Best testing kit advice ?...Some make it so hard

j007dreamer · #1 12/19/2007, 10:32 AM

I was wondering if i can get advice as to what testing kit is the best. Some of the ones i have used in the past offer very little in the way of accuracy.

I mean really who can tell sometimes if the water is a light shade of pink or maybe a little lighter shade of pink.

I want a large kit that will test for everything and hopeful make testing no so painful ....

Any advice

Coderabit2 · #2 12/19/2007, 10:34 AM

What test kit do you currently have and what are you testing for?

landlord · #3 12/19/2007, 10:35 AM

AWT will test for everything. For a price, of course. Again if no muss no fuss is what you are looking for there are options out there.

FWIW --landlord

goreefer · #4 12/19/2007, 10:36 AM

Over all I think that the Salifert test kits are still the best, most accurate, and the easiest to read.
I know that lately they have been beat up here on RC, but that may be just one of millions of apples.
I have never had any problems with their tests, and have been using them for many years.

j007dreamer · #5 12/19/2007, 10:46 AM

I am currently using instant ocean test kit but was looking at a Hagen Master test kit

What is AWT and FWIW ?

dendro982 · #6 12/19/2007, 10:53 AM

What you already tried?
I, personally, started with 5-in-1 stripes, then Nutrafin, then - Seachem Reef (white boxes), dissatisfied, moved to API and checked one of them by Salifert.

Prefer API for easiness, reliability, and price.
But had 3 cases of necessity to buy another kit: unbelievable readings by new kit. Twice - NO3, and once - Ca.

Salifert is more inconvenient in use, and one have to take result on faith (as with all kits without reference solution).

Seachem (white plastic boxes) has refernce solutions, but takes a lot of time to use, and results become different from reference date in half of year, storage was in non-drastic conditions.
Seachem blue boxes - this is exactly, what you described: play of shades from slightly pink - to light pink - to ligh pink-pink.

landlord · #7 12/19/2007, 10:59 AM

Aquarium Water Testing .com

For What its Worth

scouncil · #8 12/19/2007, 11:05 AM

A bit pricey and you have to send your sample off somewhere (i.e. not quick, fish might be dead by the time your test comes back). I'd like a nice test strip thing too with the colors listed for the strip values. I can never tell light pink from somwhat lighter pink either. Drives me nuts.

What is API?

Nanz · #9 12/19/2007, 11:10 AM

For simplicity and cheap I would go with API. But if your using API use the first sign of endpoint. For Example.. When you do the Alk test the Color will be Blue --> Green --> Yellow. I use the first endpoint (Green) because that is the best accuracy I have had with the kit. I actually work as a technician at a souil lab and do titrations every day. I ran a sample through our Lab to compare results and this is what I came up with. My API tests read almost perfect if I went for the first change in color. Its dramatic.. You can't miss it unless your blind.

As for Accuracy I would use Salifert. They have their problems with their Alk kit reading too high but other than that I love their Ca and Mg kit. I ran a sample through our ICP spectrometer at the lab and my Ca came within 2ppm of what I got using their kit and my Mg came within 64ppm which is not bad considering Mg is rough to test because the results vary.

I had a rough time with Seachem's testkits. I really like their products but their testkits are difficult to read and perform.

For a high quality Alk testkit try Lamotte. They have a very accurate Alk testkit but they are more expensive

scouncil · #10 12/19/2007, 11:27 AM

I guess that there aren't any good dip and test stripes (like at a doctor's office for urine testing) with several different measures on it?

They don't sell the Salifert tests in bundles (buy 3 or 4 for a cheaper price anywhere) and what are the tests that I'm going to have to have, if I only could get 3 or 4 tests with Salifert?

Nanz · #11 12/19/2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scouncil
I guess that there aren't any good dip and test stripes (like at a doctor's office for urine testing) with several different measures on it?

They don't sell the Salifert tests in bundles (buy 3 or 4 for a cheaper price anywhere) and what are the tests that I'm going to have to have, if I only could get 3 or 4 tests with Salifert?

I would get the API(Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) for NO3, NO2, NH3, pH. Once your tank finishes cycling these tests don't neet to be performed as much. Maybe once or twice a month. They are easy to read and cheap. They also come as a complete set.

For the rest of the tests you need accuracy so that you don't overdose your tank. Ca, Alk and Mg.

You could get a Ca and Alk from API but they won't be as accurate as Salifert. Salifert is correcting a problem with their Alk kits and hopefully they will have new ones on the market soon. Until then you could just use the API kits since they are cheap. They are also very easy to perform.

As for Mg I would try to find a Salifert kit. I know Aquabuys.com has them but they may be out now. I bought one there last week.

Lucky-rc · #12 12/19/2007, 12:40 PM

Yup that is what I do...I have A.P. tests but I only use them if something is outta wack, Once a week I dip a 5 in 1 strip in my tank (made by Mardel). If everything looks ok I go on But if somethng is not right I conferm it w/ my A.P. liquid test.

If you watch (stare at) your tank and critters all the time like me you can usually tell if somethings not right, either the activity in your fish or your polyps will usually tell you if your test strip is no good.... I have cought some levels by watching them, (my critters) before they were far enough out of wack to tell by a test kit.

Lucky

scouncil · #13 12/19/2007, 12:45 PM

Thanks Nanz!!