Test Kit Issues

[DavidBearWeber]

Since I am a newbie, I bought Hanna, Red Sea and Salifert Test kits. The reason is, without reliable readings, all the other stuff does not really matter. For the last 26 days, I have been cycling a tank. None of the test kits results are the same as the others during this period. Some are close and some very different. So, I would imagine I am not the first person to learn this, so my question is:

Which Test Kit(s) does everyone find to be accurate or if there is one that does better than the others on the individual tests, which ones are they?

 

[SteveEreef]

If your cycling you tank you really just need to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate to know when the tank is cycled. I prefer the saliferts Kits for these three.

 

[SteveEreef]

Bulk reef supply has videos on who make the best/ most accurate Ca, Alk, PO4, NO3. The videos are pretty good if you get a chance to watch. You’ll get different opinion but in general reefers seem to like Hanna for Alk and phosphates. I personally use Red Sea and Salifert for most tests. One note you should just use the tests for a year and then replace. The reagents go bad.

 

[SPR1968]

Take a look at the NYOS test kits, there accurate (against Triton tests) and very simple to use. The magnesium compared to the Red Sea, well there’s no comparison in accuracy and simplicity.

Ive tried many types and settled on:

Phosphate - Hanna low range checker
Alkalinity - Hanna
Calcium - NYOS
Magnesium - NYOS
Nitrate - NYOS

i don’t test for ammonia or nitrite anymore, other than in my new tank I did install a Seachem ammonia alert for the first few weeks as I cycled with ATM Colony on day 1 so fish went straight in.

Also remember all these kits are hobby grade, so you will get variations between them. Just pick the one you prefer and use that, assuming the readings are accurate as far as you can tell.

 

[OREGONIC]

For me I prefer.
Alk - Hanna
Cal - Red Sea
Mag - Salifet
Nitrate - Salifert
Phosphate - Hanna

The accuracy of the test is not as important as looking for consistency. Honestly if one of my kits is 10 or 20 percent off from the actual value I wouldn’t care as long as I am consistently testing and getting the same result. Stability is the most important thing. Hanna for testing alk is super easy and by far what you will need to test the most. You don’t really need to be testing for much when cycling just ammonia and nitrates but it is a good time to get testing down. Even testing requires you do it consistently the same way everytime.