Some advice please

[TriMax]

I have a Salifert test kit for:

Ammonia
Nitrites
Nitrates

I have a:

Ph meter
Digital thermometer
Refractometer

What else do I need? I ask because folks want to spend money on me for Christmas. Limit my wish list to items that are $50 of less, please.

I think that I will need test kits for phosphates and calcium. I do not want to just spend money cause they have it of course. Ha! HA!!

Thanks for the help.

 

[H@rry]

I think I would want a test kit for calcium and alk. If you get a calcium reactor I would forget the calcium kit.

 

[imsqueak]

I second Ca and Alk! But nothing will be more appreciated than an Auto-top-off (if you dont have one already). If you plan on running Kalk in your ATO you can have my DIY Kalk reactor if you want it. It needs a mag5 on a timer to stir the kalk. If you plan on doing heavy SPS the Kalk reactor will help supplement whatever other form of Calcium additive you use. With your water volume, you are going to need all the help you can get to keep Ca up (inexpensively)

 

[cee]

I wouldn't go with Saliferts on the Alk and Ca as they've been having quality control problems as of late. I really like the Elos kits, but they're hard to get. The API Alk is good, but don't know if they make a Ca kit. Also, if you're going to keep SPS, you'll eventually want a Mg kit. However, if you're not going to set up for awhile, I wouldn't get any as the reagents are only good for about a year depending on what the kit measures.

Carbon, a phosphate reactor, a good mag cleaner, RO/DI supplies, etc. can all be had for $50 or less and you'll probably eventually want them all. More salt never hurts, either.

Dave

 

[TriMax]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Eddie

 

[fishdoc11]

Good advice above If I had only 2 test kits they would be Ca and Alk FWIW.

 

[EvilMel]

I had only Ca and Alk and had to add a Magnesium kit because the substance I was using to add Ca and Alk also jacked my Mg up through the roof. So as Dave suggested, I would go with Mg as well if you are getting Ca and Alk.

But I also agree that you shouldn't buy these things until you have a need as they go bad.

What about something like a gift certificate to an online fish vendor? Salt (oops...just noticed Dave said that one too)? Auto-top off sounds like a good idea (though I will never use one myself).

If you can get a couple of people to get together and get you some online vendor gift certificates, like to My Reef Creations or someplace, then you could get a calcium reactor. I will never have another decent-sized tank without one.

 

[ct_vol]

I'm loving my Hanna Low Range Phosphate meter... But its more of a luxury than anything else... I think it was Garry's sick joke in lending his to me... Just had to have one after playing with it a bit...