Test Kits....

[Idragslots]

What brand of test kits does everyone use? And why? I have a API saltwater master and was told by a tank maintainance guy that he sometimes gets a false reading from the API nitrate kit. I have some corals also and what other kits do I need to test for? KH, Phos and Cal? Any info is appreciated...

 

[Gboy66]

What brand of test kits does everyone use? And why? I have a API saltwater master and was told by a tank maintainance guy that he sometimes gets a false reading from the API nitrate kit. I have some corals also and what other kits do I need to test for? KH, Phos and Cal? Any info is appreciated...

I have api for fw and is is great. Youll need a reef testing kit for those

 

[Idragslots]

Anyone else have any input?

 

[NyteGTI]

What brand of test kits does everyone use? And why? I have a API saltwater master and was told by a tank maintainance guy that he sometimes gets a false reading from the API nitrate kit. I have some corals also and what other kits do I need to test for? KH, Phos and Cal? Any info is appreciated...

Shake the everloving **** out of that second nitrate bottle & then the tube and you wont get false readings.

I use all API test kits, FW, SW, reef(you need this) and love them.

 

[xxStLxx]

API is ok but the test are sometimes hard to decider between shades of green and red. Depending on tests. You need to be testing calcium, alk, magnesium, pH, iodine/iodide, phosphate and nitrate if you plan on running a reef. Calc should be around 420 but not to exceed 450. Alk should be between 8-11 12 is too high. Magnesium should be around 1380 but no lower than 1300 or higher than 1400. Iodide at .06 helps shrimp, snails and herms molt their shells. Phosphate should be at .03 and nitrate as low as possible.

I use the red sea pro test kits as they are super accurate. And they come in combo packs. A little more expensive but highly worth it. The next step up from this line of test kits would be the Hanna checkers but they don't have a complete line for every test yet.

 

[Nano Nick]

I used to use API but when all my fish died and I took a sample to my LFS and they tested the water with their JBL test kit the differences were amazing. API PH 8.0 - JBL 7.4 (hence fish deaths), API Nitrates 40 - JBL 10.

I think API are kack. Very hard to compare the colour to the colour chart. With JBL you get 2 glass things and you fill one with clear water and the other with salt water and solution. The clear one goes over the colour chart, the other over a white ring on the colour chart. Much much easier to read and I think much more accurate.

JBL

 

[xxStLxx]

Agreed, the API color charts suck and telling the micro differences in between shades I green, red and purple could be the difference in your overall tank. I've never hers of the JBL test kits but my LFS uses and I use the red sea pro test kits and their right on spot

 

[AquaRick]

Red sea kit easier to use than the API for nitrate? Just trying to find a better kit that has a color wheel (or another method) that is more distinguishable to use than APIs.

 

[xxStLxx]

Red sea has a dual kit called Algae control that has both phosphat and nitrate in the same kit. Or you can do them individually, But it uses a color wheel with one vial as your control water and the other that you tested. Each shade of color is different from the next so its very easy to distinguish the difference. The instructions are on one side of the laminated side and the results on the other. It can be used as bot a low and high range test for both phosphate and nitrate.

 

[AquaRick]

Good to know. Will be ordering that dual kit soon. Thanks!

 

[xxStLxx]

Not a problem. They also sell a kit call reef foundations that has Mag, alk and calcium and another called reef colors which has Iodine, potassium and Iron. I have the reef foundations, algae control and individual Iodine test kits.

 

[Idragslots]

I ordered the Red Sea Algae and Reef Foundations kits yesterday off of Amazon for $39.04 a piece, best deal I could find and cant wait for them to get in....

 

[xxStLxx]

Good deal. Once you get them in tell how it all works out and what you think of them. Read the instructions the first time through testing, cause there's a few details that are important as far as measurement. Also you can go onto YouTube and look up red seas page on there and they have instructions on how to test with each kit individually. This is the only company that I know o that's taken the time to make individual detailed video instructions for all of their tests.