Test Kit madness

tur4k

tur4k

Member
I just got a new Red Sea Foundation Pro test kit. It covers Calc, Alk and Mag. The results were way higher than what I was expecting after testing my water. I broke out my fairly new (exp 2018) Salifert Calc test kit. The results were significantly lower.


Red Sea Foundation:
Ca 500
dKH 12.5
Mag 1350

Salifert:
Ca 460

API (old kit. don't really trust)
Ca 420
dKH 10



Which do I trust?
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Trust no one!

I'd say salifert, since Red Sea and API have both been known to give inaccurate results.

If you want definitive answers, get it tested at a lab... like aquarium water testing dot com - warning, it's like $25 for two tests.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Hi,

What a pain in the back side...This is why I use Seachem, each test comes with a regent, to be able to double check to make sure the test is measuring correctly.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I prefer seachem as well over the other test kits that I have used in the past. If I question the result that I get, I always used the reagent. Worked for me as well.

Flower, at least you and I can agree on one thing - test kits! lol
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/396495/test-kit-madness#post_3532802
I prefer seachem as well over the other test kits that I have used in the past. If I question the result that I get, I always used the reagent. Worked for me as well.

Flower, at least you and I can agree on one thing - test kits! lol

LOL...You are such a Sweetie and so smart...Dan (my late husband) used say I used "Debbie logic" so my not understanding you, or seeming to oppose you, is not what you think. I tend to learn from experiences that I have had, and deduce from there. I'm sure that's why the ancients thought the world was flat. Knowing that I do that, and trying to stop it...also is why I read something, and stick to the letter of the word, as opposed to what a person may have "meant to say" which is why I often misunderstand you.

As for test kits, being able to double check the kit itself, is worth it's weight in gold to me after the API kit fiasco. I do feel bad the Original Poster has gone to such expense, and still isn't sure of the results. Those test kits are not cheap.
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
In our lab, where no living things are involved, we would never consider running any chemical assay without running a known standard to check our results. That carries over to when I test my tank water for anything critical - pH, calcium, sg and a few others. Standard solutions are relatively inexpensive, and are available at a few sites on the net. Things like ammonia I don't bother running a standard solution because the result should be zero, so I don't care whether it is a little high or very high, if it is there I have to take action.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeriDoc http:///t/396495/test-kit-madness#post_3532813
In our lab, where no living things are involved, we would never consider running any chemical assay without running a known standard to check our results. That carries over to when I test my tank water for anything critical - pH, calcium, sg and a few others. Standard solutions are relatively inexpensive, and are available at a few sites on the net. Things like ammonia I don't bother running a standard solution because the result should be zero, so I don't care whether it is a little high or very high, if it is there I have to take action.

+1


For ammonia, I use those cheap test strips, a long as it's 0 as it should be, that's all I need to know...
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
I despise test kits. I'm colorblind. So I have to nag my wife to be my eyes when I test. I've heard good things about some of the Hanna checkers. I ordered the alk checker to test it out. I'll compare it to the Red Sea and API kits that I used in my original post.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
tur4k,

Just letting you know that there was an article I read a few months back saying something about the accuracy of the hanna checkers are quite nice, but over time their mechanisms "wear out". Someone on RC stated that they had to replace theirs every 3-6 months to make sure they were getting an accurate reading. How "accurate" does it really need to be, is what I am wondering.
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
Got the alk checker today. I've only had the chance to do one quick test, but so far I love it. A quick and easy way for me to test alk without having to find someone that's not colorblind. I think I'll order the calcium checker. Haven't had a chance to compare the results to my other test kits yet.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Seems like all these results are within the accuracy of our hobbist test kits.
I do like the seachem having the check solutions though.
 
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