Opinions on test kits

[Sky's Reef]

I've recently got a new 60 gal cube and I'm going to be attempting sps in the future after I do some research. Because water quality is so important I'm going to up my game and buy new test kits. I was interested in the Hanna colormeter series but an open to opinions. Also would like to know what kits I should have.

Thanks in advance!

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[Sky's Reef]

What do you use and why

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[SchnitzelReef]

Hannah for phosphates

Salifert for mag and Alk

API for nitrates and calcium.

That's all I test for.

 

[Sky's Reef]

How come you don't use Hanna for phosphate, mag and alk? Why the difference?

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[coral diver]

I use RedSea reef foundation and API for the rest

 

[Reefomeez]

Phosphates- Hanna
Alkalinity- Hanna
Calcium- Hanna
Nitrates- API
Nitrite- API
Ammonia- API
PH- Apex probe


A lot of people don't like the Hannas but I don't know why. I read about all of the complaints, talked to people on both sides and made my own decision. Not looking back...

And I don't really test for Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrates anymore since they had been at 0 for a year and a half at the point that I stopped.

 

[solitude127]

Hanna for CA, Alk, PO4
Salifert for NO3
Elos for Mg

Hopefully within the year, Thrive Aquatics will come out with their testing machine that should be available at your LFS. It test up to 15 (I think) different elements and only costs less than $5 (preliminary estimate) per test

 

[theweaz]

I'd definitely pay $5 to not have to deal with testing.. When are the Thrive Machines coming out?

 

[h0ndap0w3r]

phosphates - Hanna
Cal - Red sea
Alk - Red Sea
Mag - Red Sea

Ive used salifer for cal/alk/mag and liked each, red sea was a bit cheaper and from what i was told still as accurate... thinking of moving to hanna for cal/alk just waiting on tests kits to run out.

Nitrates - Salifer (dont tests any more)
Nirtites/ammonia - API (dont tests any more)

 

[Sky's Reef]

Hanna for CA, Alk, PO4
Salifert for NO3
Elos for Mg

Hopefully within the year, Thrive Aquatics will come out with their testing machine that should be available at your LFS. It test up to 15 (I think) different elements and only costs less than $5 (preliminary estimate) per test

I hear the unit is over 20k... Doesn't seem to cost effective for a LFS.

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[Sky's Reef]

Thanks for the replies. I hate comparing to color charts so I'm leaning towards the Hannas. I checked one out today at my LFS. Pretty sweet. I was told they're kind of fragile. Although they are more money up front the reagent refills are under ten bucks so it's cheaper than having to re-buy the kits in the long run. Also thought it was a bit difficult to get the reagent powder into the tube with out spilling. You'd have to buy a small funnel for each kit.

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[hookedonreef-er]

Calcium- Elos
Alk- Elos
Phosphates- Hanna
Mag- Salifert

 

[Justin]

Thanks for the replies. I hate comparing to color charts so I'm leaning towards the Hannas. I checked one out today at my LFS. Pretty sweet. I was told they're kind of fragile. Although they are more money up front the reagent refills are under ten bucks so it's cheaper than having to re-buy the kits in the long run. Also thought it was a bit difficult to get the reagent powder into the tube with out spilling. You'd have to buy a small funnel for each kit.

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I use Hanna ULR for phosphorous, Salifert for alk, cal, mag, and nitrate. There's no color chart for Salifert's alk, cal, and mag test.

Reagent refills for Hanna Calcium are $21 for 25 test. I don't think that's gonna be cheaper in the long run than a calcium test which cost $28.50 for 50 test. From my experience, I also found the Salifert test quicker and easier to do. I definitely do not recommend using the Salifert phosphate test.

 

[wickedfish]

HI96713 Hanna Phophate meter
Salifert for Nitrate, alk, magnesium, potassium, copper, silica (also back ups for calcium and phosphate)
Elos for calcium.

 

[Ddavies564]

Phosphate- hanna

Ca,Alk, Mg- Red Sea without that stupid handle thing. I just perform the test as you Would do with the salifert test, but the Red Sea kit is much cheaper and when done correctly is super accurate and precise. When it comes to testing anything with test kits there is a difference between accuracy and precision. Accuracy comes from consistent methods and precision comes from proper technique, we need both. I feel that you cant go wrong with Red Sea , salifert or elos. They basically are the same test same chemicals anyway. The matter of which one is going to get better result is illogical, it is gonna come down to the testers able to perform a proper titration.

 

[high dollar slime]

Salifert for Ca and Alk - I don"t test for anything else - I rely on observation and only check when I feel something may be out of whack.....I personally don't like to be a slave to the numbers...I find these tanks will run themselves and settle into their own numbers.. if we just let them be...I think sometimes test kits give us all a reason to make changes in water chemistry that probably didn't need to be made at all....Im unorthodox in my reef philosophy, so take my opinion with a grain of salt...ES

 

[wickedfish]

Phosphate- hanna

Ca,Alk, Mg- Red Sea without that stupid handle thing. I just perform the test as you Would do with the salifert test, but the Red Sea kit is much cheaper and when done correctly is super accurate and precise. When it comes to testing anything with test kits there is a difference between accuracy and precision. Accuracy comes from consistent methods and precision comes from proper technique, we need both. I feel that you cant go wrong with Red Sea , salifert or elos. They basically are the same test same chemicals anyway. The matter of which one is going to get better result is illogical, it is gonna come down to the testers able to perform a proper titration.

I agree. Consistency in the exact way you test every time is the key to being successful. I liked the Red Sea but I only used it at work on Lens tanks.