best reef test kits

[alexkimball81]

Looking to find a good test kit for a reef aquarium

[MARINECRITTERS]

Salifert, Elos, Hanna checkers.

I personally use salifert.

[bertoni]

There are lots of reports on test kits, and no agreement as to the best brand. I've been successful with IO and Salifert kits, and I've used Hach for phosphate, as well.

[Bilk]

The ones that work. Well someone had to say it :)

[noy]

my personal experience

calcium - red sea or salifert - I have the hanna meter and I'm not a big fan - the very low quantity of test sample (0.1ml) makes me weary about accuracy and I've had lots of issues with bad reagents
alk - all including api
magnesium - I've only used salifert - works great
phosphate - Milwaukee meter - not bad - the salifert kit is not good for low levels
nitrate - salifert or red sea - I've also used sea chem and its only good for very low levels (1-10 ppm)

[firebirdude]

I'll go ahead and put myself out there. I don't obsess over the exact number. Some of the tests we do are yes/no tests (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate for example) anyway and just about any kit can cover that. API is fine for that. Cheap and easy to use. And if API can get me even a close number to everything else, that's good enough for me. Obsessing because you can't tell if the calcium is 360 or 380 is pointless. If the test normally says 360-380 and all of a sudden you're reading ~280, ok, there's a problem you need to address. Same for pH. If you're upset because you can't tell if the color is 8.0 or 8.2, who cares. You can easily see if the color was 7.4 or even 7.6. The test kit is close enough. Worry about stability more than the exact specific number to the 10th decimal place.

[tmz]

Opinions vary. .
I like and use:

API or Salifert for ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.

A Hanah 713 colorimeter or Salifert test kit for PO4.

Salifert for calcium, magnesium and potassium.

A digital display refractometer for salinity and a conductivity meter. .

A pinpoint monitor for pH.

[Drew11]

i'll go ahead and put myself out there. I don't obsess over the exact number. Some of the tests we do are yes/no tests (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate for example) anyway and just about any kit can cover that. Api is fine for that. Cheap and easy to use. And if api can get me even a close number to everything else, that's good enough for me. Obsessing because you can't tell if the calcium is 360 or 380 is pointless. If the test normally says 360-380 and all of a sudden you're reading ~280, ok, there's a problem you need to address. Same for ph. If you're upset because you can't tell if the color is 8.0 or 8.2, who cares. You can easily see if the color was 7.4 or even 7.6. The test kit is close enough. Worry about stability more than the exact specific number to the 10th decimal place.

+1

[Dankrencisz]

+1

+1

[redfishblewfish]

I'll go ahead and put myself out there. I don't obsess over the exact number. Some of the tests we do are yes/no tests (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate for example) anyway and just about any kit can cover that. API is fine for that. Cheap and easy to use. And if API can get me even a close number to everything else, that's good enough for me. Obsessing because you can't tell if the calcium is 360 or 380 is pointless. If the test normally says 360-380 and all of a sudden you're reading ~280, ok, there's a problem you need to address. Same for pH. If you're upset because you can't tell if the color is 8.0 or 8.2, who cares. You can easily see if the color was 7.4 or even 7.6. The test kit is close enough. Worry about stability more than the exact specific number to the 10th decimal place.

A BIG +1 (or should I say +3 since I'm the third)

That being said, I like Red Sea Pro kit for the three amigos....alk, calc and mag. The chemistry is similar to other kits (as firebird sumarized...it gets you in the ballpark), but what sold me was that mixing / syringe thing. Makes the additions easier. My only complaint with Red Sea.....make the syringes so the number you read is the number you use instead of doing the 1 minus whatever the reading is.

[gigabyte]

red sea reef foundation kit (cal, alk, & mag), and hannah for phosphate. the like the red sea pro kit because they sell refills for it.

[Fishyoga]

I've used API master kit for pH, Nitrite, Ammonia, and Nitrate
Hagan for PO4, Ca, and KH
Elos for Mg

Haven't had any problems using any of these kits, but at the same time, I've haven't seen much change in readings.

Do the steps or chemical reagents differ from one test kit to another?

I just know that reading the instructions carefully is everything. Did my testing today, and panicked because my KH level cratered in just the last few days. Then realized I was looking at the chart for GH :headwally:

[Napoleon I]

For ammonia and nitrite the cheaper ones sold at petco in the dropper bottles are fine. I forget the brand.
For Nitrate I LOVE the RedSea kit. Having the little wheel with two bottles to look thru makes it very easy to know exactly what you have. It also covers a very wide range and will accurately read below 1ppm.
For Ca, Alk and Mag again the Red Sea kit is my favorite. Very easy to use and the results repeat and match other kits I have compared it to within reason.
Now getting it all back in the little plastic box it comes in takes a bit of learning. Tip - Make sure the empty space in the lid where there is not a bottle needs to line up with the side of the lower box without tall bottles in it.
I have a SeaChem Iodide kit that I will give away if someone wants to come and get it. I could never even get the sample std they sent to read anywhere close to what it should be. And it is very complex test kit to use. I hate it. Same with the mag kit SeaChem sells. But at least the mag kit works.

Jeff

[Eric45]

Salifert PO will not measure low levels - below .1 or so. I've found elos PO to be pretty sensitive at very low levels...03 - .008 or so.

Salifert Alk and CA are great, but expensive.

Salifert Nitrate is fine but should not be used after it expires. It will often show zero nitrate even though there is plenty in the tank.

The Hanna checker I had (ULR) had readings all over the place, never repeatable and very frustrating. Don't know if it was that particular checker or not, but I could never rely on it.

[nlgill13]

API for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate

Red Sea Pro Alk, Cal, and Mag

Hanna for phosphates