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Kyle_S
Administrator
Posts
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65
Location
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Waterville, OH
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I need to invest in a test kit. Does any one have any preferences? I was just looking at the API one I believe. I'm not really looking to spend a whole lot.... It isn't s reef tank, just seahorses.
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fanandy8
Administrator
Posts
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251
Location
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Bloomdale, OH
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I use Salifert kits, as I have always heard good things about them being accurate, and they are a decent price.
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Spuds725
Administrator
Posts
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533
Location
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Whitehouse, OH
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Once again... a late reply.... I've been a way for a while....
It depends on what you want to test and how accurate/precise you want your results. You are buying a home kit so no matter what, you are going to only get so much accuracy..
Salifert uses more precise measuring for their titrations--- they use fine pointed tips on the syringes to give you more precise measuring..
Salifert is pretty good... although I don't care for their magnesium kit very much.... I haven't tried any others yet though....
I do like their calcium and alkalinity and nitrate kits...
That being said... Ive read API's calcium is decent and this is something you don't have to keep real close eye on anyway....
I did do a comparison of API and Salifert's Nitrate kits several years back when I had high nitrate right after I added my large refugium growing chaeto... I measured with both each week as my nitrates dropped from over 60 ppm down to 0 and they agreed pretty closely with each other....
I will note that Salifert is better at measuring very low levels of nitrate (less then 10 ppm)... alot more precise at this level then API.... although both will show 0 ppm equally as well (clear is 0 for both).....
HTH
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Real Name: Bill --Currently running a 125g w/135g sump.
Fish: Hippo Tang,Bi-color angel, Orchid Dottyback
Coral: Kenya tree coral, shrooms, greenstar polyps, leather, some button polyps
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Briney Dave
Administrator
Posts
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2948
Location
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N/A
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I was lucky enough to meet up with the Salifert cheif: there is a decication to excellence not seen by most companies. Not the cheapest in price but now much is a test result that is wrong worth?
Bill hit it straight on but i do keep a closer eye on calcium due to the high demand in the smaller tank. Now that I a bit bigger I will test that a little less often (for a while anyway) but likely use the Mg test just as often
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Fish Tales
Administrator
Posts
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94
Location
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Toledo, Ohio
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I also use Salifert.
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90 gallon reef.
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Spuds725
Administrator
Posts
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533
Location
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Whitehouse, OH
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Briney Dave said :
I was lucky enough to meet up with the Salifert cheif: there is a decication to excellence not seen by most companies. Not the cheapest in price but now much is a test result that is wrong worth? Bill hit it straight on but i do keep a closer eye on calcium due to the high demand in the smaller tank. Now that I a bit bigger I will test that a little less often (for a while anyway) but likely use the Mg test just as often
True... I run over a 200 gallon volume in my system.... calcium is pretty stable for me....
My point was/is that alkalinity (carbonate) needs to be kept a closer eye on then calcium in that while Calcium and Carbonate are consumed at a nearly 1 to 1 ratio.... calcium is maintained at around 3X the level as Carbonate from a PPM standpoint-- so from a fractional standpoint, carbonate can fluctuate much more... not that I'm advocating neglecting to test your calcium regularly...
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Real Name: Bill --Currently running a 125g w/135g sump.
Fish: Hippo Tang,Bi-color angel, Orchid Dottyback
Coral: Kenya tree coral, shrooms, greenstar polyps, leather, some button polyps
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