Water Quality Test Kits

[porpoiseaquatics]

I know there are a lot of people in this club that have been at this for years so I'm going to pose a question about testing kits. For years, I never did my own....I let my store do it for me. Seemed like a bit of a hassle to me but it gave me an excuse to shop while I waited.

In your experience.....what test kit or kits are the best. I've seen many and names I recognize but some have pretty hefty price tags (and I know price shouldn't be a deciding factor in protecting our investments). Some have liquid regeants while others have powder.

Thoughts? Preferences?

 

[ricksconnected]

im switching slowly over to seachem.

 

[ichthyoid]

porpoiseaquatics;406806 wrote: I know there are a lot of people in this club that have been at this for years so I'm going to pose a question about testing kits. For years, I never did my own....I let my store do it for me. Seemed like a bit of a hassle to me but it gave me an excuse to shop while I waited.

In your experience.....what test kit or kits are the best. I've seen many and names I recognize but some have pretty hefty price tags (and I know price shouldn't be a deciding factor in protecting our investments). Some have liquid regeants while others have powder.

Thoughts? Preferences?

You want 'the best', I would go with Hach. It's what my teachers/professors always used, and I used whenever I needed to test water parameters when I worked in research. They are pricey but flawless when used correctly (IMO). They are NOT cheap. If you want a good hobbyist grade the Seachem's seem to have a good reutation. I have used a variety of brands for over 35 years and never found the 'test' to be the difference, except while cycling a tank of course. There were always other things, like disease, that made a bigger difference. After a while I have always felt you can tell almost as much by observation as testing, once you know what to look for. Just my opinion.

 

[loudog42362]

Just want to chime in and ask is there a company that has a kit with all the tests you need or a lfs that has a package deal without having to buy 20 different ones and yes some stores are very very different in prices for single tests. Very curious to see what is the best route to go?

 

[jennm]

Define, "all tests"?

For example, Seachem makes several bundled kits:

Marine Basic: Ammonia, pH, Alkalinity, Nitrite, Nitrate. I'm not a fan of the ammonia test per se, but once a tank is cycled, one shouldn't really need to test for that anyway.

Reef Special: Phosphate, Silicate, Iodide

They also make kits that come usually in groups of 2:

pH/Alk together

Nitrite/Nitrate together

Phosphate is sold on its own.

Copper on its own

Then they have the "Reef Status" tests:

Calcium on its own

Strontium on its own

Magnesium which also comes with Carbonate and Borate Alkalinity.

I believe Red Sea makes a bundled kit too for "Marine" and one for "Reef" but it's been a while since I carried those so I'm not sure what all comes with.

I am not a fan of API brand kits (others disagree with me on this, but to each his/her own). They make a few versions and a few individual kits too.

Jenn

 

[oil_fan]

API is ok on some of their test kits. Ammonia and nitrite kits work fine. Nitrate also works as long as you beat that second solution properly. Their pH is totally useless. Calcium isn't very accurate, IMO.

The way I view API, it's a decent way to start out when you have a new tank and good way to get people to start testing their own water. But I also do believe that as you get more involved in this hobby and then as $$$ allow, upgrade your test kits to more accurate brands.

 

[coolsurf]

I'm pretty much with the belief, "you get what you pay for". I've done some side by side testing with API and Seachem and have seen some real differences. I believe jenn did some testing as well but that's another thread. Personally, I would choose Seachem but that is my opinion only. It cost a bit more but I think the tank is worth it and I don't want to take any chances.

Something to think about.....What happens when your LFS is closed and a problem starts happening in your tank? You'll need the test in order to help identify the problem. Waiting til the store opens could prove fatal to the entire tank....! :shades:

 

[ricksconnected]

ive tested with a sponsor here on my own waters. i have/had API.
my numbers were much higher than the sponsors numbers, who was using seachem. took water sample to yet another LFS that i visited that day. 3 different tests, and only two matched up. API was way off from the other two. as my API runs out, im replacing with seachem.

 

[drnecropolis]

I use API for basic stuff.. Well nitrite that's it.. The api nitrate is worthless, should have any ammonia so the API will work for that given you won't need to test that much, have a pH probe but double check it against a api just for double check.. When it comes to anything other than those few things I use Salifert kits.. One thing I laugh about is how much money people have spent on fish and equipment and all the time but want to skimp out when it comes to something as important as test kits.. LoL