Which test kits do you use?

[Frank@Wall]

For testing my water perimeters these are the test kits I use.

Phos...hanna checker
Cal...hanna checker
alk...hanna checker
Mag...Salifert
Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite...API

I would like to know which test kits are used by MR members. Are there once that you guys recommend over the ones I use and why? Any bad experiences with any? Etc... You guys get the point...

 

[Frank@Wall]

Wow...nobody testing?

 

[Boomer]

Phos...hanna checker . Good kit pretty accurate for the money
Cal...hanna checker. Not really up to par
alk...hanna checker. There have been many issues with this kit, especially it's accuracy. It reads way to high, about 15-20 % and I have not heard if the issue has been resolved.
Mag...Salifert. Good kit
Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite...API. Good enough, there are better.

I have been on the road traveling

 

[fishman1069]

I anawered this post the other day but i guess it got lost in limbo lol I was Api for pH and nitrates. I recently started using the Red Sea reef foundation pro kit for alk, calc, and mag and im liking the kits so far. Im looking into a hanna meter for phos. Which one do you have?

 

[Boomer]

Happened to me also fish.

 

[jgraz]

I've been using the Red Sea foundation kit for cal/alk/mag. Hanna for phos. I'm heading out tomorrow for the Red Sea colors test kit to give those a go.

 

[Boomer]

The new RS are really nice kits IMHO.

 

[Lostinthedark]

the new rs are really nice kits imho.

+1

 

[CHEMCHEF]

The only problem I find with the Red Sea kits are the syringes. They have these pointy tips on them that seem to hold about some air wich makes a full syringe plunger read at about 85 and that's ok because they explain it in the instructions.
The problem come when the sharp tip is no longer filled with air but fluid wich make a full syringe read at around 95 wich is really 105. 1.05 ml giving you false readings.
Every once in a while pull the tip off the syringe rinse it off and blow it out. (Just the colored/sharp tip)

 

[CHEMCHEF]

In other words, if the tip has air in it. With the plunger at 100 the fluid will be around 85.
With fluid in the tip. When the plunger is on 100 the fluid will sit around the 95 mark giving you a false reading.
I hope this makes sense.

 

[DRENALYN9]

I also use red sea. I like them

 

[garys reef]

salifert here

 

[Frank@Wall]

I have been on the road traveling

My friend brought over his red sea kit for Alk and we compared it with my Hanna checker. We tested twice and both times the Hanna gave us a reading of 7.92 and 7.94dkh and red sea gave us 8 and 8.1dkh. That's pretty close. I know Hanna had issues with the reagents when it was powder but they switched it to liquid. As for the calcium he ran out of it so we will test it when he gets the new set.

 

[adroc718]

I usually do a few tests and average the results. I've tried a bunch of different test kits and I find that almost all of them have there own issues. Because of all the inconsistencies I've developed test kit trust issues.

For Alk - Elos: quick and easy to do but consistantly @ 1dkh lower then others
Hanna: easy to do and generally consistent.
Red sea: also easy to do, and pretty consistent.

For Calcium - Elos: I usually just do test A, also pretty consistent
Red Sea: pretty good, easy to do and consistent
Hanna: stopped using it a while ago, very inconsistent the testing procedure
is very delicate and finicky. Way more trouble than its worth

For Mag - Red Sea: pretty good, easy to do and generally consistent. Test takes a little
time to do helps to have a stopwatch
Salifert: quicker than the Red Sea and seems consistent

For Nitrate- Salifert: it's ok, I don't really like any of the color comparing type tests.
Elos: also ok ... again the color comparing charts suck

For Phos- Hanna checker : its very good works well

 

[Boomer]

Ok, thanks for the update Frank.

 

[46nBliss]

Partial rant and question here..

When you guys test alk with the new red sea pro test kit, when do you finally reach your end point color? is it when the color first shift from light blue to light orange or do you keep adding till darker color orange same as the color of the regeant in the bottle batch 402?

I have googled/binged forum searched this and several ppl have had the same problem as to when to stop adding reagent to calculate how much you have used. (rant here)My mind was numb with all the answers i have found, from ppl giving up, calling rs to get new reagent and hearing news of bad batches, to you added to much if it turns orange, it should turn pink. a guy saying it should reach the end color on the instruction card well the color on the card i have is red! there is no way i would get even close even if i added the whole bottle lol.

i finally got a little clarity when i hit this aussie reef site and the guy explained they changed their reagent color, so the post on YouTube from rs end color is different then the newer kits. i just want to get a local point of view with the experts here. thanks.

Another thing too why did they only add a 10ml syring with RS NITRATE test kit when you have to put 16ml in the test vile? that means i have to take 4 measurement for 1 test if i do a low range test! this is a joke to me more or less. im looking at the syringe and im like certainly they could have added six lines on top of the 10ml so ppl do not have to stick the stupid syringe in there tank 4 times.. i need good awnsers or im going back to salifert and hanna

 

[lnevo]

What i do is collect some tank water in a plastic cup and measure with the syringe from there. Not usually a big deal.

As for the color...i don't worry about the color per se. Once it changes and is solid its done. Theres an intermediate color thats clearly half/half when it starts to change, but once you get the solid color your done.

 

[Greagzter]

Using Red Sea for Alk, Cal, Mag and Nitrate. Hanna for Phosphates.
Used my friends Elos for Alk, Mag and Cal, kind of confusing when not done on regular basis. Did a comparison with RS nitrate and API, it's is actually pretty accurate when done properly by following written directions (most don't).
Have read that Hanna checker for Alk is more or less accurate and Cal requires you to use distilled water to get an accurate reading, regular RO will not cut it.

 

[Geraud]

Salifert for Ca, KH, Mg since it is so much easier to read a value on a dropper rather than counting drops (my biggest problem with Elos, which I was using for Mg).

Hanna checker for phosphates.

 

[Boomer]

When you guys test alk with the new red sea pro test kit, when do you finally reach your end point color? is it when the color first shift from light blue to light orange or do you keep adding till darker color orange same as the color of the regeant in the bottle batch 402?

EP is when the color changes period. You do not add more or make it darker.