About to hit "Buy" on a couple test kits, please double check me.

king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Im getting the:Seachem Multitest: Marine Basic Test Kit
Description:
SeaChem Multitest: Marine Basic Test KitThis kit combines the Marine pH & Alkalinity, Ammonia and Nitrite & Nitrate kits into one kit. (pH, alkalinity, free/total ammonia, nitrite, nitrate Multi Test Kit)
~This is a one stop basic test kit that is my "All in one" solution.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am also considering getting
Seachem Ammonia Alert™:
An innovative color device for continuously detecting and monitoring toxic free ammonia. A sensor changes reversibly from yellow to green to blue, relative to the ammonia concentration. No test kits, chemicals, or procedures are needed. The device detects less than 0.05 mg/L (ppm) free ammonia and alerts you to the #1 killer before any sign of stress. It lasts over a year and replacement sensors are available. Marine or freshwater use.
($6) Are these things cool or are they a gimick?
If so then I would assume that this is also a dumb purchase:
pH Alert Continuous Test
pH Alert is a unique color device designed to be placed in the aquarium or filter and monitor pH continuously. A sensor changes color reversibly to alert you shifts to in pH levels between 5.8 and 8.6. Freshwater Only. ($10)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also are there any recommended "all in one" reef test kits that do:
1)calcium
2)alkalinity
3)pH
4)magnesium
Or do I have to buy those individually?
If you think I am missing anything for testing my reef please let me know. Thanks.
 
culp

culp

Active Member

Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/2970667
Im getting the:
Seachem Multitest: Marine Basic Test Kit
Description:
SeaChem Multitest: Marine Basic Test KitThis kit combines the Marine pH & Alkalinity, Ammonia and Nitrite & Nitrate kits into one kit. (pH, alkalinity, free/total ammonia, nitrite, nitrate Multi Test Kit)
~This is a one stop basic test kit that is my "All in one" solution.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am also considering getting
Seachem Ammonia Alert™:
An innovative color device for continuously detecting and monitoring toxic free ammonia. A sensor changes reversibly from yellow to green to blue, relative to the ammonia concentration. No test kits, chemicals, or procedures are needed. The device detects less than 0.05 mg/L (ppm) free ammonia and alerts you to the #1 killer before any sign of stress. It lasts over a year and replacement sensors are available. Marine or freshwater use.
($6) Are these things cool or are they a gimick?
If so then I would assume that this is also a dumb purchase:
pH Alert Continuous Test
pH Alert is a unique color device designed to be placed in the aquarium or filter and monitor pH continuously. A sensor changes color reversibly to alert you shifts to in pH levels between 5.8 and 8.6. Freshwater Only. ($10)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also are there any recommended "all in one" reef test kits that do:
1)calcium
2)alkalinity
3)pH
4)magnesium
Or do I have to buy those individually?
If you think I am missing anything for testing my reef please let me know. Thanks.
PH alert wont work.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member

About $30.00
And

About $24.00
Or you could go singly with Salifert tests, real expensive though. The above will serve you well I think.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
I don't know anything about the API brand. I was told on this forum by a member that his neighbor/friend is a Marine Biologist who worked in a lab. According to him, SeaChem and Salifert were the two most accurate. I decided sea chem would be the better of the two routs since they are considerably cheaper than salifert.
How would I look up consumer reports on API and judge the reliability of them?
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
I use API "REEF" master kit is all.
Once your established you shouldn't get any nitrite/ammonia readings -- especially if you test 0 for nitrates :)
pH, Alk, nitrates, and calcium are about all I test for now with kits. Well have a meter for pH but I double check it with the kit but really hard to get accurate IMO.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
i have API and i don't like it. each time i test some thing it comes out as some thing different like ph. one time it will be 7.8 and ill test it again and it will say 8.3
 
astar250

astar250

Member
I had the API and just switched to salifert. With the API i was testing the calcium and it said i was at 480. With the Salifert it said i was at 420. API test said every thing was wrong the PH was alway low so i was adding a PH buffer. Salifert test came back 8.3. ALL my test for both where done at the same time.
 
tad

tad

Member
What is the shelf life on the testing kits?
And King did you get a chance to talk to your buddy about where he buys his stuff around the Porland area. Sorry about the highjack but I dont have PMing privleges yet
 
goodwin9

goodwin9

Active Member
Originally Posted by TAD
http:///forum/post/2971637
What is the shelf life on the testing kits?
And King did you get a chance to talk to your buddy about where he buys his stuff around the Porland area. Sorry about the highjack but I dont have PMing privleges yet

I'm not sure about SeaChem, but Salifert puts an expiratioin sticker on each of their kits.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
I'm not sure, but I have found old seachem boxes that were years old and tried them, and still got an accurate reading. So if there is a shelf-life, I'd say it's a long one.
I use seachem kits... they are pretty decent. Good balance of accuracy, ease of use, and price.
 
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