Test kits

[reewik]

What is everyone having the greatest success with out there. i have to get some new test kits.

[fishdoc11]

The ones I have are:
Calcium - Seachem IMO a good kit and will last awhile
Alk/dkh - Salifert good, have heard the Merck is good as well
pH - probe I have heard salifert is hard to read and the Red Sea I used to use was .3 off so maybe someone else has an opinion on this one
NO3 Red Sea is good, Salifert on order
NH4 - Red Sea ok, Hagen ok
NO2 - Salifert have not used it yet, also have a Red Sea that is ok
PO4 - Red Sea ok, Salifert good but very hard to read

That's the basics. If you would like some old(expired but still work) Red Sea kits let me know.
Chris

[aquaman67]

The great thing about Salifert it that Habib (I think he's either the owner or at least works for Salifert) is on R/C so you can ask questions and register complaints that he can fix...

[Sir Knight]

I use Salifert test kits except for pH. For pH I use a pin point pH monitor. I just got some Hagen kits (Ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite) but after one use I will be going back to salifert. I guess I had to try something new.

[SRA4031]

How about Hagen on ALK. I have only tested once, and stopped when I got to over 200 since ideal is around 120, so I knew I was doing something wrong.

[Sir Knight]

The problem I have with that kit for Alk is that alk is measured either in dKH or meg/L, at least in saltwater. I don't understand 120 - 200. I think it means ppm ? In my opinion a Alkalinity test kit should give you measurements in either dKH or meg/L . Salifert does.

[SRA4031]

Yes it is parts per million.

The Hagen Ca test seems to be right on the money.

[gflat65]

I have Salifert for pH, NO2, NO3, NH4, PO4, Alk, and a Hagen Ca (will switch to Salifert when completed). The only issus I have is probably an issue with all test kits to some degree. Determining exactly whic rading to record. Honestly, these are the first test kits I have ever owned (after 8 years), so it may just be that there is an adjustment period for seeing things the way they are. I've very indecisive when it is close to two different readings. I know this is nit-picky, but... I have had no problems with the Salifert, though. They are very easy to use.

[SRA4031]

Problems I had with Hagen is it is hard to use, and the cap that comes with the vials do not even seal. First time I used it, I got solution on my hand cause of that, and it did burn. I have heard good things about Hagen, just have not seen it.

On the flip side, Dr. Fosters is sending me a SeaChem kit for Alk at no additional charge, so I will see how that is.

Who has Salifert?

[coralreefing]

I agree that Salifert kits are generally the best for the money. The best PH test I've used is LaMotte because it has liquid comparison vials so the colors actually match but a PH monitor is better if you have the $. For Ca Seachem & Salifert kits are both good & test the same but I tried a Hagan kit that said my Ca was over 600 when the other two read 425.

[aquaman67]

The Critter is supposed to start carrying LaMotte kits but I wonder how much they will be. THe Remora I paid $169 for they wanted $349...yikes!

[SRA4031]

Well I am planning on getting my tax ID number so I can get from distributor and sale retail part time. Right now I have been ordering from the cheapest place possible, but still low enough to charge a decent price even.

[Sir Knight]

I have two Hagen test kits that I made one test with. They are ammonia and nitrite kits. If anyone wants them I can bring them to the next meeting.

I will also be donating to the club to use as an auction item, two(2) bags of IO salt that will make 50 gallons of water each. This will be 100% of the auction funds to the club. I am sorry to say I still don't like this salt, but I know many of you do so to auction they go. I am going to be changing to Oceanic Salt. If everyone recalls I was one of the people that received a free sample and posted my analyzes a few months ago.

[freshwater]

folks , isnt salifert PO4 is hard to read. i mean the light blue color.
And which reading we need to take the phosphate or phosphate-phosporus. I just started using salifert after I finished my seachem po4 test kits. So having some problem comparing the color chart. Which is the best way to compare the chart

[cee]

LaMotte rules! Saliferts Ca I've had problems with them reading too low. Never tried to resolve it with Habib, though. Their Mg is OK, though (beats the LaMotte solution, which is measuring total hardness and subtracting Ca hardness). Only problem with LaMotte is you must do an unpublished (on their instruction sheet) for Alk to dKH or meq, but the conversion is straight-forward. The nice thing about LaMottes is that once you're over the initial investment, the refills are cheap, and after going through 2-3 refills, they become cheaper than the Saliferts. And no, I don't own stock in either company!

Dave

[coralreefing]

Where do you get the LaMotte kits? I don't know of anyone who sells them anymore.

[michaelmcl47]

You know?
To me this might seem like a dum question but,Why can't there be a good grade of testing chemicals that are all in one Kit.iodine,
Strontium & Molybdenum ,and Magnesium,etc etc.One master kit that can be refillible.