Test kit/testers

[lstmysock11]

What test kit or testers do you use? Digital salinity tester?

 

[Doctorgori]

I’d strongly recommend the Hanna Salinity, once I got it I realized how often you gotta match salinity ...its worth it...
I also find the Hanna Alk & ULR Phosphate to be worth it... actually close to essential
IME Red Sea or Salifert for everything else, some say NYOS but I got no direct experience

 

[lstmysock11]

I’d strongly recommend the Hanna Salinity, once I got it I realized how often you gotta match salinity ...its worth it...
I also find the Hanna Alk & ULR Phosphate to be worth it... actually close to essential
IME Red Sea or Salifert for everything else, some say NYOS but I got no direct experience

Thanks, Will just be doing Zoa's to start so do I need to test Alk and Phosphate?

 

[Joeg]

I'm in agreement with @Doctorgori

Salinity - Hanna Handheld Checker
Alk - Hanna
Nitrate - Nyos
Phosphate - Hanna ULR
Calcium - Red Sea Calcium Pro
Magnesium - Red Sea Magnesium Pro
Everything else - Salifert

I'll mention that I also have the Hanna Calcium checker and while some people find it to be unreliable I've found that it's right in line with the Red Sea kit which is just a bit easier. The Nyos nitrate kit is easier to read than others but be aware that the dropper flows fast and that the test takes 5 minutes before getting a reading.

The biggest suggestion I have is that you can blaze through the tests by coming up with a routine. I lay out all of my tests at the same time across a long counter and get everything ready. Bring over a glass of tank water and you can run through the first 6 tests I listed above and be cleaned up within 15 minutes.

 

[Doctorgori]

Thanks, Will just be doing Zoa's to start so do I need to test Alk and Phosphate?

Here is my testing philosophy, its hardly absolute so get more opinions/samples...

alkalinity: I test weekly; always, never skip, even in a softy tank. Coraline algae and assorted “White specks” take up alkalinity also

Phosphate: weekly (usually), but how often you clean your glass will dictate testing frequency. I also go by the color and type of algae. Daily Brown dust means I got issues, whereas scraping hard purple specks is ideal...

Nitrate: I test 1-2x month. If things look funky, more often. I’ll test ammonia then also, I’ve seen it once or twice.... remember low nitrate is bad also,,,,

Calcium & Mag I test monthly....

Iodine, I’ve never tested, but might ...still researching opinions

ICP/other ...I don’t ...I may as well be reading Chinese..

 

[lstmysock11]

Here is my testing philosophy, its hardly absolute so get more opinions/samples...

alkalinity: I test weekly; always, never skip, even in a softy tank. Coraline algae and assorted “White specks” take up alkalinity also

Phosphate: weekly (usually), but how often you clean your glass will dictate testing frequency. I also go by the color and type of algae. Daily Brown dust means I got issues, whereas scraping hard purple specks is ideal...

Nitrate: I test 1-2x month. If things look funky, more often. I’ll test ammonia then also, I’ve seen it once or twice.... remember low nitrate is bad also,,,,

Calcium & Mag I test monthly....

Iodine, I’ve never tested, but might ...still researching opinions

ICP/other ...I don’t ...I may as well be reading Chinese..

Thank you