Which test kits do you trust?

[AquaWorldPSC]

Yuppp

aqua world I assume you are refering to Hanna's meters?

 

[bkv1997]

I've been using TM test kits and have been very happy.

Salifert and Instant Ocean were unreliable in my opinion.

Seachem just didn't like the testing processes.

 

[johnr2604]

My API kits are crap. As a matter of fact I wrote them a nasty gram last night. My calcium kit reads 380 nomatter what I do plus I believe the trate and trite kits are off because I have cycled two aquariums using thier kits and never saw a nitrate or a nitrite spike. I will definetly be changing brands.

 

[Dihydrogen Monoxide]

My API kits are crap. As a matter of fact I wrote them a nasty gram last night. My calcium kit reads 380 nomatter what I do plus I believe the trate and trite kits are off because I have cycled two aquariums using thier kits and never saw a nitrate or a nitrite spike. I will definetly be changing brands.

Have you had a look at your magnesium and alkalinity?

 

[johnr2604]

Have you had a look at your magnesium and alkalinity?

Yes, I have and they are fine. I have tested my water with a few different friends kits. I have an API alk kit that seems fine and a red sea mag kit that does fine but my calcium is off compared to the other kits I have tested with. I really dont test trates or trites unless I am cycling a tank or my corals look off. I am going to be picking up another brand of calcium on my next LFS trip. My calcium was way low when I first tested using a better kit, It is now at 420 but my API always reads 380

 

[cee]

If you try 5 different test kits and get different reading from each kit how do you know which one is accurate and which one to trust?? If they are different how are you to know the correct reading?

I've baselined at least 3 of each brand (Ca, Mg, and Alk) on an identical water sample and then found 2 that agreed (sometimes all agree, but not usually). Then, as a control, I make stock calibration solutions out of CaCl or baking soda just to double-check. I've tried Elos, Saliferts, SeaChem, LaMotte, Red Sea, API, IO, and Tropic Marin.

LaMotte's Ca kit I could never distinguish the titration end point on due to the subtle color change. Ditto with the Tropic Marin, but I do like their kit and it checked out pretty accurate. My test kit recommendations are based on what I've found to be sufficiently accurate for hobbyists at the lowest price since I usually test about 2X per week (even though everything's been rock-solid for months).

BTW, you didn't mention potassium which, at least for me, I've found to be important for the health of my SPS, esp. stylophora and montipora sp. I've yet to find a salt mix that mixes to NSW levels of K at 1.026. Not sure why, KCl is pretty cheap.

 

[Dihydrogen Monoxide]

Good! you've done the leg work already!

 

[Dihydrogen Monoxide]

So from here would you guys and gals like to see another thread to know how far off your test kit may or may not be? or maybe in an article on R2R and explaining the math and chemistry behind it as well as how the test kits work?

 

[Dihydrogen Monoxide]

If the R2R staff are alright with that

 

[johnr2604]

I know I would love to see it.

 

[aquarius77]

Hook it up, I love chemistry!