test kits?

[fishgardener]

Any recommendations on resonable but accurate test kits for basic water testing like nitrates, ph,
I was told at a LFS that the one I have is noy any good, that it's chemicalsgo bad quickly. Like in 8 or 9 months. The one I have is made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals and uses glass test tubes:confused2:

 

[ralph atl]

sorry for what I'm about to say in advance, but "my god" you are a teacher!

 

[ralph atl]

now that I "cleared the air". Here is some advice............Test kits are only going to give you a range of parems. They are not laboratory grade (most), so for 15 bucks, you get a 15 dollar test kit. That said....I have found in my humble opinion

Calcium: API, Salifert, or Elos
PH: Salifert, Elos
Alk: API
Nitrates: Salifert
Ammonia: Salifert
Mag: Salifert or Elos
Phosphate: DD Merk, Hach, or Hanna Color meter

 

[james s_]

Salifert make good kits. I use SeaChem on my tanks. Here is a link to the top Test Kits Available.....

 

[fishgardener]

I'm sorry for the typos, but I've been up since 5am this morning. I hit the submit button without really looking at what I had typed. Thanks for the advice. Is Seachem anygood? The LFS recommended it.

 

[ralph atl]

46bfinga;121674 wrote: Salifert make good kits. I use SeaChem on my tanks. Here is a link to the top Test Kits Available.....
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/toppicks/tp/tptestkits.htm">Top Aquarium Water [B]Test Kits[/B]</a>[/B][/QUOTE]



I don't remember using them, but hey....He uses them, so why not? I thought I had everything figured out with Salifert, turns out API is more accurate with ALK than they are & 1/2 the price. Go for it.

 

[ralph atl]

fishgardener;121680 wrote: I'm sorry for the typos, but I've been up since 5am this morning. I hit the submit button without really looking at what I had typed. Thanks for the advice. Is Seachem anygood? The LFS recommended it.

no aplogy neadded!
lol!

 

[ralph atl]

just teasin'

 

[roland jacques]

mysterybox;121673 wrote: now that I "cleared the air". Here is some advice............Test kits are only going to give you a range of parems. They are not laboratory grade (most), so for 15 bucks, you get a 15 dollar test kit. That said....I have found in my humble opinion


Phosphate: DD Merk, Hach, or Hanna Color meter

so much for $15 test kits, (not for Phosphates?)

Ive never seen DD Merk test kit where do you find them? really is thier no Phosphate test kit you like under $40?

 

[james s_]

I would be carefull making many decisions from what you hear at a LFS. Most of the time they recommend a brand they can sell you. But in this case you would be fine with the Seachem brand. They seemed to be reliable,but it is kind of hard to tell without having another test to compare your results with. They can be a bit tricky to get right,I normally tested things twice just to make sure that it was accurate.

 

[ralph atl]

Test kits will only test in a "range". Some test kits are more sensitive than others and can go much lower in detection. For example: my ammonia in my tank is at 0.013. Does anyone need to know that? No. Ammonia is present in minute quantities in almost everyones tank, but it isn't necessary because once it is below a certain range, it doesn't matter. However, with phosphates it does matter. In a reef tank, it clearly matters if your phosphates are at 0.03 or 0.04. The only kits capable of detecting that low under $100.00 bucks are DD Merck, Elos, or HACH.


http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</a>

[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</a>



marine depot carries it & also:


[IMG]http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ROWA-728621&Category_Code=Merck">http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ROWA-728621&Category_Code=Merck</a>

[IMG]http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~merck~action~view~idProduct~RW3111~idCategory~FITKPT~category~D_D_ROWA_Merck_Phosphate_Test_Kit_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Test_Kits_Phosphate_Kits~vendor~.html">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~merck~action~view~idProduct~RW3111~idCategory~FITKPT~category~D_D_ROWA_Merck_Phosphate_Test_Kit_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Test_Kits_Phosphate_Kits~vendor~.html</a>

 

[ralph atl]

If I had a FOWLER tank, I would not be buying a 70 buck phosphate test kit, though.

 

[james s_]

mysterybox;121689 wrote: If I had a FOWLER tank, I would not be buying a 70 buck phosphate test kit, though.

I wouldnt buy a $70 dollar phosphate test on a reef tank either. But thats just me Of course I haven't tested the water on my tanks in over a year.

 

[roland jacques]

phosphate tests

Elos $28 = 166 tests
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~EO4115~idCategory~FITKPT~category~Elos_Aqua_Test_Kit___Phosphate_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Test_Kits_Phosphate_Kits~vendor~.html">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~EO4115~idCategory~FITKPT~category~Elos_Aqua_Test_Kit___Phosphate_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Test_Kits_Phosphate_Kits~vendor~.html</a>
Merck $63 = 100 tests
[IMG]http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ROWA-728621&Category_Code=Merck">http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ROWA-728621&Category_Code=Merck</a>
Hach $78 = 100 tests

[IMG]http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/22681/cid/4476">http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/22681/cid/4476</a>

Which is easiest to read? ( my eyes aren't that graet anymore)

 

[ralph atl]

I prefer the merck, but I would try the Elos for $28.00 bucks. same method according to jessy sira of Elos USA. I gave the HACH test to Jessyzm for free in a deal that I had with him after I confirmed that my merck was spot on.

 

[soarin']

mysterybox;121688 wrote: In a reef tank, it clearly matters if your phosphates are at 0.03 or 0.04.

I am still pretty new at this -- I know phosphates are bad, but why does it matter so much if you can tell that you are at .03 or .94 phosphates?

I was under the impression that the numbers that mattered are "none", "I may see some algae soon", and "oh my god I better do something about this".

I know that you may have zero phophates in the water column while it's all being sequestered in the sand and live rock, making the smaller differences in phosphate levels more important, but I am still learning about all this -- just got my first phosphate kit yesterday (the $15 kit mentioned above)

 

[kwl1763]

46bfinga;121674 wrote: Salifert make good kits. I use SeaChem on my tanks. Here is a link to the top Test Kits Available.....
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/toppicks/tp/tptestkits.htm">Top Aquarium Water [B]Test Kits[/B]</a>[/B][/QUOTE]

The people at this site are obviously not "experts" though.


#1 HOB skimmer = CPR Backpack
#1 In Sump - Turbofloater

...

Elos, Tropic Marin, others is not even on the list of test kits, etc.

I'm pretty much all elos now een though I did buy a Tropic Marin Calcium/MG kit and it seems to be qute good and a really good price!

 

[ralph atl]

Please read these articles for some understanding on phosphates:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</a>

[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</a>

 

[cameron]

Salifert across the board for me (although I haven't used the new Salifert Alk kit which supposedly isn't as good as the old). I like Seachem tests as well, but some are a bit involved moreso than the Salifert kits. I do keep a bank of Seachem tests as reference though. When a param goes out of whack, I want to kits and two processes telling me the same thing.

 

[james s_]

kwl1763;121767 wrote: The people at this site are obviously not "experts" though.


#1 HOB skimmer = CPR Backpack
#1 In Sump - Turbofloater

...

Elos, Tropic Marin, others is not even on the list of test kits, etc.

I'm pretty much all elos now een though I did buy a Tropic Marin Calcium/MG kit and it seems to be qute good and a really good price!

I found that on a Quick Google search did not even read thru it. Who in their right mind would think that a CPR Backpack is the #1 HOB skimmer? It may be the #1 selling HOB skimmer,but it is probably also the #1 throw away skimmer as well.