NT Labs Test Kits & Seneye Reef Kit USB

Smiler1875

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Hi All

As previous post, newbie to this hobby, and if you don't mind, a couple of questions

When I purchased my tank the LFS advised to buy 2 test kits from NT Labs.

NT Labs Aquarium Lab for the pH, nitrite, nitrate, hardness and ammonia levels in tank
NT Labs Marine Lab Multi-Test for ammonia nitrite nitrate & pH.

I Have tested weekly and a couple of other times over the 4 weeks of the tank, and in the first test kit I have hardly ever got a reading for KH and MG, which concerns me, I've followed instructions and always use all the syringe liquid and doesn't get to the colour I need for both to get any kind of reading, yet I take water samples to LFS every week and they tell me water all fine. I really want to make sure I get everything right and no problem with patience for adding Livestock and Coral

Anybody else have issues with these kits, Just concerns me not being able to get a reading yet LFS say all good when I take samples on (weekly)

And on similar subject, I was thinking of getting a Seneye Reef Kit USB Tester (none Wifi) , to aid testing, would welcome any feedback and if people think they are worth it.

Thanks again all and apologies for numerous questions But I will get there
 

sunken3

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ok.. the reason i ask, ammonia and nitrite really only need to be tested for the first month or 2 (unless you add too many fish or crash your system)..

after that temp, ph, alk, nitrate are the likely next important set of tests (fish only and reef)

then calc, mag, and phosphate, if you have a reef.

i am not sure what your budget is, but ideally a neptune apex would cover temp and ph and a neptune trident would cover alk, mag, and calc.

if not, i would recommend using hanna checkers. they are quite accurate and take the guess work out of color matching. nyos also has a pretty good nitrate testing kit.

now your current issue (i have not heard of NT Labs).. make sure your test tubes are clean and dry ahead of use.. measurements are extremely important (that is water is at the line (not under/or over)) - drops and powder are accurate. not too preach the obvious, but it doesnt take much to mess these tests up. last, look at the expiration dates on your test kits - (and/or how they were stored).. these kits definitely can go bad.

i don't have experience with the seneye, i looked into it at one time, but ended up spending the money on hanna and a new trident.
 
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Smiler1875

Smiler1875

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ok.. the reason i ask, ammonia and nitrite really only need to be tested for the first month or 2 (unless you add too many fish or crash your system)..

after that temp, ph, alk, nitrate are the likely next important set of tests (fish only and reef)

then calc, mag, and phosphate, if you have a reef.

i am not sure what your budget is, but ideally a neptune apex would cover temp and ph and a neptune trident would cover alk, mag, and calc.

if not, i would recommend using hanna checkers. they are quite accurate and take the guess work out of color matching. nyos also has a pretty good nitrate testing kit.

now your current issue (i have not heard of NT Labs).. make sure your test tubes are clean and dry ahead of use.. measurements are extremely important (that is water is at the line (not under/or over)) - drops and powder are accurate. not too preach the obvious, but it doesnt take much to mess these tests up. last, look at the expiration dates on your test kits - (and/or how they were stored).. these kits definitely can go bad.

i don't have experience with the seneye, i looked into it at one time, but ended up spending the money on hanna and a new trident.
OK thanks, All tubes are clean, the kits are literally weeks old, but a strange one like I say LFS say all parameters good. will take a look at neptune stuffand hanna checkers
 

sunken3

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OK thanks, All tubes are clean, the kits are literally weeks old, but a strange one like I say LFS say all parameters good. will take a look at neptune stuffand hanna checkers
sorry - i understand you may have just bought the kits, but they may have been on the store's shelf for a while (usually the bottles or packets will have an expiration date). just a thought. i would say its not abnormal for different kits to give slightly different results - but yes it is odd to have completely different numbers.
 
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Smiler1875

Smiler1875

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sorry - i understand you may have just bought the kits, but they may have been on the store's shelf for a while (usually the bottles or packets will have an expiration date). just a thought. i would say its not abnormal for different kits to give slightly different results - but yes it is odd to have completely different numbers.
Thanks checked dates on the 2 boxes one is Jan 2022, other July 2022, so should be fine, I will obviously persevere , and also look into the seneye kits in more detail
 

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