Which test kit should I buy?

[ryanhayes9]

I am planning on getting a reef tank. the problem is that they sell test kits for reef and for a marine tank. Is there a differece between the 2? If i bought a reef kit but just had live rock for the first few months, would it be ok if there was no coral? also would it gve me different readings during the cycling process?

 

[ryanhayes9]

bump

 

[mrdc]

Not sure of your question but I have an idea.
Ok, I think a reef test kit is more inclusive than a marine kit. If you have a fish only, you need to monitor ammonia, nitrites, trates and ph. The ammonia is really important. I will also have to say that I started with a reef tank so I may be missing some things on the marine side.
However, on the reef side, the things above (trates and trites) are more important plus you need to monitor phosphates, calcium and alkalinity. On both you also need to monitor ph and temp.
Well I feel like I didn't help too much

 

[coachklm]

salifert!

 

[mrdc]

Now if we are going to talk about brand kits ...
IMO .... on cost / accuracy / ease ...
Varies by brand!
I use 4 different brands after trial and error.

 

[ryanhayes9]

bump

 

[sharkbait9]

salifert

cost a more, but more accurate and that equals less worry and less chance for error.

 

[lion_crazz]

Originally Posted by sharkbait9
salifert

cost a more, but more accurate and that equals less worry and less chance for error.
I agree.

 

[maeistero]

i'm going to be the one to disagree here on the salifert. i've used them and they are not the best bang for the buck. accuracy is irrelevant to me when all you have to do is reevaluate your test colors. get the cheaper kits and as soon as you get them home test your water which you should know is good. adjust your perception and i personally just rewrite the numbers next to the colors if they've changed a bit from kit to kit. be sure to keep a couple tests of your old kit to compare to the new or have a lfs test then compare your stats. spending $250 to put together a complete salifert test is throwing money at a company that doesn't care enough to put together an affordable complete kit.
i would recommend a test for everything, but most you won't use that often. so in my case i use the cheap complete reef kits and then have to go and buy the individuals for the other stuff.

 

[zman1]

I have used four different brand test kits over the years and like the Salifert the best. Just my opinion...

 

[sharkbait9]

these are all the test i run with salifert.
Boron
Calcium
Magnesium
Ammonia
Nitrites
Nitrates
Oxygen
Ph
Phosphate
Silicate
Strontium
Iodine
KH/ALK
As I bought salifert test to replace cheaper test, i did notice a discrepancy in numbers on the cheaper test. So to throw caution to the wind and save some pennies on a test is something I can't do. I have to much invested in my tanks to not worry about OD-ing my tanks. JMO

 

[maeistero]

yes i'm not saying salifert isn't the best and most consistent. i just believe they're overpriced and rookies pay for it. heck even experienced people are getting ripped off. it's a simple thing to adjust your new kit to your old one on cheaper store kits. i guess i just grew up adjusting chemistry in my plants rather than buying probes and all that. it comes easy to me.
sure enough if you have the money to throw at your tank more than a half hour of time then go for it. i would. imho i don't think you need all that many test kits. good god if we recommended that to every new tank owner we'd be the only ones left!!!
nitrate nitrite ammonia and ph should get any fish only started off easily.
imho of course

 

[sharkbait9]

Originally Posted by maeistero
yes i'm not saying salifert isn't the best and most consistent. i just believe they're overpriced and rookies pay for it. heck even experienced people are getting ripped off. it's a simple thing to adjust your new kit to your old one on cheaper store kits. i guess i just grew up adjusting chemistry in my plants rather than buying probes and all that. it comes easy to me.
sure enough if you have the money to throw at your tank more than a half hour of time then go for it. i would. imho i don't think you need all that many test kits. good god if we recommended that to every new tank owner we'd be the only ones left!!!
nitrate nitrite ammonia and ph should get any fish only started off easily.
imho of course

Well yeah for every rookie who walked in the door I would never pull all these kits out and say "you need all this". I have reef tanks and a fowlr. I test the four basics on the fowlr tank. My reefs get everything tested. The only reason why test is strictly because no salt i have used has ever been complete, close but not as close as i would feel safe just using my water change to replenish all the "natural chemistry" in the water. since i have started testing and adding additives to my tank after a water change my corals grow brighter, faster thicker and have never had a "fade to black". Going back to aquarium pharms test kits, my buddies test kits and my test kits sampled same water (my tank) his showed 0.0 trates mine showed 0.5 salifert showed 0 Po4 mine showed 0 his showed 0.1 or something salifert showed 0. I also like any test kit to have an expiration date aquar pharms don’t or at least ours don’t, regents have to go bad all chemicals go bad after some time. I’m not made out of money but a n accurate test kit is something in my mind that I can’t cheap out on. I’ll cheat on the live sand and use carib play sand and seed with a bag of live and let nature take its course, some corners can not be cut IMO

 

[helpme74]

salifert