mini test kit comparison Elos, Seachem, etc

[ralph atl]

Billybeau did a mini test kit comparison

CALCIUM

Elos 400 ppm
LaMotte 400 ppm
API 400 ppm
Salifert 415 ppm
Seachem 340 ppm (we've been down this road before) :boo: :boo: :boo:

ALKALINITY

Elos 10 dkh
LaMotte 7.8 dkh don't know whats up wit that:boo:
API 10 dkh
Old Salifert (with indicator) 10.6 dkh
New Salifert (without) 11 dkh
Seachem 9.8 dkh:boo:

MAGNESIUM

Elos 1350 ppm
Salifert 1350 ppm
Seachem 1060 ppm :boo:

 

[tnyga]

great info ty

 

[ralph atl]

When using the API 4.5 ml mark provided, the test kit is accurate.

The problem with using say, Saliferts 5 ml syringe is the five ml mark accounts for the air bubble one gets when drawing in the sample water.

If you take a dry syringe and draw to the 5 ml mark, there is an air bubble at the top. This I believe is 5 ml. If you draw once, exhaust and draw again, you will not have an air bubble, because you did not exhaust the water in the tip. This is slightly more then 5 ml.

When using Saliferts, you should not exhaust and draw again. The first draw with the air bubble on top is probably going to give you the most accurate results and be closer to 5 ml.

 

[ralph atl]

so, it really looks like SEACHEM really sucks on test kits!

 

[darren24]

Was not familiar with Elos but looked and they are $. Would like to see Instant Ocean in there. I compared an IO Calcium test to a Salifert for Calcium and they were only 10 apart. (400 vs 390).

 

[ralph atl]

Elos is a premium "hobby" kit.

 

[FutureInterest]

Very interesting. Who's Billybeau?

 

[enderg60]

got any info on phosphate and nitrate kits?

 

[ralph atl]

in order to measure low range phosphate you'll need either DD Merck, HACH, or colormeter.

Low range nitrates are a little "iffy" too, but if you are measuring 0 with Salifert, that would be close enough.

here's another "independent" tester. This guy, I don't know.

 

[donnyholland]

nice info, We have had good success with the Tropic Marin kits as well...


/donny

 

[skriz]

Nice!

I've had consistent results with Sera tests. I wonder how they stack up to the others.

 

[ralph atl]

thanks!

 

[liverock27]

What do you think of the API tests for pH and Alk?

 

[ralph atl]

API Alk & Ph seem very accurate to me (and to most posts) I use API Alk myself. That's the only API test kit I use, however.

 

[cameron]

mysterybox;129375 wrote: Billybeau did a mini test kit comparison

CALCIUM

Elos 400 ppm
LaMotte 400 ppm
API 400 ppm
Salifert 415 ppm
Seachem 340 ppm (we've been down this road before) :boo: :boo: :boo:

ALKALINITY

Elos 10 dkh
LaMotte 7.8 dkh don't know whats up wit that:boo:
API 10 dkh
Old Salifert (with indicator) 10.6 dkh
New Salifert (without) 11 dkh
Seachem 9.8 dkh:boo:

MAGNESIUM

Elos 1350 ppm
Salifert 1350 ppm
Seachem 1060 ppm :boo:

Did he double that Elos Mag test? Its resolution is 100ppm which means getting 1350ppm is a somewhat interesting result. How is this guy and did he test a reference on each or a single set of water? Did he do multiple tests with the same kit?

 

[ralph atl]

"Since the advent of the new Elos brand that is on the market, I decided to test this new brand against a number of other brand test kits I have on hand.

I tested my tank water which is currently at 1.0264, 8.04 pH and 79 deg

For calcium and magnesium, I used the double sample test to try and get a finer end result. The standard calcium test measures in 25 ppm increments but can be dropped to 12.5 per drop by doubling the water sample. The Mag kit measures in 100 ppm increments but can be dropped to 50 by doubling the water sample.

Of course this uses more reagent but I wanted to check the accuracy against other kits. " Billybeau

 

[cameron]

Makes more sense. I think Elos is lowering the resolution and I think that caused some kits to go out with the 100 res instructions instead of the 75.

 

[cameron]

Oh and I think 25 on calcium is good enough for me. 100 or 75 on mG seems low but workable espeically since they can be doubled.