FesTest and SaliFert, finding the best test kit. .

[Teremei]

I am moving away from "aquarium Pharm" and am going to build up a complete kit of fastest and salifert. My first new test today is the FasTest PH. I really like how fast and easy it is and have read good things about fastest.. I want to know which elements is fastest ok for, and which should I go for the more expensive salifert?

I was thinking Calcium I'd go with Salifert. I want to hear from people who've used them. What should I use Fastest for, and what should I use salifert for?

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

i like and useafter almost using all brands)
ph - Salifert
calc. - Red Sea
dkh - Aquarium. Pharm.
mag. - Salifert
Amm. - Red Sea
Nitrate - Salifert

-JMO

 

[Teremei]

Is that nitrate salifert really really quick? Because the aqua pharm trate test requires nearly 2 minutes of shaking and 5 minutes of waiting.

 

[bertoni]

I use Salifert test kits for all the basic tests, but I do use a pH meter instead of a kit. I like them because they are precise enough, and I don't have to count drops.

The FasTest kits I've used haved worked, although the Ca test kit was time-consuming, and keeping count of drops is far too annoying, IMO.

I have used the Red Sea test kits, and had to return the bunch. The ammonia and nitrate tests didn't work. The Ca worked, but back then, at least, you had to count drops and the resolution was 50 ppm, which is far too large, IMO.

 

[bertoni]

Oops, meant to say that the Salifert nitrate kits calls for a 2-minute wait and 30 seconds of swirling, if memory serves. I really don't test for nitrate much anymore, almost never.