Testing for lps and softie tank

[Cbones1979]

Moving forward with my reef by adding some lps corals. Currently test weekly for ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and salinity (probably salinity 2-3 times for top offs). I believe I should be ready to test for calcium and phosphates?

currently use api test kit. Will api reef test kit suffice?

 

[ianryd]

API kit should be good enough. Their phosphate test is hard to read and not good for ultra low range, but good enough to show if you have WAY too much PO4. I would use the others up then upgrade when they're empty. If your tank is cycled you probably don't need to test for ammonia or nitrites anymore.

 

[Cbones1979]

API kit should be good enough. Their phosphate test is hard to read and not good for ultra low range, but good enough to show if you have WAY too much PO4. I would use the others up then upgrade when they're empty. If your tank is cycled you probably don't need to test for ammonia or nitrites anymore.

Upgrade to which test kit

I’d imagine a dead on nitrate tester is worth the $

 

[ianryd]

Upgrade to which test kit

I’d imagine a dead on nitrate tester is worth the $

Here's what I use;
Salifert-NO3, Mag, PH
Hanna-PO4, Alk
Red Sea-Cal, I also have an ultra low Nitrate test from Red Sea. It's really accurate, but it takes a long time to test and none of my tanks have ultra low nitrates (<1 ppm)

I don't really test for anything else, and I still use API as a backup if I run out of one. If you search "test kit shootout" on R2R there's some good threads

 

[fish farmer]

I use mostly Salifert, but I have a Hanna low range for phosphate. I test pH, Ca, Alk, Phos and Nitrates weekly and was doing Mag for a while, but that seems to be holding where I want it. I could probably not test the pH either, seems to stay the same.