Test Kits

[cowboy99]

Hey everyone, what test kits would you say are the most essential for a reef aquarium?

[twon8]

when starting a tank, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate; once up and running i test for salinity with a refractometer, calcium and alkalinity, and magnesium once in a while. a phosphate kit is nice, but a decent one will cost you $90

[bertoni]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

That article talks about water parameters in general, and lists the critical ones. I test alkalinity, salinity, and pH the most frequently. Calcium and magnesium I test every couple months or so. Ammonia, phosphate, and nitrate test kits can be useful for diagnosing problems or judging suitability for various animals.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you have more questions after that article, just pop back. :)

[cowboy99]

Right now I am thinking about the following test kits:

Salifert pH

Salifert Ammonia

Salifert Nitrate

Salifert Magnesium

Salifert Calcium

Salifert Kh/ Alkalinity

[bertoni]

Looks like a reasonable set. You could consider getting a pH meter instead of a kit. They're more expensive, at least initially, but more flexible and easier to use, IMO.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree. I'm not a big fan of pH kits in general. The other choices seem fine. :)

[rrome]

I would advise on getting a phosphate kit. Salifert is about $17.00 from marine depot.

If you have to drop one from the list, I'd say drop Mg and get PO4 for starters.

I also agree on getting a pH meter

[cowboy99]

my final list of test kits to get:

Salifert:

ph
Kh/Alkalinity
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Calcium
Copper
Phosphate

I would like a ph meter but my budget won't allow it

[bertoni]

Copper kits tend to be useful only for medicating tanks. Magnesium might be a good choice.

[cowboy99]

so with a copper test kit I can't test freshly made saltwater and see if it contains copper?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree ditch the copper unless you use it as a medication and intend to dose a hospital tank to a fixed high concentration.

I wouldn't bother measuring nitrite in a normal reef aquarium:

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm

[cowboy99]

so ill ditch the nitrite and copper and add the magnesium test kit

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sounds good. Good luck. :)