Test kits

[Duffer]

First off:
Welcome to Reef 2 Reef!!

These are the kits that I use:
Cal = API or Salifert
Alk = Hanna Alk Checker (API will get the job done too)
Mag = Salifert
Nitrates = Salifert
Phosphates = Hanna ULR Checker, but maybe switching to Elos in the future

This is exactly what I use..no problems

 

[Gareth elliott]

First off:
Welcome to Reef 2 Reef!!

These are the kits that I use:
Cal = API or Salifert
Alk = Hanna Alk Checker (API will get the job done too)
Mag = Salifert
Nitrates = Salifert
Phosphates = Hanna ULR Checker, but maybe switching to Elos in the future

Also use the same except
Nitrate - red sea. I find this salifert test too hard to read at lower concentrations.

 

[Captain Quint]

So I think I am going to go with Red Sea looks like it comes with everything I need

Great choice. You won't regret it. BTW, what part of Japan? I was stationed on Okinawa back in the mid 70's and had a place right by the seawall. I collected and had a local tank while there.

Now they have some awesome LFS' there from what I have heard and seen pics of.

 

[Bobothegreat]

I am currently in Yokosuka. Only been here for a couple months so still getting settled.

 

[GoVols]

Also use the same except
Nitrate - red sea. I find this salifert test too hard to read at lower concentrations.

The Salifert is easy at low readings.
You hold the card up and look thru the vial sideways against the card, if it's color comes in at 50ppm them it's really 5ppm
So, the side ways check comes to 10 times more than readings of looking straight down in the vial.

I've been getting off batches of the ULR checker powder :mad: and others have reported the same. One member that I trust says it's hard to beat the Elos phos. kit, so I may try that one.

If you like the Red Sea nitrate, I'd stick with it and thanks for your input.

 

[GoVols]

I dropped the Red Sea Pro mag kit long ago.

It is notorious for giving false high readings and has bitten me twice.


Plus it takes forever... to time out 30 second in-between each drop ;Sour

 

[User1]

Great choice. You won't regret it. BTW, what part of Japan? I was stationed on Okinawa back in the mid 70's and had a place right by the seawall. I collected and had a local tank while there.

Now they have some awesome LFS' there from what I have heard and seen pics of.

'85 - '89 @ Kadena AB (44th AMU (F15's)). We lived off base the whole time - best thing ever with only American(s) near us was a F15 pilot who flew in the 67th in which we became good friends. Okinawa city. We would travel that island every weekend North to South and East to West. Beautiful people and island. What you know today vs. a newly married 19 year old couple is night and day difference. While we enjoyed it I am pretty sure we both didn't fully understand at that age. But I still have fond memories of that place to this date - minus my non stop TDY's which made life difficult.

Edit: Sorry - I was a bit off topic there. I use Hanna for phosphate and Red Sea kit for the others. They seem to work ok but then again I usually don't test outside of cycling new tanks (which is what I started in February). So the Red Sea worked well for what I wanted.

Thanks to the rep at Elos - have not seen those before. At first I was a bit taken back by the cost of each unit but if you do the math it isn't too bad for cost per test. Would be interesting if you packaged or grouped a kit around the more common dosing elements or the 2, 3, or 4 parts.