BIG THREE: What Test Kits are you using for ALK, CAL, MAG in 2021?

Do you choose a test kit brand and stick with it or are you willing to change?

  • Stick with it

    Votes: 139 31.8%
  • Willing to change

    Votes: 286 65.4%
  • Other (please explain in the thread)

    Votes: 12 2.7%

  • Total voters
    437

KrisReef

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1. What brand test kits are you using for Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium in 2021?
Dkh-Hanna &/or Salifert
Ca-API
Mg-RedSea

2. Why are you using the test kits that you are using?


Dkh- I like the accuracy of Hanna, and I use the Salifert because both are fast and easy but sometimes I just want a quick ballpark check to vs ppm accuracy.

Ca- My calcium is repeatably good as long as my Dkh stays stable. API is fast and easy to use, and cheap.

Mg- I got this test a long time ago and I just purchase a refill reagent to make sure the levels don't swing too low as the corals sequester salts.
 

McPuff

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I use salifert and have for many years. I would switch but I don't see any reason right now. Hannah checkers are fast but it doesn't take long to do these manual tests anyway.
 

wolfthefallen

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When it comes to test kits, I like the Red Sea and Hanna Checkers, though their price points are high, but generally more accurate then most if you can guess the shade of the color.

Personally, I like the ease of use and constancy.. Apex Trident was one of the best things to ever hit the market. This has made my life soo much better. I wish they would come out with another that covered Ammonia, Nitrates, and Phosphates. This would really complete everything I generally test. Granted I only test Ammonia, Nitrates, and Phosphates when I see things that divert from the norm in my tank.
 

WiscoFishNut

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1.
Alk - Hanna
Cal - Salifert
Mag - Salifert

2. Ease of use, and they seem consistent. I wish all tests were as easy as the Hanna Alk tester
 

bigjgmac

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One thing hobbyists tend to go back and forth on are test kits and that's due to various reasons. I would like to hear what everyone is using for the big three (alk, cal, mag) in 2021! Which do you trust the most and why? Let's talk about it!

1. What brand test kits are you using for Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium in 2021?

2. Why are you using the test kits that you are using?


test.jpg
I use a Neptune Trident to test these parameters. I stick with it as it seems to work well.
 

lakin58

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One thing hobbyists tend to go back and forth on are test kits and that's due to various reasons. I would like to hear what everyone is using for the big three (alk, cal, mag) in 2021! Which do you trust the most and why? Let's talk about it!

1. What brand test kits are you using for Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium in 2021?

2. Why are you using the test kits that you are using?


test.jpg
I use
Elos for CA and MG ( but it is getting harder to find)
Salfert for NO3 and Red Sea if I want it more accurate
Hanna for Alk and PO4
 

Ronny Pena

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Hanna for Calcium and Alkalinity. Salifert for Magnesium. Used Salifert before Hanna so I stayed with Salifert Magnesium when changed to Hanna. They're all easy to use, accurate, and the corals are doing it beautifully.
 

smelly fish

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salifert for alk, cal, & mag, because i think a more accurate test,,, api for ammonia, nitrate & nitrite, for ease of test,,
 

S.Pepper

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Starting to get more serious about what I'm doing--just over a year in this hobby. Everything has been going OK (nothing is dying and some results are great while others remain the same). Recently ordered a Triton ICP test and got the results back; everything looked decent--much of that was luck, but TM All for reef helped. Also, just received my kamoer xp1 Pro doser. Only one head because I'm using TM All for Reef. Felt like it would be better to get a constant stream rather than dumping it all in at once.

Test kits:

Alk: Hanna
Cal: Hanna. I know some have had problems with this checker, but if used correctly it will give you consistent results
Mag: Aquaforest.

Main reason I am using Hanna is ease of use or better said ease of reading the results. BRS gave Aquaforest a good rating and I have to agree. Its easy to test and see the test results, as compared to Red Sea.
 

David S

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While I would be willing to change to another test kit assuming the new kit is superior, I find my Salifert kits for Alk, Calcium and Magnesium have been very accurate.
I base this belief on more than my subjective feeling.
I have done numerous ICP tests and I can't recall the results of my Salifert Calcium or Magnesium tests ever being off by more than 20 PPM.
Similarly the Salifert Alkalinity test has never been off by more than 0.2 DKH compared to the ICP result.
 

reeferZ

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Trident baby! Test NO3 (salifert) PO4 (hanna) 1-2 a week. I'm so thankful for the stability the trident provides.
 

Bruce60

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I use Hanna for Alk and Salifert for Ca and Mg.

Why? The Hanna checker is easy for Alk and it works well to distinguish shades of color. The Salifert tests for Ca and Mg are easy and reproducible with an obvious color change that is easy to identify. For all three I have found when I run multiple samples simultaneously that I can achieve fairly consistent results. Life is flourishing, so the levels are good, even if a test is not totally accurate.

Tip: When one kit is running low I will run 2-3 pairs of tests with the old and new kits to identify any accuracy differences between lots. I have noted slight differences on rare occasion, but nothing that seems to make any real difference.
 
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elcapitan1993

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I use Hanna for alk, fluval for calcium, Salifert for mag, I would be willing to change to all Hanna at some point budget willing
 

KTTX

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I use Hanna for all except Mg. I use Aquaforest for Mg.
 

Tmtdvm

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I’ve used Hanna for Alk and Ca and PO4 for a few years now. I use Salifert for Mg. Reason for this is accuracy as well as ease of use.
 

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