Silvergryphon
Member
What testing kits would you recommend? I'm looking for a kit, or a collection of test that are accurate, but aren't going to hurt my wallet too hard.
Testing kits
- Thread starter Silvergryphon
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whiteshark
Active member
Well even though they don't sell a kit as far as I know, I really trust salifert. Easy to use and obvious color changes take the guess work out of color matching.
I have heard some good things about the red sea kits.
I have heard some good things about the red sea kits.
downbeach
New member
Red Sea Reef Foundation Pro for your Ca, Mg and Alk. Tropic Marin for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and pH.
Refractometer for your SG, and calibration solution to keep it accurate.
Do you have an RO/DI unit for your water?
Refractometer for your SG, and calibration solution to keep it accurate.
Do you have an RO/DI unit for your water?
whiteshark
Active member
Not to get off track here but how would you say the Red Sea kits compare to Salifert? I mean, the price difference isn't too great.
Enseye85
New member
The Red Sea Reef Foundation Kit works great. It's very accurate, but you still have to develop a bit of a discerning eye, especially with Alk, to notice the color change. They supply a really handy means for titration with the kit as well. I only use the Salifert Nitrate kit, so I can't give much of a comparison. Nobody mentioned phosphate yet, but go with the Hanna Checker. The digital results really take the guess work out.
coralsnaked
New member
The PO4 Colorwheel by RS Pro or a Hanna meter
DanangMonkey
New member
This is a subjective question as people will usually list the "most" expensive test kits as "the best".
I started out with API, then switched to Salifert, now have switched back to API for my most common tests. Perhaps Salifert and some others are slightly more accurate, but we aren't doing brain surgery or DNA lab testing and it doesnt justify the expense IMO. I tried to compare the two kits side by side using sterile conditions (as much as possible without an autoclave) and didn't see that much of a difference.
I worked in a lab for many years and the accuracy of any test is HEAVILY dependent on a sterile/stable testing environment, and a precise and consistent (to the extreme) testing protocol. Most people testing in a home environment (myself included) are faily sloppy with sterilization of the collection and test containers. Residue from previous testing will often render a ballpark result as far as accuracy negating the precision of the expensive test kits. IMO its better to get a baseline of what is normal and look for deviations by good record keeping, the lower priced test kits (not the strips) are fine for that.
Again, I'm not knocking those that prefer the higher priced kits which are technically superior. Just wanted to provide another opinion of needed/resulting accuracy vs value.
I started out with API, then switched to Salifert, now have switched back to API for my most common tests. Perhaps Salifert and some others are slightly more accurate, but we aren't doing brain surgery or DNA lab testing and it doesnt justify the expense IMO. I tried to compare the two kits side by side using sterile conditions (as much as possible without an autoclave) and didn't see that much of a difference.
I worked in a lab for many years and the accuracy of any test is HEAVILY dependent on a sterile/stable testing environment, and a precise and consistent (to the extreme) testing protocol. Most people testing in a home environment (myself included) are faily sloppy with sterilization of the collection and test containers. Residue from previous testing will often render a ballpark result as far as accuracy negating the precision of the expensive test kits. IMO its better to get a baseline of what is normal and look for deviations by good record keeping, the lower priced test kits (not the strips) are fine for that.
Again, I'm not knocking those that prefer the higher priced kits which are technically superior. Just wanted to provide another opinion of needed/resulting accuracy vs value.
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whiteshark
Active member
I have cheap kits that I use for the cycle. SERA I think they're called. All I needed to see there was that Ammo went up, then down. Nitrites went up then down, then there were nitrates present. So I agree there. No need to get super expensive kits for those parameters.
However, for the "big 3" as I call them (Alk, Mag, Ca), I prefer Salifert because there is no color comparing. It's so obvious when the color changes that you don't have to guess what shade of cyan you're at. I haven't used the Red Sea kits though so I can't comment on them. I have used Seachem, API, and various other kits and I wouldn't recommend anything other than Salifert from what I've used and it has nothing to do with the price.
However, for the "big 3" as I call them (Alk, Mag, Ca), I prefer Salifert because there is no color comparing. It's so obvious when the color changes that you don't have to guess what shade of cyan you're at. I haven't used the Red Sea kits though so I can't comment on them. I have used Seachem, API, and various other kits and I wouldn't recommend anything other than Salifert from what I've used and it has nothing to do with the price.
downbeach
New member
I did a cost/accuracy comparison a couple years ago(11/21/11), using the Red Sea and my Salifert kits, here is a copy/paste from that post. I re-tested about 8 months later(7/7/12)
Salifert, Ca, Mg and Alk kits total: $61.20
# of tests/cost
Ca = 50 @ $ 23.40/kit....... $.48 ea./per test
Mg = 50 @ $ 24.30/kit....... $.49 ea./per test
Alk = 100 @ $13.50/kit...... $.14 ea./per test
Red Sea Reef Foundation Pro Kit: $49.99
# of tests/cost (using refill costs)
Ca = 75 @ $13.00/refill ..... $.17 ea./per test
Mg = 100 @ $12.00/refill.... $.12 ea./per test
Alk = 75 @ $12.00/refill...... $.16 ea./per test
There is a real cost savings with the Red Sea kits. But, how did they test out as far as accuracy?
I've done three sets of tests now over the last three weeks.
Salifert
Week 1 Ca = 410 Week 2 Ca = 400 Week 3 Ca = 420---7/7/12 Ca =410
Week 1 Mg =1350 Week 2 Mg =1340 Week 3 Mg=1340-7/7/12 Mg =1350
Week 1 Alk = 8.6 Week 2 Alk = 9.3 Week 3 Alk = 8.9 --7/7/12 Alk = 8.6
Red Sea Pro
Week 1 Ca = 400 Week 2 Ca = 390 Week 3 Ca = 410 ----7/7/12 Ca = 400
Week 1 Mg =1360 Week 2 Mg =1350 Week 3 Mg = 1350 -7/7/12 Mg = 1350
Week 1 Alk = 8.4 Week 2 Alk = 9.0 Week 3 Alk = 8.7 ----7/7/12 Alk = 8.5
I think the numbers speak for themselves. I will continue to monitor these tests until my Salifert kits are used up.
The one caveat here is that the Red Sea kit calculation is determined by taking your end point reading from the plunger in the syringe and deducting it from the 1mL you started with, to determine how much of the titrant was used, i.e. if the reading on the syringe is .37 you used .63, which is the number you need to determine your reading. It isn't hard, but you have to do the math, and I see it as an area for potential human error. The Salifert kit just gives you the reading without the user having to do any additional calculations.
whiteshark
Active member
Sounds like I'll have to give the Red Sea a try when these kits are used up. I didn't realize they had so many more tests. So they work essentially the same way? Just adding drops until the color changes? How obvious are the color changes?
downbeach
New member
Very similar, here are some demo's:
Ca
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfkMMj7eM2Q
Mg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NSGs6j-iXg
Alk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnGJe4WeNxQ
for me the Red sea kit is great and refillable. cal, alk & mg.
However I prefer the MG test of salifert. Salifert ALK & CAL are very good too.
I love my Hanna ultra low phosporus checker better than the regulare phosphate.
I use salifert for nitrate/nitrite and ammonia, but after the cycle I rarely ever use these.
However I prefer the MG test of salifert. Salifert ALK & CAL are very good too.
I love my Hanna ultra low phosporus checker better than the regulare phosphate.
I use salifert for nitrate/nitrite and ammonia, but after the cycle I rarely ever use these.
DanangMonkey
New member
This method seems to work, no waiting or cleaning of test tubes required:
