Recommended testing Kits

[tbone28]

What kits do you guys recommend for testing:
Ca, pH, Alk, Mg, NO3, etc?

I currently use Red Sea, but it doesn't give me the exact numbers I'm looking for (e.g. Alk is either low, medium, or high)

 

[Danny07204]

I use salifert....

 

[mg426]

Salifert here.

 

[madcowz]

I was using Salifert and will only use Elos now

 

[tbone28]

What made you switch from Salifert to Elos?
What's different about the Elos kit that you like?
Where do you purchase your Elos kits?

 

[slovan]

Phishybusiness is currently selling them and Marine Depot is supposed to start carrying them anytime now.

 

[hyperfocal]

The Elos reagents look the same as Salifert, what do you like about them?

 

[HDAlien]

Salifert for most, API for CA, dkh, and NO3.

 

[tbone28]

Are the API kits reliable? Does the Alk kit give concrete results, or just ranges?

If API is reliable, it seems to be a good buy, as they are cheaper.

 

[madcowz]

A lot of people in my reef club were experiencing bad data with the Salifert kits. I bought some Elos kits and found the discrepancy between the 2 too extreme to ignore.

I tested with each twice for good measure. I will add that I dose 3 teaspoons each of 2-part daily in approx. 50 gallons of tank volume and I also drip Kalk. I also tested 2 different Salifert Ca kits.

Elos - 8dKH

API - 8dKH

Salifert 11dKH

Elos Ca 400ppm

Salifert 1 460ppm

Salifert 2 440ppm

 

[hyperfocal]

I'd be interested in seeing the results of multiple sequential tests from the same kit, to help isolate human error/variability.

My only problem with Salifert kits is the variability in drop size from their eyedropper and flip-top bottles. Posts in the Salifert forum dismiss these concerns but it still bothers me on principle.

 

[madcowz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11305711#post11305711 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hyperfocal
I'd be interested in seeing the results of multiple sequential tests from the same kit, to help isolate human error/variability.

My only problem with Salifert kits is the variability in drop size from their eyedropper and flip-top bottles. Posts in the Salifert forum dismiss these concerns but it still bothers me on principle.

I would always burn the first drop on a paper towel to get a little more consistency but yeah I felt the same.