Best Reef test kits?

[wrxcrazy03]

I am looking to buy a new test kit. And just wanted to get everyone's thougts on witch test kit you are using or witch test kit you think is best for reef keeping....
Thanks in advance.

 

[gregoryleonard]

Phos - Hanna Checker (Green egg shaped)
Alkalinity - Hanna Checker (Blue egg shaped)
Calcium - Seachem titration test
Nitrate (low range) - Red sea pro
Magnesium - Red Sea Pro Titration

These are what I use and have come to rely on. IMHO they are easy to use and fairly accurate for ensuring I can keep SPS and have accurate raedings for critical levels.

 

[1mbrews8]

the hanna's are great. Salifert's too

 

[ralph atl]

Phosphate-Hach, DD Merck, or the New Elos Professional Low Range Phosphate Kit (not the other one), The Low Range Hanna might be OK, too!
Alkalinity - Elos
Calcium - Elos or Salifert
Nitrate (low range) - Tropic Marin
Magnesium - Elos

FWIW, I have used and tested API, Hach, Tropic Marin, Salifert, IO, Red Sea, Seachem, and a few others.....Hach and DD Merck were the only ones that measured phates in the low range identically, every time.

 

[superclown]

I have not used but a few Seachem, read sea pro and Elos

The Elos seem to be the best in my opinion simply because they are straight foward easy to use and not hard to recreate exact test over and over for a control.

Not sure if that makes them the best or the most accurate but I don't want a test kit that is so complicated i have to re read the instructions every time i use them do math formulas and feel like im cramming for a trig exeam just to get a reading.

 

[racinrevo0818]

Red Sea pro for alk, cal, and mag. I've used salifert to compare and are always very close. Price for kit with all three is like $40. Can't beat that!

 

[jswizzle]

Get on mrsaltwatertank.com he gives u a list of the test kits he uses. I think most are salifert for some and he uses the Hanna checker for phosphates. Just depends on what ur checking.

 

[rdnelson]

I have only tried a few so far. API, Elos, Red Sea. Elos are good and not hard but I hate that you can't buy refills without getting everything. Currently using Red Sea for Cal. All. and Mag. The mag doesn't seem to be accurate at all. I get right at 1400 with Elos and with Red Sea it is off the chart (the chart ends at 1600)

 

[nassar0505]

Likewise with the redsea mag kit. Mine is always off the charts. ^^

 

[silver surfer]

Elso and Hanna

 

[reef coffee & curly hair]

Seachem test kits aren't bad. Easy to use and results are always within reason. No off charts issues so far.

I've used red sea's pro kit as well and my mag always shifted a little high. 100 ppm higher than seachem.

 

[ripped tide]

If you guys are getting inconsistent tests with the Red Sea test(I haven't used it) have you tried contacting Red Sea?

 

[rdnelson]

Ripped Tide;810954 wrote: If you guys are getting inconsistent tests with the Red Sea test(I haven't used it) have you tried contacting Red Sea?

Not yet but I am going to.

 

[hiimsean]

i just ordered red sea ca/mg/alk and hanna po4 checker

 

[acroholic]

I use Salifert for KH, and Elos for mag and calcium.

Had the same trouble with Red Sea months ago regarding magnesium. Read 1600 all the time.

 

[sleepyreef]

I use Red Sea for mag and it almost always reads 1600. I'm sensing a pattern here.