Recommended phosphate tests

[HTFish]

Yes, for initial cycling. I took it out when I started cycling a new tank and it kept going me the “L.Lo” error. Couldn’t get past it. Finally, Hanna’s recommendation was to buy a new one. The warranty is only a year on them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I personally think testing nitrite is a wasted effort, even during cycling. :)

 

[Peer.Boerner]

Yep… ph checker started reading 8.6 plus after a year of owning it. After that I switched over to manual test kits but actually stopped test ph lol. Everybody’s experiences will be different but it inevitable that the Hanna will fail so I’d rather just switch over how that my reagents are gone. Want to buy one lol?

When you say fail, what do you mean? Do they just stop working? I ask because I have a few and love them but they are all new. I too am a Salifert fan and used their phosphate test. Thought it was great but I’m not as good judging colors when phosphate gets really low (even looking through the vial for 10x value). The Hanna provides a number which for me is easier.

 

[Ryan - Serious Reefs]

What does everyone use to test nutrition other than a Hanna checker? I’m primarily looking for a reliable manual phosphate test kit. I’m currently using a Hanna checker and when the reagents are gone I want to move on.

Almost all of them are reading a light shade of blue. I never found one I liked.

 

[HTFish]

I personally think testing nitrite is a wasted effort, even during cycling. :)

To each his own, I guess.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

To each his own, I guess.

The concern about nitrite seems largely a hobby myth, likely coming from folks who transitioned from freshwater where it is a concern. In seawater it takes hundreds of ppm nitrite to kill a fish. Nitrite never rises to those levels in a reef tank. :)