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API or Salifert?

877 views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  Arce 
#1 ·
I have both.
Seems API results are almost too sujective. For instance, on the results card, the ammonia 3rd color is lighter than the second. This doesn't reflect the same logic of the other test colors which supposedly get darker as the results get higher. So when i get that particular shade of green, I am asking my self weather it was really supposed to be the first color or second.

Sometimes there is a slightly positive result for ammonia on API but nothing on Salifert.

So right now, I am basically testing with API primarily, and if there are some confusing or alarming results, I whip out the Salifert as back up.

Can anyone else share your experience or suggestions? Should I stop using API and go full blown salifert? or continue to use both?
 
#2 ·
This is an excellent question as I'm in the same boat...my tanks been cycling and I've been ready absolutely zero on the salifert amm kit but like .25-.5 on the API and the API shows absolutely zero nitrates but the salifert shows 10-20?? Who knows man I personally have come to the conclusion that all of these kits are a crap shoot IMO and if you wait it out do things properly and your fish and corals seem happy..why test it only complicates things and confuses me haha good luck!!! I hope somebody else chimes in with some more knowledge/experience!!!

Stewie
 
#4 ·
i use the salifert as well. i have no idea of the accuracy of them, but like said, my fish seem happy so that tells the tale! the only salifert i have that i had issue with was the phos. it was reading .03 or less when the hanna checker was reading in the 20's. i test once a week now, just out of habbit mostly. ill probably cut back to just testing ca, mg, alk, and sg before too long. and maybe the occasional nitrate.
 
#5 ·
Remember it doesn't matter what test kit you have,if you do not conduct your tests properly then even the best test kitin the word will be wrong. A lot of problems with test kits can be attributed to user error just as much as a inferior product. Just my thoughts on that one. :)
 
#8 ·
I find the API tests to be more simple and quicker to use and I prefer them generally. Although I did buy the salifert calcium test which is actually not bad. Once my API kits are gone I will probably convert to Salifert. Its a matter of preference really.
 
#9 ·
the only problem ive had with any of the salifert, well beside the po4, is that the graduation marks tend to wear off the syringes pretty quickly. for the bigger ones just used to get water, its not a big deal, but for the little 1mL ones that come with the ca and mg, you need to be pretty precise, as those are graduated in hundredths of a mL, i think.
 
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