Sera test kits...anyone using them

[BluegrassReef]

I just got my new Sera test kits and all my readings are way off from what they tested last week with a buddies API and salifert kits....Are these kits any good?

Sera...this morning before lights on
ph.....8
kh......8
no3......50 mg/l
po4......1
ca....440

My buddy is on his way over with his kits so I am gonna retest with his....I have also been dosing MB7 for the last 6 days for a med-high nutrient system....8ml a day 1/2 of the recommended dose....I would think the MB7 would make the NO3 drop some but it has went up...was reading around 20 on API kit last week.....What is going on.....I do 10g water change every week with coralife salt there is 5 fish in the system 2 ORA naked clowns purple pseduochromis bi-color blenny and a mandarin that eats frozen mysis I feed small amount 2 x daily.

fuge is full of cheato and 6 mangroves what is up with the Nitrates?

 

[BluegrassReef]

ok here is the results with Salifert and API kits

salifert:
po4....0
KH....10.9
Ca....500

API:
N03...40-60...high will do a big water change tomorrow
Ph....8

 

[BluegrassReef]

no one has heard or used these test kits?????

 

[BluegrassReef]

still looking for opinions or comments

 

[cultivatedcoral]

How big is your tank? How old? Sand bed or no sand bed? Can't tell you much about the Sera kits though.

Salifert is a very good test kit except for the Alkalinity which has known to be off in the past. API is pretty much the low end on test kit brands. Go with Salifert, Elos and Lamotte test kits.

I don't think you will see much of a No3 reduction in just a week or so of dosing MB7. It may take a while. Do you feed often? What kind of skimmer are you using?

Some more info would help to determine the cause of your hight No3.

 

[Ike]

How big is your tank? How old? Sand bed or no sand bed? Can't tell you much about the Sera kits though.

Salifert is a very good test kit except for the Alkalinity which has known to be off in the past. API is pretty much the low end on test kit brands. Go with Salifert, Elos and Lamotte test kits.

Salifert has zero customer support and their quality control has been spotty in recent years. API may be less expensive, but they're consistent and pretty accurate. Once upon a time their dry tab tests were pretty poor and I did not like API, but I've changed my tune and fully trust API kits now. This is coming from someone that used to only use and suggest Lamotte kits and later Saifert. I've since lost all my faith in Salifert and see no need for the extra cost and complication of Lamotte.

To the OP, most Sera kits are supposed to be solid. However, I'd suggest you pick up an API alkalinity kit to see where that kit falls. I suspect your buddy may have a faulty Salifert alkalinity kit. Also keep in mind that hobby grade phosphate kits border on useless, as do most PH kits.

 

[sps4mytank]

I use the sera kits and I think they are pretty accurate and easy to use.

I always test with 2 different test kits just in case,
currently i am using both the salifert and sera test kits

They test about the same for me.

I think marine depot has it on sale for 40 bucks for like 8 test. Cheap considering one elos test for mag cost 28 bucks. Unfortunately, sera does not have a mag test

 

[BluegrassReef]

How big is your tank? How old? Sand bed or no sand bed? Can't tell you much about the Sera kits though.

Salifert is a very good test kit except for the Alkalinity which has known to be off in the past. API is pretty much the low end on test kit brands. Go with Salifert, Elos and Lamotte test kits.

I don't think you will see much of a No3 reduction in just a week or so of dosing MB7. It may take a while. Do you feed often? What kind of skimmer are you using?

Some more info would help to determine the cause of your hight No3.

The display is a 40 breeder which is actually 47g....with a 20h fuge and 15.5g sump so roughly 70-75g's....the tank has been up and running for about a month now but was a transfer from a 30g tall...there is roughly 1 inch of sand in the display and a 5 inch DSB in the fuge with cheato and 6 mangroves...Skimmer is a current recirc skimmer rated for 225g....I mesh modded the pump and drilled a bigger hole for the air intake 1/4 ro tubing. I feed 1 time a day...fish: 2 Ora naked clowns,purple pseduochromis.mandarin that eats frozen and a bi-color blenny,1 pep shrimp and 1 cleaner shrimp.

 

[BluegrassReef]

I use the sera kits and I think they are pretty accurate and easy to use.

I always test with 2 different test kits just in case,
currently i am using both the salifert and sera test kits

They test about the same for me.

I think marine depot has it on sale for 40 bucks for like 8 test. Cheap considering one elos test for mag cost 28 bucks. Unfortunately, sera does not have a mag test

so on the alk kit if I use 8 drops to get the water color to change is that 8 dkh?