Which Test Kit?

mksalt · #1 12/03/2007, 10:52 AM

I need to buy new PH and Alk test kits. Which brand s are the best right now? I’ve heard good and bad about Salifert. Are they over their inaccuracy problems?

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

PSam · #2 12/03/2007, 10:54 AM

Seachem sells a kit that comes with both ph+ alk, it's decent and easy to use. Two birds with one stone. If looking for a little higher end, I'd get LaMotte for kH. Elos kits are fine. API is fine for kH + pH as well.

Zifer · #3 12/03/2007, 11:12 AM

get Salifert! best you can get!

bertoni · #4 12/03/2007, 03:38 PM

I've had good results with Salifert and Instant Ocean test kits. There have been some reports of problems with the Salifert alkalinity tests lately.

mksalt · #5 12/03/2007, 04:41 PM

I’ve heard about the issues with the Salifert alkalinity tests. Trying to figure out if that out dated news or something that is currently a problem.

bertoni · #6 12/03/2007, 07:22 PM

I am sure some of the test kits in question are still for sale at some vendors. Getting old stock out of circulation is not trivial, I suspect.

HDAlien · #7 12/04/2007, 01:20 PM

I'm using API for NO3, CA, and dkh right now. Salifert otherwise.

mg426 · #8 12/04/2007, 03:39 PM

I have not had any issues with any Salifert kits.

james37128 · #9 12/05/2007, 12:06 PM

I used 3 alk/kh tests the other day and these were my results.

Red sea - 2.2
Instant ocean - 4.0
API - 11 dKH (3.92)

SO this makes me believe that for a reasonable price IO and API are both good ALK/KH tests.

Salifert may be good, but there is a lot of controversy over these in the ALK dept. right now. And anyways, there is cheaper accurate tests, so might as well get those. Avoid the "is my salifert test one from the bad batch?"

But ALL red sea tests, STAY AWAY at all costs!!!

oct2274 · #10 12/05/2007, 01:56 PM

salifert kits have had a lot of issues lately. I got one of the bad alk kits which took a couple month before it got replaced and I also got a bad mag kit which i'm not even going to try to replace. I would highly recommend going with the elos kits if you want super accuracy. for cheap kits the api test kits are hard to beat and seem to be fairly accurate when i compare them to other kits.

james37128 · #11 12/05/2007, 03:42 PM

Bad salifert Mag kit... I haven't heard of this problem, is anyone else dealing with this?

oct2274 · #12 12/05/2007, 04:05 PM

ya, there were a few others that had reported it too. I do not believe it to be as wide spread as the alk kit. to verify mine was bad i got the seachem reefstatus kit which comes with a reference solution. The seachem kit matched the reference solution. then to be on the safeside i went to a local store and had them test, their salifert kit matched my seachem kit and again showed that my salifert mag kit was bad. the seachem kit is sorta a pain to use but has been accurate as far as i can tell.

edandsandy · #13 12/26/2007, 06:44 PM

Does anyone know what web site to go to to find out what batch of salifert is bad?
I tested with API & salifert today I got two totally different reading!

bertoni · #14 12/26/2007, 07:51 PM

I think if you look in the Salifert forum, the batch numbers are posted. How far apart were your test results?

edandsandy · #15 12/27/2007, 02:19 PM

API test results: 10 drops 179
Salifert test results: 15.7 5.6

mfp1016 · #16 12/27/2007, 04:02 PM

Pinpoint, more accurate, and can save you money in the long run.....

kdblove_99 · #17 12/27/2007, 05:07 PM

Yes all the salifert issues can be viewed in the salifert forum here on RC.

I love Salifert but i am very skeptical as of late.

heard many great things about the lamottes test kits