most people are going to suggest red sea pro and salifert.

I recommend reading this.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-best-test-kit-a-different-philosophy.80/

Personally, I go with API for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate because they are quick and easy. Might switch nitrate tests soon.
I use salifert for Calc, Alk, and Mag since I want more accurate results.
I have a hanna low range phosphate checker. Worthless. Ordered the ultra low range one now. grrrr.....

 

[twilliard]

I recommend reading this.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-best-test-kit-a-different-philosophy.80/

Personally, I go with API for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate because they are quick and easy. Might switch nitrate tests soon.
I use salifert for Calc, Alk, and Mag since I want more accurate results.
I have a hanna low range phosphate checker. Worthless. Ordered the ultra low range one now. grrrr.....

Who needs precision LOL I bet your lab looks like mine
I did forget to mention I have an API kit to spot check ammonia every now and then.

 

[Jason mack]

red sea pro kits

I know the Hanna test kits are probably the best b

I recommend reading this.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-best-test-kit-a-different-philosophy.80/

Personally, I go with API for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate because they are quick and easy. Might switch nitrate tests soon.
I use salifert for Calc, Alk, and Mag since I want more accurate results.
I have a hanna low range phosphate checker. Worthless. Ordered the ultra low range one now. grrrr.....

thanks brew!!

 

[Jason mack]

API I've never heard of before ?

 

[twilliard]

API I've never heard of before ?

places like petco has it

 

[Jason mack]

I'm in Holland /Europe ..

 

[glb]

Hanna Checker for alk and phosphates
Salifert for nitrates, ca, mg
Digital ph monitor for ph
Refractometer for salinity

These are my picks!

 

[Brew12]

Hanna Checker for alk and phosphates
Salifert for nitrates, ca, mg
Digital ph monitor for ph
Refractometer for salinity

These are my picks!

Your picks are wrong!

 

[Jason mack]

Ok what about additives .. I use Colombo all in one and Colombo multi vits .. plus I'm using Colombo nitrate x .. pffff ... and Colombo mag and cal .... should I switch too Red Sea A B C .....

 

[Brew12]

Ok what about additives .. I use Colombo all in one and Colombo multi vits .. plus I'm using Colombo nitrate x .. pffff ... and Colombo mag and cal .... should I switch too Red Sea A B C .....

Can't offer an opinion there. My tank is still at the point I am fine with just water changes. Figure I have at elast another 6 months or so before I need to think along those line.

 

[Chrisfish]

I don't know anything about colombo, but most people are going to suggest red sea pro and salifert.

+1

 

[Jason mack]

I don't dose that much .. only the all in one and coral vits .. then only 6 ml I'm a week on a 100 liters .. calc and mag I do when water changes don't put it right .. which is not very often

 

[glb]

I use Seachem parts one and two for dosing. You can also use limewater in your ato.

 

[JaimeAdams]

It seems that colombo is an EU brand. I know we have some European reefers around that could chime in on the use of Colombo products, but Red Sea is universal.