dzuckerm

Experienced Reefer
Location
Staten Island
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
This question is a quick and easy one....I'm just starting up my tank and need to buy all the basic tests kits. Not in the mood to mix and match...so which one of the "master kits" would u recommend getting (meaning, good test values and not extremely expensive)? Im gonna start with the basics for now (nitrogen, nitrates, nitirites, pH, alkalinity, calcium, phos, etc).
 

tomzpc

Advanced Reefer
Location
Pawling, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You'll find that Salifert kits are most recommended in this hobby. Unfortunately they don't sell a master kit, although I think that Marine Depot does package different kits with a small discount. They aren't cheap (what is in this hobby) but they're my first choice.
 

tomzpc

Advanced Reefer
Location
Pawling, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hagen has a master test kit (all in one) that is OK from my past experience with it. I like the Salifert kits better but you could get by with the Hagen kit at less than half the price.
 

fritz

OG of this here reef game
Location
Marine Park
Rating - 95.9%
47   2   0
I think that they Aquarium Pharm. master kit is fine for the big things (Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH) you can pick one up really cheap at the Brooklyn Aquarium Society meeting this Friday evening. www.brooklynaquariumsociety.com you should also pickup an Alk test and a Calcium test. Again with Alk and calcium (just like the prementioned tests) you don't need .00001 parts per million accuracy. Phosphate tests are worthless IMO they never give you a "true" reading anyway. I think it's better to assume that there are phosphates in your tank and take steps to get it out.

Sean at aquatic creations was running a sale on test kits also.
 

marrone

The All Powerful OZ
Staff member
Location
The Big City
Rating - 98.8%
80   1   0
Since your just starting your only going to need to test Ammonia, Nitrites, Ph and Nitrates until you tank is cycled. Only your tank is cycle you shouldn't need to test for Ammonia or Nitirites. When you start, or are ready to start, to put corals in the tank then start testing for Cal and Alk and closely look at your nitrates.

So you don't need to buy a master test kit right now as your just going to need the Ammonia, Nitrite, Ph and Nitrate kits. I wouldn't go crazy on these kits as most are acturite enough to tell you what you need. So look at the FasTest kits as they run pretty cheap. Once you start to test for Cal, Alk and Nitrates get a good kit like Salifert or SeaChem.
 

herman

Moderator
Location
Weehawken, NJ
Rating - 100%
10   0   0
Dude!! You will be spending a buttload of cash and your time on your tank. Why would you want to save money on something that is so important and comparatively super cheap? That just does not make any sense to me.

Testing your water with a quality kit ensures that yo have accurate results meaning accurate course of action to do any corrective measured if need be.

As far as test kits goes Salifert is the recommended brand in our hobby. Great kits for a descent price. For the phosphate kits I would go with a Merck quality kit such as Lamotte. Their kits are more accurate and sensitive and also pricier.
 

marrone

The All Powerful OZ
Staff member
Location
The Big City
Rating - 98.8%
80   1   0
The cheapier test kits that you need to test ammonia, nitrates, nitrite and Ph are good enough to do the testing in the beginning. The result are close enough so you don't need to go out and spend a lot of money on the more expensive test kits, reguardless if the price difference is relatively small.

This is a very expensive hobby, not to mention all the time that it involved, but they doesn't mean you need to go out and buy the most expensive item all the time. There are many items that work just as good as the more expensive item. And just because your spend a lot of money doens't mean your going to get better results.

You see a lot of people just throwing money around on all kinds of items and a lot of times it's just not needed. Unfortunily it's a very bad trend that the hobby has seemed to be moving towards.
 

dzuckerm

Experienced Reefer
Location
Staten Island
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Thanks for ur advice again everyone! I ended up ordering the seachem test kits for the basic test involved in cycling. Once im ready to add coral i will purchase salifert calcium, alk, etc tests.
 

Sean

Advanced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn
Rating - 100%
14   0   0
I still have a lot of test kits on sale 50% off sea chem and fast test

I also sell salifert and have all the kits from them except Alk. is sold out.
 

Sponsor Reefs

We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.

Click here to sponsor $10:


Top