New Red Sea test kits

Lynnmw1208

Lynnmw1208

New member
So I decided to try out the reef foundation kit that Red Sea came out with recently. I am not really sure what to think about it! I compared my results with my API and Sailifert kits and got completely different results between the 2! Also it was kind of confusing at first when reading results because they want you to read opposite of what sailifert tells you in the magnesium kit. It wants you to count how many mL you USED not just where the line is. I didn't pick that up the first time.... Anyway, here is the result of my water test between the different kits:

Red Sea

Mag 1400
Ca 350
KH 7.8

API/Sailifert(for mag)

Mag 1200
Ca 480
KH 10

soooo who is right? I am pretty confused about my levels of Ca and KH with the Red Sea kit. Seems kind of off to me. I use Red Sea coral pro salt and I believe calcium is supposed to be around 450. I'll have to test again after my water change next week, but it just seems odd.

anyone else have any results from this test? It's really nicely packaged and the color change is very drastic so it's easy to see when it changes i.e changing from hot pink to blue and from light blue to orange. The way the vials attach to the one handed triator is cool too. I just want to know if it's doing it's job or not :lol:
 
We don't have any inexpensive ways to check the accuracy of test kits. I'm not sure which numbers, if any, are correct.
 
ok so after watching the videos on youtube... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb4NnYOFneA&feature=related (yes they have videos :) very nice!) I have noticed that they want the plunger to be at the 1 mL mark not the titrant level. I didn't recall reading that in the instructions so it must not have been very clear. This could be why some of my readings are WAY off... I will have to retest tomorrow when the sun is back out and let you know what I get. So far though, I am liking the easiness of this test kit and plus they sell refills of each kit so you don't have to rebuy the entire thing.
 
I got the red sea potassium test...I must say...it is quite interesting. It's a 15-20 minute test. Includes filtering, shaking, mixing, and even a titration :thumbsup:
 
If you put the plunger at the 1.0ml mark, then you read the plunger. If you put the titrant at the 1 ml mark, then you read the titrant. You are still reading how much you have put in. Even with the salifert where you just read the number off the barrel, they are just saving you a math step and doing the subtraction for you. It doesn't matter how you get to the answer, the answer is how much do you have to put in.
 
ok so after watching their videos online and realizing that I wasn't putting the plunger at the 1mL mark, I redid the tests. These number seem more normal and can be more accurate i.e the calcium mark was between 2 numbers so you can calculate down to .5mL.

Mag: 1440
dKH: 8.1
Ca: 425

If these kits are this easy to use and accurate, I am sold! It just takes some time to get used to compared to the other kits. I must say the advantages over the API kits and sailifert are plenty! There are no more messy vials due to having to shake, then take the cap off, put a drop and shake some more like ATI's calcium test. There is also a nice plastic box and laminated instructions unlike sailiferts which get all warped when wet. I think the biggest advantage above all is the drastic color change on the tests. No more guessing if something is green or yellow or maybe orange. These tests go directly from hot pink to blue or blue to pink/orange. It is very easy to see the end color.

The only other thing I have learned from watching the videos that is important is that when you reach the end color of the magnesium test, it will quickly return back to purple. Red sea states that this is normal and that the end color appearing should indicate the correct result.

These are just my thoughts and experiences with this new kit, and for me, I really like it!
 
i liked their NO3 kit,reads down to 0.25 with also drastic color changes.PO4 kit found it to be off compared with other test kits and the fact that PO4 in the tank didn't drop below 0.10 even with more and fresh GFO.just what happened with me.
 
Reef Foundation Pro Kit vs. Salifert

Reef Foundation Pro Kit vs. Salifert

Here are head to head calcium, alkalinity and magnesium test results using RS Reef Foundation Pro and Salifert test kits. 100 gallon mixed reef. Red Sea kits are new, and Salifert kits have their exp dates posted next to them, but all are current. I have used Salifert for the last 3 years, and I thought I'd give the RS kits a chance

Red Sea Reef Foundation Pro
Calcium 500
KH 8.4
Mag 1540

Salifert
Calcium 420 (exp. date 2/2014)
KH 7.2 (exp. date 5/2015)
Mag 1185 (exp. date 5/2012)

I will say that I used the KH standard solution included in the Salifert KH test kit, and the Red Sea kit came closer to the standard solution KH value than the Salifert KH test kit did, within the margin of error stated by Salifert.

