what test kit do you use?

mario4254

New member
im looking for a test kit for CAL and ALK that doesnt require me counting drops and waiting or water to change color. Is there something easyer to get more accurat results without worry of what angle you hold the bottle of if the color is blue already? the test i use now are made by aquarium systems. is there maybe something out there similar to amonia, nitrate test that you just compare water with a color chart? thanks for any advice mario
 
There are the API & the Salifert......But Both will have you waiting a few seconds for the outcome.

Just asking....... AND THIS IS NO DIS.......How Busy are you that 10....to....15 Seconds to find out the reading.....is going to Screw up you entire day...... ???

I test everything...every day......20 Minuets
 
im not so much woried about counting as much the right angle and all drops to be the same and that the most frustrating part for me is the color change from purple to blue never really sure .....there must be a better way
 
Ya i test everything almost daily. I also keep 2 note pads. 1 for daily things that get done and to track my testing results. The other is for chemical properties, eating habits...ect for live stock and tank quality. These allow me to go back through when i have issue's and see whats changed, sometimes i dont even remember what i just said so i tend to write things down. Regular testing and keeping track of those and making sense of them is important. i dont find it takes more than 20 min and i enjoy the time. Although i can imagine a number of people reading this and saying that it would suck the fun out of it....
 
The salifert tests for CA and Alk are quite easy. You don't have to count the drops, just keep dropping and swirling until the color changes and then read the volume used on the syringe. I agree that Lamotte is probably the most accurate test out there, but they are more expensive and I think more difficult to use.
 
in the long run, at least no more expensive than the others since you can order reagents separately. Once you've used them a few times it's routine. I also like glass vials that don't fog up over time from the reagents, and sturdy boxes to keep things secure and unbroken. but like I said, that's me. you're right that initial cost is more
 
Color blind persons have trouble with color changes

Color blind persons have trouble with color changes

I use Salifert tests for my reef. BUT, my husband is red-green color blind (as are 11% of the male population), and he has a rough time with seeing the color changes. So I do all of the testing as my color-acuity is fine.

Are there any accurate meters yet that you just dip
the probe into the water and it gves a reading?
 
I've always used the Tetra master kit. PH, KH & nitrate was really the only ones though. If coralline is growing, no need to test for calcium. Algae, I'm guessing there is phosphate.

You can get lost in those numbers if your always testing. If it looks good, don't bother.

JMO.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14135653#post14135653 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mario4254
im not conserned with time but the accuracy of the test :)

You might want to try Tropic Marins ALK kit.

Still a "color-change" kit, but the color changes from neon-green to bright orange when you hit your ALK number - so the change is super easy to detect.

Plus, the alk kit is under $10 and works very well IMO as far as accuracy 9comes with a syringe to measure your test sample precisely vs. just a line on a vial like some other lower cost kits
 
I just gave up trying to test my mag, calk and iodine tonight using red sea kits. To damn confusing to me. I used more than what its calling for and still didnt get "blue".

Maybe Im just dump but Ill just take it to the LFS once a week.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14138016#post14138016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eyeguy
The salifert tests for CA and Alk are quite easy. You don't have to count the drops, just keep dropping and swirling until the color changes and then read the volume used on the syringe. I agree that Lamotte is probably the most accurate test out there, but they are more expensive and I think more difficult to use.
what color start and finish with CA abd ALK
 
Ca starts red and goes blue. Alk starts blue/green and goes purple. even if the final color isn't an exact match you can tell within a drop or two when the color really changed. Easy to see when you've gone too far as well. If you want to be accurate, and get practice at the color analysis, go too far a couple times, noting at what reading the color was doing what. Then go back and test again, noting when the color nailed the change. You'll get good at it in no time.

That's with LaMotte, BTW
 
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