Elos Test kits Sale at Yourreef

[tfp]

darn good sale for a limited time (til 5/31) on some awesome test kits !

Elos Test kit sale

john will be matching elos' prices. i plan on getting CA, Mg and No3 for starters

tim

 

[mpoletti]

I love my Alk and PO4 kits. MG is next on my list as well as NO3.


Why do test kits make me soooooo happy

 

[little_d]

I got the Alk, Mg and NO3.

 

[goslugsgo]

I will be setting up a tank after our move to Colorado in July. Would these be appropriate for the cycling period where I will be testing frequently, or shall I get an inexpensive kit to go through in the early months?
Thanks.

 

[Reefugee]

Chris,

I would go with the cheap test kit. During your cycle, you'll probably only test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. I would personally go with the Aquarium Pharmacetucals Master test kit which includes pH, ammonia, Nirite and Nitrate. The pH is pretty inaccurate, so I would use a pH monitor or pH controller. Just my $.002.

Minh

 

[GreshamH]

It may just be me, but after spending numerous thousands on my tank, why the heck would I try to save a couple bucks on a test kit that may be way out of whack? Nah, I'll stick to buying one I know is accurate and good and sleep at night 99% of hobbyist brand test kits suck. Elos is actually a prosumer brand that is NST. No other hobbyist brand are actually NST.

I use Elos BTW

 

[Reefugee]

Gresham,

I'd agree with you once the tank is up and running - you will want to use a better test kit. But during the cycle phase - you don't need as accurate of a measurement. Right now - I don't even use my ammonia or nitrite test kit (although I probably should). I would have hated to spend $54 on two test kits that I'd rarely ever use again. The AP test kit is $17 for 4 test kits (one of which is completely useless). Out from that test kit - I still only use the nitrate test. I am thinking about getting a Elos nitrate test to get better reading - but once I get my nitrate problem under control, I'd probably use the cheap AP test kit for quick measurements.

Minh

 

[goslugsgo]

Both of you make valid points, however I could have my water tested at a store or club member's to verify the readings on the budget kit, thus negating the "out of whack" concern.
On the other hand, I bought Eheim, Sequence, Lumenarc, etc, for specific reasons. One of which is, as this is my first tank, I wanted any breakdown within the system to be my inexperience not flawed, low-quality components.

Oh my, I have the answer. Get both! Verify the readings with the Elos while exhausting the AP through the cycle process. Afterward, I have a reliable, sensitive kit to take me to the next level.

Thank you guys for leading me to the answer. Silly me, it's only my wife's money.

BTW, what is the shelf life of these kits?

 

[DarkDevil]

I would get CA and ALK and possibly PO4.

one thing I don't understand is, why would you guys want NO3 test kit? especially when some of you guys' tanks is big and have been up for a long time, if you see a jump on your NO3, you are pretty much done. I've never seen my NO3 move at all, so why purchase an expensive test kit for it?

 

[kdblove_99]

My NO3 moves all the time and i have a 180 gallon. Its definetly not done


Gresham,
What is NST?

I have only used Salifert from what i can tell they are really good the only one i really dont like is the Phosphate, the colors are too similar.

 

[Reefugee]

I haven't been able to get my nitrate to stabilize at 0-1ppm. It's usually around 10ppm, so I am testing my nitrate to try to control it. I plan on moving my sump system out to my garage and run a RDSB. Maybe then I won't need to test for nitrate so regularly.

I assume Gresham meant NIST which is the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST is a government agency without any regulatory oversight with the function to promote measurement standard in industry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIST

 

[GreshamH]

Yah, NIST. Typing faster then the brain can spit the letters out :lol:

 

[Sparkss]

Elos test kits do rock... we need to pick up an Mg one and also replace the vial on our Ca one (so I can stop borrowing the Alk one to do our Ca tests ).

 

[Reefugee]

Are their calcium and magnesium test that much better than Salifert? I feel very comfortable using the Salifert test kits, and they do appear cheaper than Elos. I may go with the Elos phosphate and nitrate test kit though.

 

[GreshamH]

They're far more accurate then salifirt IMO and far easier to use. The color change is abrupt and clear. No guess work involved. Worth every penny.

I've used every test kit known to this trade and just about every scientific one I could find. Elos ranks way up that list on both, top of the list in fact for stuff offerred in the trade.

 

[Reefugee]

Thanks Gresham. Although the Salifert end point of titration seems pretty clear to me (maybe I have done too many titration in college). The calcium one may be a little difficult to read - but if you dilute the reactant with about 2-3ml of RODI water.

 

[little_d]

Minh,

I tested with the new test kits, no3, mg and alk and the results is pretty much in line with Salifert, pretty similar method for testing too, a tinny bit easier to test for mg and alk. There is no fine reading for Mg and Alk like Salifert, you either gets 1K, 1.1K 1.2K ect... for Mg and 1, 2, 3 ect... for Alk.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10006315#post10006315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefugee
Are their calcium and magnesium test that much better than Salifert? I feel very comfortable using the Salifert test kits, and they do appear cheaper than Elos. I may go with the Elos phosphate and nitrate test kit though.

 

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10006470#post10006470 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by little_d
Minh,

I tested with the new test kits, no3, mg and alk and the results is pretty much in line with Salifert, pretty similar method for testing too, a tinny bit easier to test for mg and alk. There is no fine reading for Mg and Alk like Salifert, you either gets 1K, 1.1K 1.2K ect... for Mg and 1, 2, 3 ect... for Alk.

All test kits have a fine reading. You dilute your sample in half with RODI then half the readings on the chart. 1 DKH becomes .5 DKH, etc.

 

[Reefugee]

Gresham,

I am speaking about the Salifert Ca test kit. If I remember the instruction correctly, you add 2 ml of your tank water. Add 1 spoon of Ca1. Add 8 drop of Ca2. Minh's modification: Now add 2ml of RODI water. Swirl. Then start your titration. The reading should be the same.

Minh

 

[kevin95695]

So the elos deal is up to 20% off with 3 or more kits? Anybody know what the kits range in price (kH, CA, pH, nitrate)?