Reef test kits

[Alan600]

I been going To my lfs for about 7 months to get my water parameters tested . I'm tired of driving there every week I been wanting to invest in a good test kit to check my ph ,calcium and alk ect . I just don't know what are good brand they have API reef master kit at my lfs but I hear they are not that accurate . Does any body know what are good test kit give an accurate reading .

 

[ninjabeaver]

I been going To my lfs for about 7 months to get my water parameters tested . I'm tired of driving there every week I been wanting to invest in a good test kit to check my ph ,calcium and alk ect . I just don't know what are good brand they have API reef master kit at my lfs but I hear they are not that accurate . Does any body know what are good test kit give an accurate reading .

A good start would be red sea kit that has alk,mag, and ca. I have found them to be very accurate. If you are concerned about phosphates I hear Hanna checkers are good, I have one for alk, and I really like it.

I have an api master one, and I rarely use it anymore, mainly in the beginning when I was first starting out.

 

[Alan600]

Thanks a lot .Do you happen to know if they come as kit or they are sold separately ?

 

[racin2438]

We use all Salifert...tests kits. Very accurate. But others will chime in on their faves...

 

[Alan600]

Well I'm just looking for something accurate . It doesn't matter the price or brand I just want something reliable

 

[buckeye82]

I used API when I first got started but now use the Red Sea Pro test kits. I find them to be very reliable and easy to do.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well I'm just looking for something accurate . It doesn't matter the price or brand I just want something reliable

FWIW, I prefer to do a DIY alk test using a standard acid. Same as any alk test, except you know exactly what you are adding, and you use a pH meter to be sure of the pH endpoint (rather than what pH a company decided was convenient for them to use a dye for).

 

[captainsaquarium]

I use a professional grade aquaculture test kit from lamotte. The best I have ever found and just about all tests are included. After that I like Randy go the DIY route. Cheers!

 

[StikHedRon]

Red Sea Test kits are my favorite, the glass vials, the plastic box and the ability to just purchase reagent is a big selling point to me. And the big three tests kits come in one kit that is priced lower than purchasing 3 salifert test kits. Win!

 

[Rob Top1]

FWIW, I prefer to do a DIY alk test using a standard acid. Same as any alk test, except you know exactly what you are adding, and you use a pH meter to be sure of the pH endpoint (rather than what pH a company decided was convenient for them to use a dye for).

Do tell us more Randy. Or at least a link to the artical you wrote about it

 

[BlueZreef]

As others have said, Red Sea kits are nice. The Reef Foundation kit is just under $50 and does Ca, Alk, and Mag. I wouldn't worry about testing your pH, more or less a pointless number to chase.

 

[Alan600]

Thank you guys for all the suggestions . I just picked up the Red Sea kit . Cheap and easy to use and very accurate . Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do tell us more Randy. Or at least a link to the artical you wrote about it

It is done by adding a standard acid (such as 0.1 N HCl, which can be purchased online for not very much) and adding it to some measured volume of tank water until the pH reaches about pH 4.2 (using a pH meter). From that, the acid added is the alkalinity. It is a cheaper than most test kits, assuming you already have a pH meter, and is going to be at least as accurate as most test kits since you can titrate a large volume (say, 500 mL).

I am writing a step by step article for Reef2Reef, but for now, this older article shows how I did it using 0.1 N HCl.:

Chemistry and the Aquarium: What is Alkalinity? ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[Rob Top1]

FWIW I prefer the RS tests, affordable and easy. Plus that little titrator tool is cool. But I just tested three systems with RS, SeaChem and API for Ca. RS and API had the same results. On two SeaChem was lower than the other two. The third it was the same. Didn't expect API to match, but it did.

 

[reggaedrummin]

I use red sea for mag, iron, iodide, & potassium. I use elos for alkalinity. I use salifert for strontium and calcium. I have multiple copies of all the Api test kits including calcium and alkalinity. I have them because they were the first ones I came across early in the hobby. I've kept them all this time, flirting with the idea of tossing them because of their age, but I'm actually quite impressed with them. I recently dug them out and tested alk, calcium, and ph against the other kits and my ph probes and found them to be very accurate, even after all the time sitting in a drawer. I find api to be the most simple and usually the cheapest so I've started using them as my baseline and test any anomalies with my more expensive kits. I'm doing it, initially at least, to free up some drawer space but when they run out...I'm not sure yet that I'm done with api

 

[Sangheili]

When accuracy matters: Triton ICP Tests.

When you need to test with hobby kits: Red Sea Alk/Calc/Mag. Also Hanna Alk is apparently good.

Also note that the Triton test is a great way to figure out how close your hobby grade tests are.

 

[Big Wave]

The only thing I really test on a consistent bases is alk, and I use the API KH test simply because it's easy to use, easy to find, and $5.For what it's worth, you can find $10 pH pen meters on the Internet these days.

 

[Rausch]

I use and trust Salifert for everything! Was put onto Salifert by a local store owner who has the most beautiful SPS i have ever seen. He tests religiously and found that Salifert gave the most accurate results. And after using them for some time now i wouldn't change!