Water params and test kits

[cyberchef]

First here are the parameters for my water after I tested this evening. I get more evaporation now with the refugiums so I'm still trying to get the salintiy balanced out better, it's a little lower than usual. I feed lightly every couple of days, frozen brine, mysis, blood worms and once in a while I feed flakes (Ocean Nutrition formula 2). I also hatch out some brine shrimp (artemia) to feed periodically as well as live blood worms and if I make it to Atlanta I'll pick up some adult brine shrimp. I'm planning on making some home made food, I saw Spanky's post making your own, and will try feeding that periodically as well. I prefer to switch around as it keeps it more interesting but is there anything I should maybe eliminate/add to what I currently feed?

Salinity (seatest hydrometer)
1.022 (a little low usually up closer to 1.024, I plan on bringing it up slowly)

Red Sea test kit
-----------------
Phosphate: .2
Amonia: 0
Calcium: 400
PH: 8.0 - 8.2 (I really can't tell which one it's closer to)
Alk: low end of normal (test kit only gives chart for low, normal and high)
Nitrate liquid (test 2): 10ppm
Nitrate powder (test 1): 50 - 100 ppm (according to the test kit if you get a reading over 50 then use the results from test 2)
Nitrite: clear to slightly pink (doesn't match any of the colors or even come close) Basically no change from the original color of the water

I then retested the Nitrite with a Tetra test kit.
------------------------------
Nitrite less than .3


Do these number look good and sound right? Can anyone suggest a better test kit or are these good test kits? I've seen other post alkalinity in ppm, what test kit gives the readings for it in ppm? Everything seems to be doing fine in the main tank as well as the refugiums. Xenia are pulsing nicely, corals and fish are doing well even the SPS corals are showing signs of new growth. I have to admit that the test kits bother me, especially when the kit says that the one test may not work right. Every LFS tells you something different about each test kit and which one is best, I'm sure sales and inventory have something to do with it. I do want to get a refractometer or salinity probe, which is better? Ph has been solid at 8.0 ever since I set up the tank, I even tried to raise it slightly with Kent Buffer (LFS said it should be closer to 8.3) and it didn't make a difference. My Alkalinity has been the same ever since I set it up as well, buffer didn't make a difference with it either. My sandbed is Carib Sea pure aragonite, could this be why the PH and ALK stay so stable (thier claim to it's buffering properties)? Nothing seems wrong with the tank I'm just curious. I do get some Cyano periodically but I've been primarily chalking it up to a "new" tank and it still has to finish out it's algea cycles till the SB is more mature and stable (at least I hope that I've understood the posts and information I'm reading/gleaning off of the BB).

Thanks to all for any help.

[schulz1616]

I've had a lot of problems with my aquarium so I needed a lot of test stuff. But now I really don't use these tests much anymore because it's like a routine when I add supplements and stuff. Then once a month I use the kits. I use the Sera brand test kits which I am very happy with. I test for Mg, Ca, pH, and kH. And from when I first got my fish tank I still have some testing supplies left over from my Dr. Wellfish Saltwater master testkit. This provides tests for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and pH. I am also very happy with this testkit. I hope this helps, but I don't make my own fishfood.

[Heavan]

We use the Salifert test kits IMO These are great test kits. You May find a PH meter to be economical for you if you are testing very regularly. What you spend in tests every year may equal the price of a meter. The meter will allow you to see the PH all of the time.

We make food that we sell and it is just a mogpog of great stuff. Horrible to make pretty stinky but the fish are healthy and Love it. We add Taitian Blend so you dose as you feed too.

Good Luck!
Hope this helps,
Renae

[Timur]

I dont like Tetra tests, they show different results each time I test the water. At the moment I use red sea and salifert test kits. IMO Salifert is good eneugh

[Allyson]

I trashed my Red Sea kits...I could never match up the colors. (Not to mention I double checked a test w/Salifert & it was way off). I now have all Salifert.

Not sure about the Carrib Sea Pure Aragonite helping maintain Alk & PH but now that you mention it my Alk & Ph have been pretty stable as well & I do have 3/4 Carrib Sea Pure Aragonite & 1/4 Natures Ocean.

I feed a "mush" of scallops, shrimp, mysis, brine, sushi wrap (can't think of what it's called), golden pearls & Tahitian Blend.

[nickg]

I have to admit I rarely check for anything but alk and Ca. I use seachem Ca kit, it's a little obnoxious mixing and dripping, however the color change is from pink to blue so that makes it easy to decipher. I use Aquarium Pharm. Kh test for alk, pretty easy as well drip till it changes to yellow count the drops. The worst kits I've found seem to be PH, the color matches seem so darn close. A meter is prolly the best. Never tried Sailfert, can't find it around here, but it seems alot of people around here sware by it.

[cyberchef]

Any of our more scientific members have any suggestions for test kits? Jerel what do you use to test your water parameters?

Salifert seems to be one of the test kits mentioned more often, but I can't find it around here either. I also agree about the color charts for the Red Sea kits being too hard to define. I will probably look into the meters and see what they run price wise

What is "Tahitian Blend", I've seen it mentioned a few times now but have never heard of it before nor have I seen it hee locally.

[Heavan]

Cyberchef,
You can buy most test kits Online and since they are light the shipping is pretty cheap.
Renae