Definitive List of Best Test Kits

[The0wn4g3]

I've tried to keep up with which test kits are the FOTM, but I just can't seem to keep up with it all. Salifert was best, then it wasn't... Now I'm hearing API is good and Red Sea is bad... and so on and so forth. I need to restock my kits, but don't want to end up buying poor ones.
Can someone please post what test kits are best for testing each element?

ph -
CA -
MG -
ALK -
PO4 -
NO3 -
NO4 -

Thanks.

[jansenwrasse]

I would suggest Salifert for all of them.
Hach also make a fine test kit.

[einsteins]

I believe that Elos is the new Salifert.....

I have heard nothing but good things about the Elos test kits.

eins

[JRechcygl]

Hach is definetly one of the best but consumers can't really get a hold of them. Merck was also recommended to me by biologists but it is pharmaceutical grade and also nearly impossible for a consumer to get a hold of.

[coral diver]

I have been using Elos
Cal
Alk
Mag
and have not encountered any problem

[Billybeau1]

For pH I would invest in a pH monitor. A little money up front but more accurate and piece of mind down the road.

Calcium and Alkalinity, Salifert, Elos. Sera, API or LaMotte will all give you good results. Some will get you a more dialed in number that others, but still accurate.

Magnesium, these kits are the toughest with the most test noise. I like Salifert and Elos.

Phosphate, I like Salifert period.

Nitrite and Nitrate I like Salifert for low level testing but if your trates are higher than 20 ppm, API gives a better level for higher nitrate readings. :)

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12897488#post12897488 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JRechcygl
Hach is definetly one of the best but consumers can't really get a hold of them. Merck was also recommended to me by biologists but it is pharmaceutical grade and also nearly impossible for a consumer to get a hold of.

You can buy any Hach instrument you want online. The problem is you will pay over 200 bucks a pop and unless you are a real nut for numbers, it just is not worth it considering there are a number of hobby grade kits that do the job for our purposes. :)

[PSam]

i like
ph - monitor of sorts
CA - elos, salifert
MG - elos, salifert, seachem
ALK - elos, API
PO4 - DD Merck kit (if you don't go hanna).
NO3 - elos, salifert
NO4 - never tested for it

[Peter Eichler]

You couldn't pay me to trust my reef aquarium with a Salifert alaklinity test kit. I now had/have 3 of them, they're were all over the place as far as results and not a single one of them comes close to testing a reference solution correctly, even the new and "improved" kit. I've also seen wildly varying results with Salifert calcium kits. For those reasons I no longer suggest them and will no longer purchase them. Honestly, this is a problem with just about every test kit on the market designed for aquarium use, so you might as well save yourself some money and go with API. Especially considering some of them (alkalinity) are almost exactly the same as some of the more expensive kits. In fact, the Elos kit is virtually the same kit but you're paying 3 times as much and for less reagent.

So, that beinf said, API for alk and I just picked up an API calcium kit last week. As I run out of Salifert I will be getting something other than Salifert for those kits. Really, the only other kit I'll need is magnesium so I'll probably go with Elos since I don't care for the other options available.

P.S. There's really no reason to have a nitrite test kit as a marine aquarist. Also, phosphate is one of those that is a little pointless to test as well IMO.

[Billybeau1]

Well Peter, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. This is America right. :D

I have no problems with my Saliferts. If you do thats a shame.

Nitrite is good to test for when beginning a new tank so I would not say there is no reason to test for it. Helps to determine where your cycle is.

And not testing for PO₄ ?

I don't know about you, but my phosphate test tells me when my media is exhausted.

I'll keep using mine, thank you.

[The0wn4g3]

Hmm, so it seems either Salifert or Elos are the favorites.
I used the Merck PO4 kit when I worked at my LFS. It gave excellent results but $80 is just insane... So the Salifert has low enough precision to give useful results?

Also, is there anything the average non-chemist hobbyist can look for when shopping for test kits to tell which are good and which are not, or it more a trial and error thing?
Thanks

[USC-fan]

this has been done before.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1127554

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12899569#post12899569 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The0wn4g3
Hmm, so it seems either Salifert or Elos are the favorites.
I used the Merck PO4 kit when I worked at my LFS. It gave excellent results but $80 is just insane... So the Salifert has low enough precision to give useful results?

Also, is there anything the average non-chemist hobbyist can look for when shopping for test kits to tell which are good and which are not, or it more a trial and error thing?
Thanks

I do not have any problems detecting phosphate levels below .03 ppm with my Salifert kit.

Yes the Hach PO-19 is a much better instrument but it too has troubles at levels below .03 ppm. I think Randy will verify this.

As far as test kits, I say what ever you are comfortable with. Some people see colors better than others.

Some test kits give more refined results than others. Its just a matter of comfort for the aquarist. :)

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12899479#post12899479 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Well Peter, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. This is America right. :D

I have no problems with my Saliferts. If you do thats a shame.

Nitrite is good to test for when beginning a new tank so I would not say there is no reason to test for it. Helps to determine where your cycle is.

And not testing for PO₄ ?

I don't know about you, but my phosphate test tells me when my media is exhausted.

I'll keep using mine, thank you.

I'm not the only one that has had a lot of issues with Salifert alkalinity and had varying results with calcium (in fairness to Salifert calcium test kits are always going to be a bit iffy).

Yes, nitrite can be mildly useful during a cycle. But honestly, if your ammonia zeros out just wait another week if your're concerned that the tank isn't ready. That's probably good advice with or without a nitrite test kit.

For phosphate, I guess I look at it like if I'm getting a detectable reading I probably already know it from looking at the algae in the tank. Plus, I can't recall the last time I got a measurable reading of phosphate. But hey, that's just my take on it.