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- Dec 28, 2016
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I'm not a noob, and I use API test kits. I have never had a problem. Ive used the others as well - I find the colors extremely difficult to tell apart at times, and with the auto-testers - I found them just as cumbersome. I think we get too hung up on an alkalinity of lets say 8.5 and 8.7 for example. When I use my alkalinity API test kit for example, If the color matches exactly at 7 - I assume its 7. If it matches at 8 I assume its 8. If its somewhere in between - I assume its 7.5. I have never had a problem. Now - I have one time 'tested' the API ammonia test kit - and it worked fine. It was not for cycling, it was designed to check on a problem. Since then - when I've done new tanks - I use bottled bacteria (per directions), added rock and fish on day 2 - and never test anything. Is that an insta cycle? I don't know.The trap most people fall into.....
They go to a big box store, or even the corner LFS, and they buy everything they need, including the API saltwater master kit. And you can't blame a noob for buying a cheap kit when they just dropped a huge chunk of coin for a complete setup. No one thinks testing is that critical when starting out, hence the cheap test kit.
Now you know, as we all should by now, that there is always a hint of green when using API for saltwater ammonia tests. So everyone thinks there cycle is "stuck". When in fact, it's just the fault of the API kit.
Once I stopped using the API kit(I use salifert now when needed) I realized you could insta cycle a tank and add a small bioload on day one.