I went to buy a new Calcium test kit at my LFS a few weeks ago. I wanted to try Elos, but they weren't selling it anymore, and all they had in-stock was Sera. They told me it was all they were using now, and the results came out exactly the same as the Elos. I hadn't heard of Sera before, so didn't want to pick a Sera test kit up without reading up on it. I found the Reefkeeping review about Sera test kits (link at the bottom). They rated the Sera Calcium and Alk test kits pretty good, so I bought one of each and figured I'd compare them against the test kits I had at home. Other Sera test kits didn't get as good of a review, so I stuck with the Alk and Calcium.
I tested my alk using the Elos test kit first. I really like the ease of the Elos Alk test kit, and the Sera test kit matched it exactly and was just as easy to use. I think the procedure is exact. Price is around $17 for the Elos Alk kit vs $9 for the Sera ($7.50 online).
I then tested the Sera Calcium test kit against the Salifert test kit. (I never tried anything but Salifert for Calcium). My Salifert measured my Calcium at 325 and Sera measured it at 480 !! I thought, must be a mistake on my part. I repeated both tests, and got the same results. I thought, oh, you're kidding, the Sera test kit is crap. I assumed this because Sera is a much less known/used brand than Salifert. So much for saving money on the Sera test kit over the Elos I originally wanted. So then, I ordered a Elos Calcium test kit, so I could figure out which test kit was accurate, the Salifert or Sera. Neither kit had expired. I just got the Elos test kit and tested Calcium tonight with all 3 test kits. The Salifert tested the calcium tonight at 355, and Sera measured it at 500. I then tested with the Elos Calcium test kit using the precision test, and it came out at 510. I repeated the Elos kit again, and it came out at 510 again. I thought, YOU ARE KIDDING!!!! I've been constantly battling low calcium (or so I thought), and changed salt brands twice to brands with higher calcium and mag levels (as well as dosing Seachem Calcium and Mag), and my calcium has always averaged 325-350, and all this time, the Salifert test kit was waaaaaaaay off.
The Sera test kit is less than half the price of the Elos test kit, and appears to be just as accurate.
I paid $11.99 (total $16.25 including S&H) for the Sera test kit, and the Elos test kit was $30 plus S&H. I found the Sera and Elos test kits easier to use than the Salifert. I don't care to use the syringe drop by drop for the last step of the Salifert. The Elos regent bottles are easier to use than the Sera bottles....drops seem more precise and you don't have to squeeze so hard. But for half the price, I'd say the Sera test kit is worth it...especially since they came out with the same results.
Pam
Reefkeeping review on Sera Test kits
I tested my alk using the Elos test kit first. I really like the ease of the Elos Alk test kit, and the Sera test kit matched it exactly and was just as easy to use. I think the procedure is exact. Price is around $17 for the Elos Alk kit vs $9 for the Sera ($7.50 online).
I then tested the Sera Calcium test kit against the Salifert test kit. (I never tried anything but Salifert for Calcium). My Salifert measured my Calcium at 325 and Sera measured it at 480 !! I thought, must be a mistake on my part. I repeated both tests, and got the same results. I thought, oh, you're kidding, the Sera test kit is crap. I assumed this because Sera is a much less known/used brand than Salifert. So much for saving money on the Sera test kit over the Elos I originally wanted. So then, I ordered a Elos Calcium test kit, so I could figure out which test kit was accurate, the Salifert or Sera. Neither kit had expired. I just got the Elos test kit and tested Calcium tonight with all 3 test kits. The Salifert tested the calcium tonight at 355, and Sera measured it at 500. I then tested with the Elos Calcium test kit using the precision test, and it came out at 510. I repeated the Elos kit again, and it came out at 510 again. I thought, YOU ARE KIDDING!!!! I've been constantly battling low calcium (or so I thought), and changed salt brands twice to brands with higher calcium and mag levels (as well as dosing Seachem Calcium and Mag), and my calcium has always averaged 325-350, and all this time, the Salifert test kit was waaaaaaaay off.
The Sera test kit is less than half the price of the Elos test kit, and appears to be just as accurate.
I paid $11.99 (total $16.25 including S&H) for the Sera test kit, and the Elos test kit was $30 plus S&H. I found the Sera and Elos test kits easier to use than the Salifert. I don't care to use the syringe drop by drop for the last step of the Salifert. The Elos regent bottles are easier to use than the Sera bottles....drops seem more precise and you don't have to squeeze so hard. But for half the price, I'd say the Sera test kit is worth it...especially since they came out with the same results.
Pam
Reefkeeping review on Sera Test kits
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