Test kits

[fishy888]

Which test kits are the most accurate these days? I will get an electronic ph probe but for now all the other tests need to be of the chemical type. Thank you.

 

[Timfish]

Good question! I haven't seen anyone compare the different test kits to standards in a long time. The comparisons I've seen don't really show much difference when done side by side. FWIW I use the following:

API - ALk, pH, calcium

Nyos - PO4, Nitrate

Elos - PO4

Red Sea - low range nitrate, magnesium

 

[fishy888]

Thank you. I will be filling the tank by the middle of next week so I want to get my test kits in hand pretty soon.

 

[DoUEvenReefBro]

I like the hanna checkers cause they make it so easy. I have the alk, phosphate, calc, nitrate (low and high range).

I also like the salifert tests. When testing hanna and salifert simultaneously for comparison they aren't took far off.

 

[billdogg]

I've used Salifert exclusively for over 30 years. Reasonably priced, easy to use, repeatable results.

And FWIW - I wouldn't waste a dime on a pH checker - it's a number that just does not mean all that much in a marine tank. Concentrate on Salinity, temp, Nitrate, Phosphate, and if you keep stony corals, Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium.

 

[Dan.]

Salifert for everything except alk, love my Hanna alk checker.

 

[fishy888]

Thank you all for the recommendations. The only reason I am considering a ph meter is for when I start Kalkaska dosing. It'll be a while before I get to that point. I suppose I could just check alk, cal, and mag. If I keep those numbers where they should be then ph should be where it needs to be. Please let me know if that logic is flawed
Thank you again.

 

[five.five-six]

Thank you all for the recommendations. The only reason I am considering a ph meter is for when I start Kalkaska dosing. It'll be a while before I get to that point. I suppose I could just check alk, cal, and mag. If I keep those numbers where they should be then ph should be where it needs to be. Please let me know if that logic is flawed
Thank you again.

When you start kalkwasser, you'll want a controller like apex which will have a pH probe.

I use salifert for everything for decades

Recently I've switched to Nyos for nitrate and Hanna for po4, it's only been a few years but I think I'll stick with these.

 

[Epicfly]

I use Salifert for Magnesium, Alk and Phosphates although the phosphate test is hard for me to read. I use API for Nitrates Calcium and PH. I also have a Milwaukee PH600 but even calibrated, it sometimes seems to be a few points off from the API and others it matches exactly, I just take an average of the two.