Test Kits

[pjb9166]

Hi everyone.....

I'm new to this all over again. It's been 15 years since my last reef. Things have changed a whole bunch. I had a 29gal Hex hat was given to me. For about a year and a half I've had a Natural Planted Tank going.
That has been fun.

Well I first setup the hex as a seahorse tank. Well after playing doctor more than enjoying them, I lost all of them. What a heartache.

So I decided to get the proper lighting. Love the new LED thing going on.
I also got a bunch of live rock. A few corals and here we go.

Well my question is about test kits. I have always used API. Today I decided to do my own analyses on Red Sea Marine salt. I have a low requirement system for now so will be going to Red Sea Coral Pro when my tank has more demand for the higher levels.

Any way I mixed the salt per direction on package. I used a digital scale to scale out salt. I also am using R/O water.

I got

Salinity of 1.026+ So added R/O to dilute to 1.0255
Added a pint of water.
At that I got at 78.8 deg F.
PH 8.0-8.1
KH 9 dKH / 161.1 KH
Calcium 360 ppm

Bag of salt says

1.6 lbs in five gallons of R/O will yield.

Salinity 1.0255 / 33.5ppt
PH 8.2-8.4
Alk 7.8-8.2 dkh
Ca 410 pmm

My question is how far off are API test kits? Note* all test kits are far from expiring and brand new.
I also am using an Instant Ocean Hydrometer. How far off are these?

So what test kits do you all use and why? What are some of your examples and experiences?

Thanks
Paul

 

[Terrance]

API is not precise, but its a good ballpark figure IMO.
Hydrometer (if calibrated) can be reliable when used properly, but again its hard to be very precise with these instrument.

I use Red Sea test kit.

 

[shifty51008]

IMO API works good for cal, and alk for a quick read and like stated will get you in the ballpark.

if you want more precice readings then I would switch to:

calibrated refractometer for sg.
hanna, salifert, elos or redsea for alk
redsea or salifert, elos for cal. and mag
pH monitor for pH

I have used all them and like them all, right now I am running with the redsea reef foundation kit

 

[pjb9166]

Thank you Shifty and Terrance. I did see Red Sea test kit containing Cal, Alk and Mag for $39.00 on line. Kind of sucks. I just spent all that money on API products. I was just going to get the Salifert Mag test for $29.00. Can I get by on the API for now?

Thanks
Paul

 

[Terrance]

It might be harder for you to detect changes cal, alk, and mag levels. I bet there have been people who have done it though.

ballpark figures = easier to mess up
I would go even slower with adding corals if I kept using API kits.

 

[pjb9166]

It might be harder for you to detect changes cal, alk, and mag levels. I bet there have been people who have done it though.

ballpark figures = easier to mess up
I would go even slower with adding corals if I kept using API kits.

I only have one frag of stag, frog spawn, Zoos and a small rock with 5 mushrooms. I just switched over to using Red Sea salt. I did my first 5 gal water change with it. It should take me about 5 or six weeks to have my tank switched over from instant ocean to Red Sea. Now should I be supplementing Calcium, mag etc....
I am getting 2lbs of picking lime to make my own Kalkwasser. I will be doing drip method for makeup water.
what should I do for Magnesium? It's such a small tank should I just use a commercial premix brand and what do you suggest?.

Thank you for your time and help
Paul

 

[Terrance]

I use the BRS magnesium mix. A 1 gallon mix should last me well over a year at the rate that I'm using it for my 46g reef.

BRS = bulkreefsupply

 

[pjb9166]

well I decided to get the Salifert Mag test kit and I got a bottle of Kent Magnesium. Now I have a NTP tank and one of the supplements I use is Iodine from seachem. I wonder is I can use it in my reef?

 

[Terrance]

Only use iodine if you have a test kit for it. You would not want to overdose it.

 

[shifty51008]

Never dose anything to your tank if your not testing for it. Overdosing can do more harm than not dosing at all.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Take your hydrometer to somebody who has a refractometer and have them calibrate it. Then test some aquarium water with the refractometer and then with the hydrometer. Odds are the hydrometer will be wrong... maybe even quite wrong. So calculate the error and put a waterproof label on the hydrometer telling you the error rate. So the next time you use it you simply take your reading, either add or subtract the error rate, and you have your corrected number. You now have a 'calibrated' hydrometer and it will be just as good as most any refractometer without ever having to calibrate it again. Just take care of it and keep it clean as if it cost $40 rather than $5.

I've tested 2 hydrometers for over 3 years now and they still are in perfect 'calibration'. And for the record, I use one of them all the time and the other one sits on a shelf 95% of the time. I tested every 3 months for a year and now every 6 months for the past 2 years. People who say hydrometers are junk just don't know enough to calibrate them. They can be wildly inaccurate, even when new. But calibrate it once and you should be good to go for years.

As for test kits, they vary all over the park. Our club did a test and we found they are all about equal in terms of good or bad readings. The API kits have a bit 'broader' scale and can be called 'less accurate' because of that. But when my API says calcium is 420 or 440 and my Salifert or Red Sea test kit says 425 or 430... do I really care? And we found that within the same brand, results would vary by some pretty big numbers. I use API regularly and Salifert or Red Sea if I get a result that is outside of my normal reading or if I have some problem in my tank and I'm concerned it may be a water parameter issue. Every time I do the test with an API and the follow it with a Salifert or Red Sea test, they have always been pretty darn close. My personal belief is that human error and variations in testing techniques are a bigger issue than kit manufacturer.

 

[ptreef]

red sea and salifert! both easy to use. red sea is refillable. Both test very close to each other.
Hanna ULR phosphorus checker for PO4
The hanna alk checker is nice too

 

[pjb9166]

Thanks all for the advice.
As for the Iodine. I was just wondering if the Iodine I have for my Natural Planted Tank is the same Iodine "sold as reef tank Iodine" Then all I have to do is get a test kit not purchase more or different Iodine.

Thank you all for your advice again.
Paul

 

[shifty51008]

if you do regular water changes then there should be no need to dose iodine, and other people have also noticed no diffrence to their tanks weather they dose it or not.

 

[nynick]

Keep in mind that most trace elements are being "dosed" already. A lot of the stuff we feed our livestock contains more than enough of them. I run a lot of carbon so I dose one of those generic trace elements mixes at half the recommended dose. It is probably totally useless but for 8 bucks a year......

 

[Drae]

Kent magnesium won't do a thing. You'll dose that whole bottle to no avail. Also, for a hydrometer to work properly you HAVE TO SOAK IT IN VINEGAR AFTER EVERY USE. API works fine if you use it correctly, I run a rkl with lab grade ph probe and the API test just fine. I do own and use salifert though, way easier and precise scale.

 

[pjb9166]

Thanks all.............

Got my test kit and Kent mag. What a shitty box it came in. The plastic test vial is cracked and broken. What the hell was Amazon thinking shipping them like that. No packing material. My Mag tested over 1300. can't remember exact number, dKH at 11 and Ca+2 360. I made a batch of a quart of Kalkwasser. Dripping it slowly. I will do my dKH and Ca+2 test again when finished. Should I return the Kent product then. You know I have little demand in my tank right now. I bet with a good quality salt like Red Sea I'll be able to keep things in line.

Paul