Best test kit?

[cath]

How does everyone test their tank water quality? I have the Saltwater Master Liquid test kit from Aq Pharmaceuticals. It tests for pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. I also have the Red Sea test for Calcium. Is there one kit that tests for everything? What else do I need to complete the water quality tests, and what brand?

Inquiring minds wanna know

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Cath

-La Dolce Vita

Cath unfortunatly you cant get a master kit that covers eveything. I use the fast test from aquarium systems and a red sea calcium test. They make a better test(rs) the pro? that provides finer gradiations on calcium levels, the one you have measures in increments of 50 and isn't the most accurate. Close enuff for your tank though. Hach,LaMotte and Salifert make the best Ca and Alkilinty test kits, but at this point even the fast test will help you chart trends in your tank. Alk is the tanks ability to buffer against pH drop and goes hand in hand with calcium levels. Keeping Alk up will help in your battle against cyano

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I thought I was me, but I was wrong

[Rick O]

As far as ease of use and readability; I like Tetra for ph, ammonia, and nitrite (haven't used theirs for anything else). I have Seatest for phosphate, nitrate, and calcium. I find it hard to match the colors up precisely, and the powders in the phosphate and nitrate tests are hard to get dissolved completely. All of the alk test kits I've seen seem to be pretty simple to use and read. HTH.


Rick

[bill-e]

Seems this is going to be a night for dissagreeing....my second reply in a row.

Personally I think the Red Sea kits stink. The colors are hard to discern, and the tests are innacurate in my experience.

Pretty much any titration test will be more accurate than a color match test, although I've used the Kordon color match test for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite which contains Hach reagents and they seem pretty good.

I use Salifert for Ca, Alk, Mg, and Po4. These are all titration tests. Dr. Bingman recommends the Salifert Ca and Alk tests.

I've used about 4 different types of ammonia test kits, from the tetra to the red sea and the only ones I've found to be inaccurate was the Red Sea.

pH. Nobody's going to convince me that any test is as good (or cheap) as having a pH monitor. Other than the initial investment ($90), the Pinpoint pH monitor is cheap to operate and having it displaying your pH 24 hrs a day is something you'll grow to love. I can read my pH and tell you without looking at the tank which corals look the best and worst because every time I even glance at the tank I see the pH and associate it with the way the tank looks. I can tell when my Nilsen reactor needs charging or when my alk is low(I get more swing with low ALk).


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Bill Esposito
bespo@cereal.mv.com
http//cereal.mv.com/reef
The box said "Use Win 95 or better", I chose better so I run OS/2!

[golfish]

Hach probably makes the best kits. The La Motte Ca. test kit is the worst kit I have ever used. The other La Motte kits are good. I also like the Salifert kits.

Mark

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http://members.aol.com/golfish49/index.html

[tdwyatt]

What Bill-e said, I am up too late for a long post tonight (too many long days in a row...) but I couldn't have said it better, the kits listed there are much more accurate in the responses, and for most of the folk on this board, they will be the kits that they ultimately need to be using. Although the Aq. Pharma products are good for trends to start a tank, if you're pushing the envelope and raising more dificult spp., there is usually a need to have more accurate information than a 50 ppt ball park and a chance for 20% error...

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Tom <"{{{{>(
(TDWyatt)
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -Plato

[marine machine]

lamotte i think is one of the best that is what i use at my work. but most people dont use them considering they are about $60-$70 a pop. the next best thing would be the red sea test kits.

[Smitty91]

As always, be sure to check the expiration date on the test kits!

I can't tell you how many times I've seen test kits on the shelf with an expired expiration date.

Smitty

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Reefin in the US-of-A!
Livermore, Sunny CA

Skimmerless tank pics @ Smitty's Place

Also visit: FISH WHISPERER's LAGOON

Email: ms93@home.com

[Hondo]

The one Red Sea kit I have sucks. It was reading alk at 1.7 and it was more like 4.7. I really like my seachem kit for calcium. In the future I will buy titrate kits whenever possible. They are much easier to distinquish color.

[aquatic reef systems]

Take a look at this one I just added it to my stock. I think its kinda neato!!


Water Test is the smallest portable water testing laboratory in the world! It provides quick and reliable measurement of the four most important variables in water analysis, that is, pH, ORP, conductivity, and temperature. The lightweight and compact package makes it perfect for use in the plant as well as the field. Superior in design and construction, the Water Test is made of rugged VALOX® material which provides excellent protection from the typical conditions of the field and plant. When Hanna engineered the Water Test, they made it simple to use for even non-technical personnel. Fill the base of the Water Test unit with the sample to be measured. Turn the unit on and switch it to the desired range. Then simply read your measurement.

Features:
• 4 instruments in 1
• Long battery life making the unit excellent for field operations
• Excellent accuracy across all ranges
• Lightweight and highly portable
• Obtain consistent accuracy through 3 calibration trimmers
• Easy to operate and maintain

[Phill]

Marine Machine - quit buying stuff from ANYONE charging $60-$70 for a test kit

[tmncali]

I am using a Red Sea Marine Lab kit. I find that my colors dont really match what is on the card, and the ALK results are LOW, NORMAL, and HIGH. pretty vauge..
I use a pinpoint PH meter

Does any one make electronic meters for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium, Phosphate, Alk, etc?

Thanks

tony

[Spanky]

[quote]Originally posted by tmncali:
Does any one make electronic meters for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium, Phosphate, Alk, etc?

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Yes, but you would be better off just buying a new car.

[Beaches]

Two cents from a "newbie"...I tried the Red Sea when first setting up my tank--it wasn't giving me accurate readings (although at that time accurate is relative...) and the colors didn't match. After weeks of recording ridiculous readings (off the scale and no color matches)I decided on a new kit and now use the one you currently have, and although I know it's probably not the choice of the experts, have found it works much better for me and is easier to "match."

[cath]

Funny how this thread was brought out of moth balls from just over a year ago. But my report from a years worth of trial, that the Aq Phareceuticals Master Test kit really is difficult to use. "Matching" the color of the water you've tested to the color chart is a joke. Particularly for pH. Bill, I think I'll get a pin-point monitor at some point, but not this month ;-(

I bought a Kwik-kit (Marine Engerprises) for Alk has a reagent like Salifert, but is cheaper.($10) It's pretty easy to use.

The SeaTest® (Aquarium Systems) test for Phosphate is a pain in the butt to use too. The granular reagent doesn't dissolve easily, and then you're faced with comparing shades of gray. But the worst part of that kit is the difficulty of using the rubber cap for the test vial. What a bear it is!

Otay, Buckwheat! I just love you as Spanky, Jerel.
btw...are you offering to buy us all new cars?