Suggestions for test kits?

[headdr]

I have been slowly upgrading my test kits from the basic API color charts. I must be a little color blind. Can never read those color differences. I recommend the aqua forest for Mag and Alk. They change color at the reading point. My question, looking for personal experience. Is the Hanna checker a good investment for phosphate or does anyone use something else? How cost effective are the Hanna's? Once u have the checker u just need the refills after that correct? How many test do you get per reagent refill?

 

[wadesims2000]

I have been slowly upgrading my test kits from the basic API color charts. I must be a little color blind. Can never read those color differences. I recommend the aqua forest for Mag and Alk. They change color at the reading point. My question, looking for personal experience. Is the Hanna checker a good investment for phosphate or does anyone use something else? How cost effective are the Hanna's? Once u have the checker u just need the refills after that correct? How many test do you get per reagent refill?

I would recommend either the Hana checkers or the red sea reefer pro test kit both are extremely easy

 

[Brew12]

I recommend the aqua forest for Mag and Alk. They change color at the reading point.

All of the test kits for Mag and Alk should change color at the end point since they are titration based. I've used the Alk test from API, Redsea, Salifert and Hanna. The Hanna is nice but probably not worth the cost. The Redsea is the easiest to use since it is just one reagent. Get your water sample, load the syringe, drip until you get a reading.

Is the Hanna checker a good investment for phosphate or does anyone use something else? How cost effective are the Hanna's? Once u have the checker u just need the refills after that correct? How many test do you get per reagent refill?

I have both the ULR and LR checkers although my ULR broke last month. No doubt that the ULR is more accurate but I have no intention of replacing it. I don't try to keep my PO4 that low anyway and didn't like the ppb phosphorus to ppm phosphate conversion. I believe it is around 50 refills per pack and yes, you just need the refills once you buy the checker. Is it cost effective? I feel it is only because other PO4 measuring kits are difficult for me to read and I've killed coral by driving PO4 too low. If you don't care if your PO4 is .05ppm or .25ppm I would say it isn't cost effective. I try to keep mine between .03 and .08 using GFO so I feel it is.

 

[GrouperStupor]

I use red sea pro for PO4. It's good for one that uses color charts, but you prob wouldn't like it. Based on word of mouth, I usually recommend Hanna for PO4. I use Hanna for alk and ph. Really like them for those.

 

[headdr]

Not worried about that close of accuracy, but looking for something without a color chart.

 

[Brew12]

Not worried about that close of accuracy, but looking for something without a color chart.

Once you get passed the initial cycle the only color chart based test kits I can think of are NO3, PO4, pH, and Fe. I think the rest are titrations. The Hanna checker can take care of the PO4 and pH can be tested with a probe. Not aware of any reasonably priced non-color based Fe or NO3 options.

 

[headdr]

I found both an alkalinity and phosphate checker used on this site. Got reagents also. My only question is do the reagents go bad?

 

[Brew12]

I found both an alkalinity and phosphate checker used on this site. Got reagents also. My only question is do the reagents go bad?

I know the alkalinity ones do.

 

[headdr]

2 different guys selling these for about the same price, but one has some old reagent that has not been opened and some that will expire soon.

 

[H@rry]

I always had trouble with the color changing test kits. I couldn't really tell if it was orange yet or maybe still a little bit on the lavender side. I never was confident in the reading I got from them. Now I use Hanna for phosphate and alk. I like the digital readout. I use NYOS for nitrate on the recommendations of several people and have been satisfied with it. Those are the only things I test for. I've found out that with calcium reactors that if the alk is good the mag is good too.

 

[headdr]

Thanks Harry, I was about to order a Nyos for Nitrates.

 

[H@rry]

One thing to remember; with the Salifert mag kit, after the bottle is opened and you allow air in it affects the test readings. I found this out by buying a new bottle of reagent and using the last few drops of the old bottle and then testing again with the new bottle and got entirely different reading. Seems like exposure to air degrades the reagent. That was about the last time I tested for mag.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I usually test only alkalinity nowadays. I use a calcium reactor, too, and if alk is good, calcium is also good. Since I add magnesium media (probably dolomite) to the calcium reactor, the magnesium level stays pretty stable.

As for the nitrate and phosphate, I don't test often and all my reagents expire before I use them up. My NO3 and PO4 have been consistently very low. So, nowadays I ask an LFS to test my water for nitrate and phosphate (Aquatic Cove uses decent test kits) if I suspect that there is an issue (like an off-color on some of my corals.) They don't charge me if I take some rotifers or freshwater plants to them.

 

[Brew12]

I've found out that with calcium reactors that if the alk is good the mag is good too.

I take this approach with balanced 2-part dosing. I set my clear Alk and Calc dosing containers and put them side by side. I always keep my settings the same. It is very easy for me to see if one starts getting added faster than the other. I test Alk a few times a week but only test Calc a few weeks after mixing up fresh 2-part to make sure I didn't mix it wrong. I test Mag once a month since it never changes fast.

 

[eric.battani]

For years I used redsea because fellow hobbyists said it was a good test kit, then one day I needed to order some new ones after running out and Salifer was cheaper at the time, so I went to YouTube to see how hard the tests were, and I discovered the color change was more apparent, some kits had less steps (magnesium has so many less steps than redsea) so now, all I use is Salifer for cal, alk, mag, phos, and nitrates. Oh and with a magnetic stirrer, testing is done in half the time

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/magnetic-stirrer.345636/

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Good to know. I like Salifert test kits. They are easy to use.

 

[H@rry]

I found out something interesting today about Hanna Alk reagents. I knew my bottle was running low so I bought a new bottle. I checked the alk with the new bottle and it showed 6.5, wow. I checked with some of what was left in the old bottle and it showed 7.4. I double checked the number on the labels on both bottles, same thing.

 

[Brew12]

I found out something interesting today about Hanna Alk reagents. I knew my bottle was running low so I bought a new bottle. I checked the alk with the new bottle and it showed 6.5, wow. I checked with some of what was left in the old bottle and it showed 7.4. I double checked the number on the labels on both bottles, same thing.

Sounds very similar to my experience. Alk is the one thing I am paranoid over so I won't rely on just one manufacturers test kit.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

The alkalinity of my tank water generally follows closely to the pH of the tank water. So as long as the pH reading from my Apex is within the reasonable range, I don't worry about alkalinity too much. I do measure alkalinity with a test kit a few times a week just so I can see the trend. If I use two different brand of test kits and they return different values, I would not know which one to trust. I would be a very unhappy camper.

 

[H@rry]

This is not two different brands, both are Hanna.