What test kits to byuy??
- Thread starter jmccoya
- Start date
briansbelle
zoa collector :)
i use API and salifert test kits..
API for the PH, ammonia, and calcium and Salifert for the alk,TRITE, and TRATES.
hope this helps
belle
API for the PH, ammonia, and calcium and Salifert for the alk,TRITE, and TRATES.
hope this helps
belle
jiriki
New member
I used to use Elos until they changed their formula and did not update their instructions. I had not tested in months and decided to check my alk. I bought a new kit and tested it. It was extremely low. Around 6 I think. I worked it up to 8 and kept testing for the course of a few weeks.
I brought into Phishy to test as well as a cross reference. Turns out my alk was double. I was running around 16 to 18alk. The new formula uses 1 drop per dkh rather than .5 per dkh. The instruction card still indicated .5 dkh.
I now use Salifert for alk. It comes with a reference sample which I occasionally test to make sure the kit is still accurate. It's not as easy and straight forward as Elos but from a reliability standpoint (with the reference sample helping), I think it's better.
I have an Elos Ca kit and a Salifert kit. Both seem fairly accurate to me. The Tropic Marin kit for Ca/Mg is extremely difficult to use and I would not recommend it at all.
I brought into Phishy to test as well as a cross reference. Turns out my alk was double. I was running around 16 to 18alk. The new formula uses 1 drop per dkh rather than .5 per dkh. The instruction card still indicated .5 dkh.
I now use Salifert for alk. It comes with a reference sample which I occasionally test to make sure the kit is still accurate. It's not as easy and straight forward as Elos but from a reliability standpoint (with the reference sample helping), I think it's better.
I have an Elos Ca kit and a Salifert kit. Both seem fairly accurate to me. The Tropic Marin kit for Ca/Mg is extremely difficult to use and I would not recommend it at all.
RokleM
Premium Member
Are you sure you didn't get a really old kit jiriki? A while back (maybe a year or so ago) Elos switched from 1 drop = 1dkh to 1 drop = .5 dkh. Either you got a really old kit, they've gone back to the old style again, or parts of two kits got swapped in yours. I haven't purchased kits in a while, so no clue honestly.
Personally, I recommend people try out the LaMotte kits for alk. They are absolute rock solid from kit to kit, and extremely precise. It's $30 for the first kit, but just $13 for the reagent refills after that (which is all you need unless you loose the parts, break the vial, etc). I primarily use Elos for testing my calcium reactor.
Personally, I recommend people try out the LaMotte kits for alk. They are absolute rock solid from kit to kit, and extremely precise. It's $30 for the first kit, but just $13 for the reagent refills after that (which is all you need unless you loose the parts, break the vial, etc). I primarily use Elos for testing my calcium reactor.
jiriki
New member
The Elos alk kit I bought was about 6 months ago. It might have been swapped. The mixup definitely jacked some things up and killed a few things 
Of course, I probably should have been testing much more often... I would have noticed something was off when I got the new kit. I just assumed my alk had dropped like a rock.
Of course, I probably should have been testing much more often... I would have noticed something was off when I got the new kit. I just assumed my alk had dropped like a rock.
jiriki
New member
I did not contact them. I asked Phishy about it and they said their customer service has gone down... hence they are no longer carrying Elos test kits (at least that's what I understand. PM them if you want it officially).
Aaron did a number of tests to finally figure out the kit instructions were off. He tested my water twice, then tested his own water and repeated the test all over again with my Elos kit.
I purchased a Salifert kit and immediately used the reference solution to ensure it was accurate. I have been using it ever since. Once a month or so, I will bring in a sample to Phishy to retest. I figure they probably refresh their kits far more often than I do.
Just as a curious (do not mean to derail) note... most things my tank survived 18 Alk. Acros took it the hardest. STN from the base. My medium size Bali Green slimer and green metallic millie (not really an acro I think) both got fragged down to save the pieces. None of the LPS/Softies of any kind suffered at all. They all still look the same whether the alk is 8-9 or 18-20.
Birdsnest lost some color and some of the acros that did survive lost all their color such as the tricolor. They all just turned tan.
New additions also did not fair well. I lost 2 maximas within just a few days.
After fragging the slimer and millies, they continued to STN but by then, I had figured out the alk was way off. I spent about 3 or 4 weeks moving back down again by completely turning off the calc reactor and water changes. (Naturally, calc was rock bottom now but I did not test that as it was not as critical as alk).
The slimer and millie both recovered. The slimer looks like highlighter green again and the millies have over encrusted the frag tiles I use.
Aaron did a number of tests to finally figure out the kit instructions were off. He tested my water twice, then tested his own water and repeated the test all over again with my Elos kit.
I purchased a Salifert kit and immediately used the reference solution to ensure it was accurate. I have been using it ever since. Once a month or so, I will bring in a sample to Phishy to retest. I figure they probably refresh their kits far more often than I do.
Just as a curious (do not mean to derail) note... most things my tank survived 18 Alk. Acros took it the hardest. STN from the base. My medium size Bali Green slimer and green metallic millie (not really an acro I think) both got fragged down to save the pieces. None of the LPS/Softies of any kind suffered at all. They all still look the same whether the alk is 8-9 or 18-20.
Birdsnest lost some color and some of the acros that did survive lost all their color such as the tricolor. They all just turned tan.
New additions also did not fair well. I lost 2 maximas within just a few days.
After fragging the slimer and millies, they continued to STN but by then, I had figured out the alk was way off. I spent about 3 or 4 weeks moving back down again by completely turning off the calc reactor and water changes. (Naturally, calc was rock bottom now but I did not test that as it was not as critical as alk).
The slimer and millie both recovered. The slimer looks like highlighter green again and the millies have over encrusted the frag tiles I use.
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