Test Kits

[Damion123]

Hello all. Any suggestions on which test kit I should get for my first tank. I would eventually want a mixed reef, so alk and Calcium testing will be in my future. But what I do I need to get started. Do need to ammonia, nitrate, nitrite? Anything else?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Hanna Phosphate and all are the top must!

 

[W1ngz]

Here's what I'd suggest, and the order I would suggest you get them to smooth out the learning curve.

Start with Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate from Salifert. You'll need these as you set up your tank to make sure the water quality is suitable. You should be fine for the first 2 or 3 months like that.

Next, get a refractometer with calibration fluid to make sure your salinity is accurate.

Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium will come next, but not until you start considering adding corals. For soft corals, weekly water changes will be fine to keep things more or less stable, and you can get comfortable with the testing.

When you start to consider stony corals, get yourself a low range phosphate from Hanna, and consider moving up from the liquid test kits to a Hanna for Alkalinity as well.

 

[phatduckk]

I like

• Hannah for Alk
• Hannah Phos
• Nyos for Nitrate
• Red Sea for CA
• Red Sea for Ammonia
• Whatever for nitrite

Just based off my experience balancing ease of use & accuracy

 

[PatW]

Bulk Reef Supply has a series of you tube videos on the major test kits for ALK, Ca and Mg. They are quite detailed and well worth watching. If you are considering getting a test kit, it is often a good idea to find a you tube video. You will get an idea of how the test is performed. Also you will get an idea if you will find the test useful. Some people have a really hard time discerning the shades of color or the end point of a test.

Here are my picks:
ALK: Hanna is really nice, gives a numeric result and often is very repeatable. But the upfront price is high. The reagent refill gives is not bad. For less expensive options. I like Red Sea Pro and Salifert is good and is the least expensive.

Calcium: Here Hanna is not so good. Red Sea Pro and Salifert are both good.

Magnesium: I keep SPS corals and dose both ALK and Ca. But water changes keep my Mg stable. So once every month or two, I will test Mg. Red Sea Pro drives me crazy so I use Salifert.

Nitrate - I use Red Sea Pro but Salifert is pretty similar.

Ammonia - for quarantine tanks I use an ammonia badge. I tested this when I cycled and haven’t done it since. Red Sea or Salifert.

Nitrite - I only tested when I cycled and haven’t tested since. Red Sea or Salifert.

Phosphate - Hanna ULR is the only test kit that has the sensitivity to be useful IMO. The ULR phosphorous is about twice as sensitive as the ULR phosphate. I have acropora corals so I use the phosphorous.

 

[JoshO]

I've just started up another set up and I've been using:
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
PH
Salinity

I've been using salifert for them all, I use a red sea refractometer for salinity

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

API is garbage and the ammonia test is fairly useless
Hanna for phosphates (ULR or phosphorous) and Alk
The others will be personal preference but I use red sea for ammonia/nitrate and Salifert for Cal, Mg