API Test Kits- any good?

[Todd_Sails]

My first ever test showed:

Ca- 450
Alk- 9-10
Mg- 1350

I only have two small frags of sps,
sunrise monti and pink birdsnest

Phos- 0.25 (I've been using tap water and mixing, RO/DI should be here today)

Nitrate- 0-5

But, is this test kit worth it.

I have a Sailfert for the Mg.- is it any good?

 

[ReeferBill]

Reefers here like Salifert Test Kits and say they are the most accurate but I use whatever I can get ... As long as you are testing!

 

[firebirdude]

Nothing wrong with them. Keep in mind, none of these tests kits are scientifically accurate. And in all reality, we don't need them to be. Half of the tests we do could be a simple yes/no present/not present test. If you see ammonia (for example), then you take the appropriate actions. The level doesn't really matter. For those tests, such as calcium, a ballpark is good enough. If your tank is consistently low, then you'd take some action. Don't sweat it.

 

[amnbowser]

I like API no problems here.

 

[bamf25]

I generally like API. The only thing I have seen, this has been confirmed by a LFS as well as a few other reefers here, the ammonia never really seems to read 100% negative. Even on well established tanks the color tends to be somewhere between 0.00and 0.25 ppm. Take it for what it is worth, color matching tests are just prone to some problems especially at the very low detection end of things.

I personally use Red Sea for my reef stuff: Mg, Alk, and calcium. I have heard some of their other tests (like ammonia) are marginal however.

 

[Garage1217]

I use API as well. They have been consistent for me and very affordable. To note, I also use Salifert for mag.

On the ammonia, If you run a test on RODI it comes out 0.00PPM

 

[sanchoy]

No one knows what the accurate brand test kit is. however, The red sea pro test kit is a awesome cheap buy. I really recommend it, it comes with all you need calc,alk,mag... for very cheap.

 

[Garage1217]

the redsea mag kit is terrible. I bought one years ago before switching to the salifert mag. >> pretty much sums it up :headwalls: I recall there also being many posts about irritated customers that bought the mag kit as well. Have not tired their ca or alk kits.

 

[bamf25]

the redsea mag kit is terrible. I bought one years ago before switching to the salifert mag. >> pretty much sums it up :headwalls: I recall there also being many posts about irritated customers that bought the mag kit as well. Have not tired their ca or alk kits.

Red Sea is in the process of redoing all its test kits within the last year and I think it is ongoing. The newer pro test kits are great, I like them alot. They have not redone some of the basic tests as of yet.

 

[bamf25]

On the ammonia, If you run a test on RODI it comes out 0.00PPM

I agree, but this also means there may be some kind of interferance with salt mixes. I have heard they are better with fresh water than salt.

 

[AC2020x]

I use API for ammonia and nitrite, As these are yes/no things to me.

Then I have Red Sea Coral Pro- (the reef foundation and algae control packs) for Ca, Alk, Mg, Nitrate and Phosphates. I love all these tests and they are great! They have videos for the testing and the way they are done are very scientific compared to most other test kits. The kits also seem quite accurate.

As far as PH goes a PH meter with calibration is really the only way to go... which is why i'm in the process of researching them.

For salinity- a refractometer is the only way to go.. with calibration fluid- much more accurate than a hydrometer.

Not that other methods can't be used to get a general idea- but these are the methods that I prefer.

 

[bertoni]

We don't have much data on kit accuracy, and it might vary from batch to batch. The kits you have should be accurate enough, but any kit can fail. The issue with the API phosphate kit is it's not very precise, and can't measure down to the low levels we need to test for a reef tank with stony corals. I'd invest in a Salifert or Hach kit, or try a Hanna meter, personally, if I was going to keep Acropora and the like.

 

[Todd_Sails]

Thanks to all!

I only test nitrate before, and that not much.

My test showed that I was in the ballpark for my new two small sps frags.

My RO/DI came today. I'll have it running soon, and will quickly get a large % of water changed over from the tap and salt mix. Then I feel I don't have to worry about the phosphates much.

I"m currently using CoralLife Marine Salt Mix. I was using Instant Ocean-the purple one, but the lfs says it has some phosphates, so I went with CL.
The CL mix puts their Ca, Mg, Alk on the bucket, and it's for a lower SG than I'm using also, so I think with regular water changes, low sps load, I sould be fine.

What mixes do ya'll use, like?

 

[firebirdude]

I think most use Reef Crystals. Those without a ton of coral probably just use Instant Ocean.

Obviously there's plenty of people who use something else, but the question has been asked many time. IO and Reef Crystals are always FAR more common.

 

[bertoni]

Instant Ocean should be fine, and I haven't seen any data that show it has any more phosphate than any other brand. Lots of very nice tanks are run with IO.

 

[Triple One]

I use the API test kits and so does my LFS. Once, to test their accuracy (or probably more appropriately their consistency), I had my LFS test my water because I was getting nitrate readings of 80-100+ppm with my kit but not seeing any problems with my livestock (because they'd likely acclimated). Their kit (also API) said 20ppm. Erring on the side of my kit's tales, I decided to overhaul my 3-year-old sump situation.
After I finished building my new sump (which I added a 6" DSB to) and had it running for a couple weeks, my nitrates were down below 5-10ppm by my test kit, and the LFS couldn't detect ANY nitrates. Out of curiosity, I checked the lot numbers, and my kit is 2 months older than the LFS's kit, which really shouldn't make that much difference but I guess you never know.
Bob F. says of the API kits, "They're good enough for our purposes." (Although according to WWM he prefers Hach test kits... which run about $100 for the basic four...)

 

[Triple One]

Instant Ocean should be fine, and I haven't seen any data that show it has any more phosphate than any other brand. Lots of very nice tanks are run with IO.

I agree with this also... I have always used Instant Ocean. Even the regular stuff is good for my reef and I never detect any phosphates when I test the new water (with my API kit... so take that for what it's worth I guess) :hmm3:

 

[Todd_Sails]

I agree with this also... I have always used Instant Ocean. Even the regular stuff is good for my reef and I never detect any phosphates when I test the new water (with my API kit... so take that for what it's worth I guess) :hmm3:

Thanks Bertoni and Triple one,

I'll probably go back to using IO after the Coral life bucket is gone. The IO is a few dollars cheaper.

I'm sure my phosphates are form the tap water I've been using since Day 1. About 6 months ago.
My Drinking/Reef RO/DI came yesterday.

I'll have it hooked up tomorrow. It's involved- R/O tap at the sink, another to the icemaker/drinking water on the frig. and a separate RO/DI line for the Reef water.

 

[89Foxbody]

I've always used API test kits but I also recently picked up Red Sea kits for No3 po4, and Ca, kh, and mg. I really like the Red Sea kits but they are a bit pricy. The API kits are good too i think.