Salifert vs Red Sea ca test
- Thread starter Emma1234
- Start date
Ron Reefman
Active member
They are equally as likely to be wrong.
Test kits are not super accurate. But a 150ppm difference in a Ca test tells me something is either wrong with one of the test kits, or (no offence intended) you are doing something wrong.
I use API and Salifert.
I normally test with the API because it's fast, easy and accurate enough for me. If I get a flier of a result, I'll do the test again with the API. If I get the same out of line or unexpected result I'll break out the Salifert test kit. Every time I have the results have been very close; like 500 with that API and then 490 with the Salifert.
If I got readings that were off by 150 like yours, I'd be getting a friend over and compare both of yours to the friends (or an LFS if that's your only choice).
Test kits are not super accurate. But a 150ppm difference in a Ca test tells me something is either wrong with one of the test kits, or (no offence intended) you are doing something wrong.
I use API and Salifert.
I normally test with the API because it's fast, easy and accurate enough for me. If I get a flier of a result, I'll do the test again with the API. If I get the same out of line or unexpected result I'll break out the Salifert test kit. Every time I have the results have been very close; like 500 with that API and then 490 with the Salifert.
If I got readings that were off by 150 like yours, I'd be getting a friend over and compare both of yours to the friends (or an LFS if that's your only choice).
Ron Reefman
Active member
When you get it figured out, less us know what was wrong. Lots of us can learn from your experience. Even if it turns out to be something simple.
Our local club did a water test day once. Everybody (about 25 attendees) brought their test kits and we all tested the same water. Then we sent the water off to a professional test facility. The tests that we did varied all over the map. Even people using the same brand of test kit had some crazy differences in their results. But in general, the average of all the tests came fairly close to what the lab results were. We attributed it to differences between brands, between the age or lot of kits of the same brand and mostly to user differences.
Our local club did a water test day once. Everybody (about 25 attendees) brought their test kits and we all tested the same water. Then we sent the water off to a professional test facility. The tests that we did varied all over the map. Even people using the same brand of test kit had some crazy differences in their results. But in general, the average of all the tests came fairly close to what the lab results were. We attributed it to differences between brands, between the age or lot of kits of the same brand and mostly to user differences.
Emma1234
New member
Results of tests kits for CA and others
Results of tests kits for CA and others
Here is the update on my CA tests.
I bought a new Salifert test kit. Now I have two Salifert test kits. I have an API test kit. I have Red Sea test kit. And I have a Hanna checker.
The new Salifert test kit gave results consistent with API and Red Sea. The older Salifert test kit gave results that was over 150ppm lower than the API, Red Sea and the new Salifert test kit. The older Salifert test kit is giving readings of 300 ppm and the other three were giving readings of about 480.
The older Salifert test kit has an expiration date of 2019. So it should be good. But this test kit seems to be off (It is Sept 2nd, 2017).
I haven't mentioned the Hanna Checker because it has been very sensitive and erratic. Results are all over the place.
Now that I have a sense of the parameters. I think the CA is high. My test for ALK are low. I was dosing CA at a rate of 5ml per day. If CA is high is AK usually low? Maybe I'll cut back on CA dosing.
Thanks Ron and all!
Results of tests kits for CA and others
Here is the update on my CA tests.
I bought a new Salifert test kit. Now I have two Salifert test kits. I have an API test kit. I have Red Sea test kit. And I have a Hanna checker.
The new Salifert test kit gave results consistent with API and Red Sea. The older Salifert test kit gave results that was over 150ppm lower than the API, Red Sea and the new Salifert test kit. The older Salifert test kit is giving readings of 300 ppm and the other three were giving readings of about 480.
The older Salifert test kit has an expiration date of 2019. So it should be good. But this test kit seems to be off (It is Sept 2nd, 2017).
I haven't mentioned the Hanna Checker because it has been very sensitive and erratic. Results are all over the place.
Now that I have a sense of the parameters. I think the CA is high. My test for ALK are low. I was dosing CA at a rate of 5ml per day. If CA is high is AK usually low? Maybe I'll cut back on CA dosing.
Thanks Ron and all!
