Nano Reef Test Kits?

[jhutto]

Was wondering what is the best type of test kit(s) to get for my Nano. Have been taking the water back to marine store for testing but want to do on my own. Read in the catalogs and lots of opinions. SeaChem? and others. Recommendation? I have some corals and will have 2-3 small fish. Its a 12 gallon open top Nano.
Joe

 

[dorian965]

i know lots of people who use salifert and are very happy with them but they are a little pricy.im using red sea multi kit and tropic marin calcium/magnesium test.

 

[mojo]

Go with Salifert. They're not that much more expensive than the rest of them, but much eaiser to read and control.

 

[wildemon]

With a Nano, the small water volume makes it difficult to regulate the salinity. A refractometer makes that task much easier. The typical nitrate test is not used after initial setup and usually too coarse to be useful later. Calcium and Magnesium are useful with corals but most important when adding supplements. Iodine is needed with soft corals. Really the test kit needed most is for those items you regularly add. Salifert is worth the cost. Cheap multi-test kits are not.

In fact many established aquarists claim they " just look at the tank" to tell what is out of balance. I would not trust myself to be that observant.