Test kits
- Thread starter frankin09
- Start date
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NowGlazeIT
Happy to help, Ask away.
I like to use
-Magnesium by Aquaforest
-Alkalinity by Hanna
-Calcium by Salifert
-Nitrate by Hanna
-Salinity by Milwaukee
-Phosphates by Hanna
-Magnesium by Aquaforest
-Alkalinity by Hanna
-Calcium by Salifert
-Nitrate by Hanna
-Salinity by Milwaukee
-Phosphates by Hanna
OP
OP
frankin09
Active Member
Would you recommend to get each separately or a master kit?
NowGlazeIT
Happy to help, Ask away.
Sometimes Hanna has a kit of some of these. I ended up getting them one or two at a time, as I could afford them.
gbroadbridge
2500 Club Member
They're all good, the important thing is consistency when it come down to your method.
if you have a shoddy approach, expect shoddy results
jt8791
Active Member
I think I’m upgrading from api to Red Sea kits today since it’s what my lfs carries , have been tempted to jump right to Hanna checkers but prefer to stick to one brand of tests for everything. They made the hr nitrate, even have one for copper, only thing making me hesitant is they don’t have one for magnesium.
Plus I figure I can get all the Red Sea tests for a fraction of the cost of all the different Hanna checkers. I imagine there would be a market for it though, especially if you already have all the other checkers.
Plus I figure I can get all the Red Sea tests for a fraction of the cost of all the different Hanna checkers. I imagine there would be a market for it though, especially if you already have all the other checkers.
> Hanna checkers for:
- calcium (not as hard as some say, actually really quick, easy and consistent - just do it correctly)
- dkh alkalinity
- ULR phosphorous
- HR & LR nitrate
- silicates
- copper
> Aquaforest for magnesium
> Salifert for potassium
> Tropic Marin hydrometer (high precision) & Milwaukee (quick & dirty) for salinity (Also Apex for general constant monitoring)
> Apex and Red Sea for PH
I also keep Red Sea and Tropic Marin titration kits as back ups for all the Hanna checkers (except silicates & copper).
I also use adjustable lab type syringes from SWA to measure water & reagents (where applicable). These make testing soooo easy and consistent!
- calcium (not as hard as some say, actually really quick, easy and consistent - just do it correctly)
- dkh alkalinity
- ULR phosphorous
- HR & LR nitrate
- silicates
- copper
> Aquaforest for magnesium
> Salifert for potassium
> Tropic Marin hydrometer (high precision) & Milwaukee (quick & dirty) for salinity (Also Apex for general constant monitoring)
> Apex and Red Sea for PH
I also keep Red Sea and Tropic Marin titration kits as back ups for all the Hanna checkers (except silicates & copper).
I also use adjustable lab type syringes from SWA to measure water & reagents (where applicable). These make testing soooo easy and consistent!
Timfish
Crusty Old Salt
I'd recommend actually trying different brands and see what you find the easiest to use.
I like API for pH, Alk and Calcium
Red Sea for low range nitrate and magnesium
Nyos for PO4 and high range nitrate
Elos for PO4
I got a Hanna Alkalinity and tested a sampole of water with it and with a friends tester. Using both reagents in both testers withthe same sample of water I got 4 results with a .9 dKH difference between the highest and lowest, obviously I wasn't impressed.
I like API for pH, Alk and Calcium
Red Sea for low range nitrate and magnesium
Nyos for PO4 and high range nitrate
Elos for PO4
I got a Hanna Alkalinity and tested a sampole of water with it and with a friends tester. Using both reagents in both testers withthe same sample of water I got 4 results with a .9 dKH difference between the highest and lowest, obviously I wasn't impressed.
Now that, is a loaded question!
Quietman
2500 Club Member
Not sure it matters much on accuracy/consistency once you're above API and test strips. It's more for me on what's easiest to read, best value, ease of use and speed.
For me:
AF for Mag
Tropic Marin for PO4 (all liquid reagents and 4 min to read) - NYOS is second.
NYOS for NO3 - like the yellow and 5 min read
Hanna for Alk (dead easy...can't justify Hanna cost/complexity for other parameters)
Calcium - Salifert
pH is electronic meter (APEX but have Pinpoint backup)
The one thing that really made a difference for me was buying a stirrer for the titration (Mag/Calc). Best $30 I've spent. Really improved my repeatability and I think accuracy in reading color change.
For me:
AF for Mag
Tropic Marin for PO4 (all liquid reagents and 4 min to read) - NYOS is second.
