test kits (Was hagen test kits)

[Kurt03]

Are hagen test kits good enough to hold me over till i get salifert test kits? Im just starting my tank and i know salifert kits are the best but they cost double or more of hagen kits. So just wondering if the kits other then salifert are worthless. I have some crap test strips right now that dont have ammonia on them so i need something but dont feel like spending a fortune on test kits. Is there a cheaper alternative to salifert kits that are still ok? I do plan to get salifert kits when i can, just looking for a cheaper alternative for right now.

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

for checking ammonia and nitrite during cycle you can use those but for the rest i would go with salifert IMO

 

[Kurt03]

would this be a decent test kit to start out with instead of buying $100 worth of salifert?
http://bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19475;category_id=3111;pcid1=3233;pcid2=
Im looking for a test kit that isnt expensive but still gives decent results. Should i get the kit or just the few tests that i need and then get the salifert when i can?

 

[Kurt03]

also are the seachem ammonia alert things worth anything? Thought it might be a nice alternative to doing ammonia tests all the time and all you would have to do is look at it during your cycle.
http://bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19577;category_id=3233;pcid1=;pcid2=

 

[IvyInCanada]

parsifal

parsifal

I'm wondering if I should mail order Salifert tests too. I use hagen for my freshwater tanks, they're ok.

I have the seachem ammonia alert thing on my saltwater tank which is cycling and I love it. It detects as little as 0.02 free ammonia. It was about half the price of a hagen test kit (fish things are overpriced here), but I figure I look at it 40 times a day so I'd have gone through several test kits by now.

ivy

 

[hans1976]

I agree with kau_cinta_ku. Once you are done with cycling, switch to Salifert. You might want to order them now. It seems like most of the inexpensive places are pit of stock.