TEST KITS!!! I HATE THEM ALL!!!

jonnywater

jonnywater

Member
How do you know what test kits to actually use and trust. People will say 'oh this or that' but how do you know that one isnt wrong and another may be right. Take this for example. I hear good things about Salifert, expensive, but good. So i buy a calc and alk test kit. I get 440 on my readings and do everything EXACTLY according to the instructions. Then I take it to a new LFS down in the city and they use Salifert, they get 400. Then I take it to the usuall fish store that tests it (the ones that convinced me to buy the salifert test kits) and they get 490. WTH!!!!! Then i use my nutrafin test kit and it comes out at 540. Then someone uses a Seachem at another LFS and it comes out at 460.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
From what I've learned, the Salifert kits are the most reliable and many people on this board have mentioned that is what they use. You also have to factor in how old the actual test kit is, the re-agents (sp) aren't good forever
 
tomato clown

tomato clown

Member
I've noticed that from the time you leave the house till the time you get to the LFS or wherever, the water does fluctuate. Not very much, but when you factor in what Max mentioned it makes perfect sence that there will almost never be 2 readings exactly the same.
Even if you had 2-3 test kits right there, there is a slim chance they would show the same numbers unless they were all of the same batch number.
 
92protruck

92protruck

Member
me too! I am problems figuring out my pH. My old Salifert kit shows green btwn 8.0 and 8.3 sort of 8.2ish. It was getting empty so I broke out the new Salifert test. The new test is completely blue nothing like any color on the chart. The nearest would be 8.6. This would not be good and I just opened a new bucket of salt and thought the salt could be bad. So, I run over to a friends house and use his Aquarium Pharm. kit which shows 7.6. In a panic, I run to the LFS and they test it (behind closed doors) and said it was 8.2. So what heck???do you take an average?? I don't know how people keep from killing fish!
 
dfreeman64

dfreeman64

Member
as to ph go with a meter no test kits. like the others say, they all vary. stick with one-salifert- and track levels and dates on kits
 
H

havunen191

Guest
I believe that knowing your tank and sticking with one brand of test kit. Like said above no two will test the same. But the best test of all is your coral. The only time I test is when I see something wrong (not to often). I keep up on my water changes doing about 10% weekly, and clean and change filter media.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Originally Posted by Havunen191
I believe that knowing your tank and sticking with one brand of test kit. Like said above no two will test the same. But the best test of all is your coral. The only time I test is when I see something wrong (not to often). I keep up on my water changes doing about 10% weekly, and clean and change filter media.
Great for you that nothing serious has happened, but I see testing as something that simply has to be done on a regular basis. I'd rather be pro-active than reactive, just my style of doing things.
 
H

havunen191

Guest
Originally Posted by maxalmon
Great for you that nothing serious has happened, but I see testing as something that simply has to be done on a regular basis. I'd rather be pro-active than reactive, just my style of doing things.
Being faithful to your tanks up-keep and not over feeding and stocking as well as proper equipment. There should be no major issue's. Don't get me wrong there are times that I test like after adding fish or coral and every time I buy salt I test before it goes in the tank. By all means am I saying not to test. Just saying stick with one no two will ever be the same. I do not trust any LFS as far as testing goes. When I first started when levels were up I was told they were all good and when they were down I was told that they were outta wack and I needed to do major water changes and add this and add that. I have my own test and I go by those when needed. Just saying I myself know my tank and do not have to test as often now.
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Originally Posted by jonnywater
How do you know what test kits to actually use and trust. People will say 'oh this or that' but how do you know that one isnt wrong and another may be right. WTH!!!!!

I agree!! :mad:
Tested yesterday and used 2 different test brands. TOTALLY DIFFERENT I guess I just go by my xenia as it usually tells me if something is wrong

Tested my trates and Salifert says 50 and my AP says 0 (that is a huge difference
)
 
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