PSA -- When things aren't looking great, but everything tests fine, suspect your test kit.

[Rakie]

I was at a buddies helping him setup a new tank. After spending about 5-6 hours during setup, we decided to test all his parameters because his current tank was getting unhappy.

Well. Guess whose alk ended up being 5.4?

His Red Sea test swears up and down his water was at 8.6 dkh -- my salifert test, and his unused Hanna test disagreed.

Sometimes everything looks and tests perfect. It doesn't always mean that random piece of plastic you put in was toxic soup, or that your ecotunze puck 9.0 has rusted through (not that those things don't happen, of course).

But sometimes your test kit decides it hates live and kicks the bucket with no warning and for no reason.

 

[GoVols]

I was at a buddies helping him setup a new tank. After spending about 5-6 hours during setup, we decided to test all his parameters because his current tank was getting unhappy.

Well. Guess whose alk ended up being 5.4?

His Red Sea test swears up and down his water was at 8.6 dkh -- my salifert test, and his unused Hanna test disagreed.

Sometimes everything looks and tests perfect. It doesn't always mean that random piece of plastic you put in was toxic soup, or that your ecotunze puck 9.0 has rusted through (not that those things don't happen, of course).

But sometimes your test kit decides it hates live and kicks the bucket with no warning and for no reason.

When I used the Red Sea Pro alk kit.

Red Sea Kev told me not to shoot for a certain end point color but stop when you see a end point change over.
Don't go by the card color / or their video. The end point could be pinkish / redish or a peachy orange.

Tell your friend to get the Hanna Checker

But... I did get bad reagent powders for the ULR checker this year

And (lol) I always keep an API alk kit to crosscheck

 

[Rakie]

When I used the Red Sea Pro alk kit.

Red Sea Kev told me not to shoot for a certain end point color but stop when you see a end point change over.
Don't go by the card color / or their video. The end point could be pinkish / redish or a peachy orange.

Tell your friend to get the Hanna Checker

But... I did get bad reagent powders for the ULR checker this year

And (lol) I always keep an API alk kit to crosscheck

He has a Hanna checker, that's how we made sure my Salifert test was on point. Surprisingly, he actually wound up with TWO hanna alk checkers, both of which he wasn't using -- It's like the reefing gods were hinting pretty hard... When he ends up with 4 phosphate checkers I'll make sure he watches his phos more closely haha

 

[cpschult]

The API alk test is awesome.

 

[Rakie]

The API alk test is awesome.

I usually keep API tests as a backup. I also make sure to test my old salifert and new salifert at the same time when my bottles are running low to make sure they're on point.

The little things snow ball into big mistakes.

 

[GoVols]

The API alk test is awesome.

I use the API cal all the time and the API alk is pretty much in there too.

 

[Rakie]

I use the API cal all the time and the API alk is pretty much in there too.

I was pretty impressed with the Geisemann tests I used. I think they're pretty solid, and not too spendy but others are still cheaper. The only problem with some of their kits are limited range, like the no3 only tests upwards of 4ppm, but it's pretty accurate for 0.25, 0.5 etc etc. That particular test didn't suit me, but in low nutrient tanks they're pretty dead on from what I've read.

 

[patfat]

He has a Hanna checker, that's how we made sure my Salifert test was on point. Surprisingly, he actually wound up with TWO hanna alk checkers, both of which he wasn't using -- It's like the reefing gods were hinting pretty hard... When he ends up with 4 phosphate checkers I'll make sure he watches his phos more closely haha

Let me know if he wants to sell one hahah