Thoughts on these results? Huge difference in magnesium. I believe I am doing the tests correctly. I'e used Salifert for 3 years, and the main issue with the RS Pro kits is the alkalinity end color. The Vids on the RS website really help with that. I'm pretty sure my technique is OK for both brands.
 
I have these kits and am now completely convinced by them - it's taken me 6 months to get there though.

Experimenting with reference solutions has led me to the following conclusions.

Ca: The end point is the first blue colour that does not fade back to pink. I find I can get a reasonably convincing blue out of it, but this then fades back to definitely-pink within a few seconds. Keep going a single drop at a time, shaking well between each until the pink does not reappear. Doing it this way I get within about +/- 10ppm of my reference solution each time.

Mg: Despite what the instructions say, this one does not fade back to pink for me. The end point is the first colour that does not include a trace of pink. I always get within 30ppm of my reference solution with this one,

Alk: End point is the first colour that is more-pink-than-blue. Comparing Alk tests is always going to throw up differences between brands, as many of them use different end points through the use of different indicators. What is important is to pick a test that gives you consistent results time after time and reads to sufficient resolution. Both factors at which I think the RS test excels.

Cheers ...

Peter
 
The discrepancies between some of these test kits are discouraging. I'm about to purchase a Mg test kit, and am having trouble deciding which one. Seeing as there is no easy way to determine the accuracy of any of these tests, I hope I get the one that tests low, rather than the one that tests high!
 
i use the red sea pro kits and i am happy with them. Ca. is in line with Salifert test...dkh is in line with salifert....and mg. is in line with elos.... took me a little bit to master the usage endpoints but once i got it down it works well for me....havent tried no3 or po4
 
I bought the new Red Sea Foundation test kit hoping for the best. I was dissapointed, in particlar in the Mg results. I found it substantially inaccurate.

I've done comparisons on my tank water an(d on new mixed RC (verified with a calibrated refractometer). I watched the Red Sea videos and I understand about the claimed three color changes (I've only seen two).

RC claims MG is 1345 at 35ppt. Seachem test was 1188. I've retested 3 times with similar results.

Red Sea
Mg 1600 (.018 remaining in the titrator)
KH 10.9
Ca 480
 
The reference soultion included with the Salifert Alk kit allows you to calculate a correction factor to get better results.
 
wow, I didn't know people were still posting in here!

Anyway, I believe the mag test to be much more accurate in the Red Sea kit than salifert. I kept thinking my magnesium was low even after a water change which was impossible! Also it's much easier to read than salifert. Finally there is a test that is spot on! I haven't tried other salifert tests, but these are definitely better than API tests that's for sure!
 
If (rc) stands for reef crystals....me and a friend have tested fresh salt mix and have had low levels of mg couple of different numbers actually and that was using couple different kits.

marc nichols said:
I bought the new Red Sea Foundation test kit hoping for the best. I was dissapointed, in particlar in the Mg results. I found it substantially inaccurate.

I've done comparisons on my tank water an(d on new mixed RC (verified with a calibrated refractometer). I watched the Red Sea videos and I understand about the claimed three color changes (I've only seen two).

RC claims MG is 1345 at 35ppt. Seachem test was 1188. I've retested 3 times with similar results.

Red Sea
Mg 1600 (.018 remaining in the titrator)
KH 10.9
Ca 480
Click to expand...
 
I'm certain of the salinity. Now, if Reef Chrystals have a significant variation in Mg, that could be a factor. I'm so weary of the inaccuracy of so many tests kits. Does japan offer any kits? Their culture wouldn't accept such poor quality.
 
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