Water testing

Davidb6 · 02/01/2008, 12:26 PM

Can anyone recommend a place to send my water for testing? I use Salifert test kits but want greater accuracy.

bertoni · 02/01/2008, 03:51 PM

There are some very expensive labs that will can do very accurate testing. Some people have been using Aquarium Water Testing, but it's not known how accurate the testing procedures are.

Davidb6 · 02/01/2008, 04:40 PM

I heard AWT may not be very accurate in all areas. i.e. - nitrate, phosphate, etc

bertoni · 02/01/2008, 04:57 PM

That's possible. Some of the numbers have seemed a bit suspect, but that's hard to judge. For $34 per test parameter and up, a high-end lab could provide numbers, but that's fairly expensive.

nashorn · 02/02/2008, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Davidb6
Can anyone recommend a place to send my water for testing? I use Salifert test kits but want greater accuracy.

Why do you need greater accuracy?

Billybeau1 · 02/02/2008, 12:58 AM

What parameters are you most concerned with ?

I believe we get too caught up in the numbers sometimes.

If it's peace of mind you want, tell me what parameter you are concerned with and I'll recommend the best kit I know to achieve your goal.

virginiadiver69 · 02/02/2008, 12:40 PM

Billy, what would you recommend for Alk, Cal, Mag and Phos? Maybe even Nitrate and dissolved oxygen.

Billybeau1 · 02/02/2008, 01:34 PM

I like the Saliferts and Elos for Alk, Cal, Mag and PO4. Also API for general but accurate results. But API doesn't make a mag kit.

Nitrate, I like Salifert for low range and API for high range.

I don't test for dissolved oxygen.

02/01/2008, 12:26 PM	#1
Davidb6 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Western CT Posts: 731	Water testing Can anyone recommend a place to send my water for testing? I use Salifert test kits but want greater accuracy.

02/01/2008, 03:51 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 68,447	There are some very expensive labs that will can do very accurate testing. Some people have been using Aquarium Water Testing, but it's not known how accurate the testing procedures are. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/01/2008, 04:57 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 68,447	That's possible. Some of the numbers have seemed a bit suspect, but that's hard to judge. For $34 per test parameter and up, a high-end lab could provide numbers, but that's fairly expensive. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/02/2008, 12:40 PM	#7
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,453	Billy, what would you recommend for Alk, Cal, Mag and Phos? Maybe even Nitrate and dissolved oxygen. __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator

02/01/2008, 04:40 PM	#3
Davidb6 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Western CT Posts: 731	I heard AWT may not be very accurate in all areas. i.e. - nitrate, phosphate, etc

02/02/2008, 12:58 AM	#6
Billybeau1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dyer, Indiana Posts: 12,164	What parameters are you most concerned with ? I believe we get too caught up in the numbers sometimes. If it's peace of mind you want, tell me what parameter you are concerned with and I'll recommend the best kit I know to achieve your goal.

02/02/2008, 01:34 PM	#8
Billybeau1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dyer, Indiana Posts: 12,164	I like the Saliferts and Elos for Alk, Cal, Mag and PO4. Also API for general but accurate results. But API doesn't make a mag kit. Nitrate, I like Salifert for low range and API for high range. I don't test for dissolved oxygen.