NYOS for NO3 - like the yellow and 5 min read
Hanna for Alk (dead easy...can't justify Hanna cost/complexity for other parameters)
Calcium - Salifert
pH is electronic meter (APEX but have Pinpoint backup)
The one thing that really made a difference for me was buying a stirrer for the titration (Mag/Calc). Best $30 I've spent. Really improved my repeatability and I think accuracy in reading color change.
Hooz
Valuable Member
I use Hanna for phosphate, alkalinity, nitrate (HR) and calcium. Also have a Hanna salinity checker.
I'd like to find a good magnesium test but, after a tank is cycled, that's all I really test for.
I'd like to find a good magnesium test but, after a tank is cycled, that's all I really test for.
PatW
2500 Club Member
For any test you are thinking of getting, I would recommend watching some You Tube videos on it. These can usually give you a good idea of how the test is done and also if your color discrimination can find the end point (on end point type tests).
Also, Bulk Reef Supply has some very good reviews of tests in various categories like ALK, Ca, Mg and so on on You Tube. Those are good to check out.
Salifert tests are often a very good for being relatively cheap and pretty reliable.
For my uses: ALK - Hanna, Red Sea Pro and Salifert. Hanna is generally the highest regarded but I find the results “wobble” as much as Red Sea Pro and Salifert. Salifert is the cheapest and for some reason reads almost a DKH point higher than the other two,
Ca - I use Red Sea Pro. I would guess that Salifert would be fine. Even API works OK here (and API usually is a bit too crude). Calcium is a test that things are OK if you are over say 380 and not into the stratosphere. So just about is fine.
Mg - This is a high value so even a reading that is 10% off will have a difference that is pretty big. I have not found a test that I really like for this. I use Salifert. It is not that critical because I find that water changes keep my Mg levels pretty constant even though I have fast growing SPS corals in my tank. I have to dose Ca and ALK.
Nitrates - most nitrate tests are kinda frustrating. They are based on shades of pink (At least for most tests), I use Red Sea Pro but Salifert works As do some others.
Phosphorous. - Only Hanna is sensitive enough to be meaningful. And their most sensitive test is Hanna ULR phosphorous. It is what I use.
Also, Bulk Reef Supply has some very good reviews of tests in various categories like ALK, Ca, Mg and so on on You Tube. Those are good to check out.
Salifert tests are often a very good for being relatively cheap and pretty reliable.
For my uses: ALK - Hanna, Red Sea Pro and Salifert. Hanna is generally the highest regarded but I find the results “wobble” as much as Red Sea Pro and Salifert. Salifert is the cheapest and for some reason reads almost a DKH point higher than the other two,
Ca - I use Red Sea Pro. I would guess that Salifert would be fine. Even API works OK here (and API usually is a bit too crude). Calcium is a test that things are OK if you are over say 380 and not into the stratosphere. So just about is fine.
Mg - This is a high value so even a reading that is 10% off will have a difference that is pretty big. I have not found a test that I really like for this. I use Salifert. It is not that critical because I find that water changes keep my Mg levels pretty constant even though I have fast growing SPS corals in my tank. I have to dose Ca and ALK.
Nitrates - most nitrate tests are kinda frustrating. They are based on shades of pink (At least for most tests), I use Red Sea Pro but Salifert works As do some others.
Phosphorous. - Only Hanna is sensitive enough to be meaningful. And their most sensitive test is Hanna ULR phosphorous. It is what I use.
jt8791
Active Member
I was using API, just picked up Red Sea kits and think I will go with Hanna checkers, hr nitrate and lr phosphate for now. Hopefully Hanna is simpler, seems like a bit of a process for Red Sea.
Yup I just ordered Hanna checkers and reagents, hr nitrate and lr phosphate. Plus neonitro, neophos and chaetogrow.
Yup I just ordered Hanna checkers and reagents, hr nitrate and lr phosphate. Plus neonitro, neophos and chaetogrow.
Last edited:
C. Eymann
2500 Club Member
Alk/ mag/ calcium- Salifert
PO⁴ - Hanna HI736 ULR phosphorus
Nitrate- Red sea pro for fine tuning on lower demand systems, but since we keep N high (20ppm) API actually works well for our application.
Full battery Fridays are a nice 4hr extravaganza!
PO⁴ - Hanna HI736 ULR phosphorus
Nitrate- Red sea pro for fine tuning on lower demand systems, but since we keep N high (20ppm) API actually works well for our application.
Full battery Fridays are a nice 4hr extravaganza!
