Test Kits vs. Electronic Monitors

[tbone28]

When do you guys use test kits, and when do you spend the money for a monitor?

In setting up my tank, I used the Red Sea kit. Now that I'm getting ready to add coral, I'd like something more accurate.

What test kits do you guys recommend?
When would you use a monitor instead? e.g. Pinpoint sells calcium monitors and nitrate monitors. Are they accurate? Worth the money?

[besl]

Ca is the only monitor I use as I have a Ca Rx. All other tests are done with kits. It depends on how ferquent you need to measure and the cost trade off of a kit versus a monitor. You should also consider the measurement accuracy and resolution of each as well as on going costs (e.g. calibration solution is usually inexpensive, but replacement probes can be costly).

[tbone28]

Do the probes need to be replaced regularly? Or only if I break them.

[hyperfocal]

I like the idea of electronic monitors, I just wish they had some datalogging or I/O capabilities. I can't see spending hundreds of dollars on electronics gear that doesn't plug into my computer :P

[tonyespinoza]

The other issue I've run into (I use a Lighthouse on my SPS tank) is that grounding can cause pH and ORP meters to be inaccurate. Even with my tank grounded, I still get very different readings (> 0.2 sometimes!) on my Lighthouse vs. a Pinpoint pH meter running on batteries.

So even if the probes are wrong or miscalibrated, they are still great for tracking trends (and by the way the Lighthouse does allow you to access graphs over IP). But it's good policy not to trust the probes absolute values in any case.

-tE

[vessxpress1]

I use a temp probe and a pH probe on a ReefKeeper 2. No probe lasts forever. If the probe goes bad on a cheap digital thermometer (which they can after just a few months) you pitch it. With this setup, I can at least replace probes. (Temp probe 15.00, pH probe 39.00)

Check (or even calibrate) your temp probe with a couple standard thermometers that match. I'm still using the original temp and pH probes after 1 year and 3 months. But I expect to replace them just for the sake of it, within the next few months.

I calibrate the pH probe every couple months and it still seems to be reading properly when checked with standard test kits. The readings make sense anyways.

It is very helpful being able to walk by the tank, look at the wall and read your temp and pH at any time.

As for nitrate monitors, you should have a way to keep your nitrates at 0 at all times, by fuge or media. It's a nice extra but I wouldn't see you needing to use it much.

Same with an expensive phosphate monitor. Once you have phosban, rowaphos, or something of the like in the system, your phosphates will remain low if not 0. I use a Deltec test kit and I don't test very often. There really isn't much of a point. With Rowaphos in the reactor, I get 0.008 ppm phosphate. And I change before it becomes an issue. How much will you use an expensive phosphate monitor besides maybe initial testing of media lifespan?

I've never owned one but I've heard the Ca monitors are a total pain to keep calibrated. As in, you almost have to calibrate them after every test to stay accurate. I have heard the argument many times.

I've found for the most part you can get by fine with test kits. Temp and pH are nice and easy to leave to the monitors.

Oh yeah, I bought a lux meter for my lights. Mainly just for fun. I haven't derived any scientific information from it but I can track bulb life a little better and compare setups.

[tbone28]

Thanks Tony. You're finding all my threads this morning, arent ya?!?!

[m2434]

Originally posted by hyperfocal
I like the idea of electronic monitors, I just wish they had some datalogging or I/O capabilities. I can't see spending hundreds of dollars on electronics gear that doesn't plug into my computer :P

There certainly are ones that do, however you may need to look outside of the hobby to find them and spend a bit more...

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I review the calcium monitor here:

Electronic Calcium Monitoring
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04/rhf/index.htm

Certainly, salinity and pH are well served by monitors, and are my preferred methods.

[tbone28]

Thanks for the link. Great article!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks and happy reefing.