Test Kit Question
- Thread starter djk1
- Start date
It all depends on how people view it.
When you are going to buy a car are you looking to buy a lemon or a car that will last you a long time and give you good results?
Stay away from the dip test kits, and others are hard to read/not as accurate.
As far as being good, Salifert (most kits are easy to read AND accurate) and Lamotte test kits top the list for people on RC.
I stand behind Salifert though.
Its just a simple test where the tube turns from blue/green to pink/red. Its not a test where you have to guess when it changes either. One drop it will be blue/green, and next drop you have your pink/red. Easy as 1,2,3 I'd say.
Stewie
When you are going to buy a car are you looking to buy a lemon or a car that will last you a long time and give you good results?
Stay away from the dip test kits, and others are hard to read/not as accurate.
As far as being good, Salifert (most kits are easy to read AND accurate) and Lamotte test kits top the list for people on RC.
I stand behind Salifert though.
Its just a simple test where the tube turns from blue/green to pink/red. Its not a test where you have to guess when it changes either. One drop it will be blue/green, and next drop you have your pink/red. Easy as 1,2,3 I'd say.
Stewie
I agree.. Go with Salifert test kits. Much more accurate then most if not all out there.
Hi djk1
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Eric,
Most of the major suppliers on RC carry them, as well as many LFS. I don't know who currently has the best price but you can shop around RC and compare. The prices probably vary from week to week.
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>
Eric,
Most of the major suppliers on RC carry them, as well as many LFS. I don't know who currently has the best price but you can shop around RC and compare. The prices probably vary from week to week.
ZoeReef
New member
As a newbie experimenting I tried theMarel '5 in one' dip sticks. I also have salifert kits. I had my wife do the '5 in one' and tell me what she thought they read and i compared them to my readings on the salifert. pH was off .2. But nitrite and nitrate were accurate.
I am thinking that these strips might be a very convient 'quick' look into what is happening..not so much for accuaracy but more as a 'you need to test further' type of indicator.
perhaps a newbie madness..
I am thinking that these strips might be a very convient 'quick' look into what is happening..not so much for accuaracy but more as a 'you need to test further' type of indicator.
perhaps a newbie madness..
I just ordered a pH meter:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7593465006
And, I got this refractometer:
S100ATC from
http://www.overoceanimports.com/index.html
And, I have to say that I am so thrilled with this item. It is worth every penny.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7593465006
And, I got this refractometer:
S100ATC from
http://www.overoceanimports.com/index.html
And, I have to say that I am so thrilled with this item. It is worth every penny.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
djk1, As much as I like most Salifert test kits, the ph kit leaves a little to be desired. Very hard to get a good reading on. For ph I bought a pinpoint monitor. Gives me ph to the 100th
For everything else Saliferts are a good bet IMO. I get mine at marinedepot.com
For everything else Saliferts are a good bet IMO. I get mine at marinedepot.com
vessxpress1
Premium Member
Saltwaterfish.com or ebay your best bet for good prices on salifert. Amazingly, the two LFS' around here don't carry a single Salifert test.
djk1,
I imagine an electronic system would get quite pricey. There's the Octopus x10(?) that takes pH and other electrodes, but I've been told it'll cost ~$1000 by the time you get all the probes. Even at that, it doesn't test for everything you need.
I guess comes down to a trade off between cost and time (as does most in life). Personally, I don't think it's worth it if I still have to spend 10-15 minutes performing the tests the system doesn't (and clean and replace the electrodes periodically). At that rate, save the money and spend the extra 10-20 minutes to perform the whole shootin' match manually.
I have seen some handheld pH, etc meters but they get pricey as well and still leave you needing test kits.
But if there was one system that monitored all chemicals, that's another story. I haven't seen one yet.
I imagine an electronic system would get quite pricey. There's the Octopus x10(?) that takes pH and other electrodes, but I've been told it'll cost ~$1000 by the time you get all the probes. Even at that, it doesn't test for everything you need.
I guess comes down to a trade off between cost and time (as does most in life). Personally, I don't think it's worth it if I still have to spend 10-15 minutes performing the tests the system doesn't (and clean and replace the electrodes periodically). At that rate, save the money and spend the extra 10-20 minutes to perform the whole shootin' match manually.
I have seen some handheld pH, etc meters but they get pricey as well and still leave you needing test kits.
But if there was one system that monitored all chemicals, that's another story. I haven't seen one yet.
