Test kits

[Kaden Obrien]

Any opinions on the api reef master test kit? Good or bad?

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Any opinions on the api reef master test kit? Good or bad?

For a beginning kit it’s ok. I use it while cycling and that’s it. When you start considering coral look at Red Sea or Salifert test kits.

 

[nereefpat]

Looks like the reef master kit contains:

Calcium
KH (for our intents and purposes alk)
Phosphate
Nitrate

I like API's Ca and alk kits. They are easy, repeatable, and cheap. Some folks like other brands better, but when compared side by side, they are all pretty close.

For reefing purposes, you might want lower range nitrate and phosphate kits, however.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Welcome to R2R! API basic marine test kits for ph, ammonia nitrite and nitrate are ok for getting started and cycling your tank but your going to want better test for everything else, I recommend salfert for accuracy and low cost.

 

[Kaden Obrien]

Welcome to R2R! API basic marine test kits for ph, ammonia nitrite and nitrate are ok for getting started and cycling your tank but your going to want better test for everything else, I recommend salfert for accuracy and low cost.

Thanks ive been enjoying it so far. That’s all I plan on using it for. Setup my tank again after it sitting for 2 years.

 

[Jesterrace]

Any opinions on the api reef master test kit? Good or bad?

My personal opinion is that they are junk. Among my list of complaints when comparing it to my Red Sea kit:

1) Nitrate test is a joke (can't tell the difference between 10-20, 40-80)
2) It can occasionally give a false positive for ammonia
3) cheap plastic caps that don't screw down and often leak all over the place with nasty chemicals (this is a common complaint if you read the reviews)
4) Long skinny vials are much more difficult to clean out properly and the Red Sea and salifert come with shorter wider vials with screwtop lids
5) A small issue that is easily fixed, but still, it doesn't come with a measurement syringe.

Some say it is fine for testing, but I say why waste money on a kit just to buy another once the cycling is done. Buy a quality kit upfront (ie Salifert, Red Sea or Hannah if you want something really nice) and just stick with it.

 

[Seasidenj]

I've had luck with red sea

 

[phlibbyreefer]

from my experience not one company does a great job with every test. Here are my winners.
alk - Hannah
phosphate - Hannah ulr
calcium - salifert
magnesium - salifert
nitrate - redsea

 

[Jesterrace]

from my experience not one company does a great job with every test. Here are my winners.
alk - Hannah
phosphate - Hannah ulr
calcium - salifert
magnesium - salifert
nitrate - redsea

I notice you didn't have a single API test on the list. :D I agree that you can get great results with a mix, although to be fair Hannah is pretty pricey up front. Even though Red Sea may not be the top dog for some of the other tests it's still fairly accurate and has the benefit of offerring a near complete test kit for under $50, hence the recommendation.

 

[Nemo5]

My personal opinion is that they are junk. Among my list of complaints when comparing it to my Red Sea kit:

1) Nitrate test is a joke (can't tell the difference between 10-20, 40-80)
2) It can occasionally give a false positive for ammonia
3) cheap plastic caps that don't screw down and often leak all over the place with nasty chemicals (this is a common complaint if you read the reviews)
4) Long skinny vials are much more difficult to clean out properly and the Red Sea and salifert come with shoter wider vials with screwtop lids
5) A small issue that is easily fixed, but still, it doesn't come with a measurement syringe.

Some say it is fine for testing, but I say why waste money on a kit just to buy another once the cycling is done. Buy a quality kit upfront (ie Salifert, Red Sea or Hannah if you want something really nice) and just stick with it.

I agree , my Ammonia result is a milky look unless that’s how it’s suppose to be ?! Also the caps leak like in every bottle . In my case 4 ! I’ll be in search of another kit ! My ammonia is hard to read but the other 3 test seem very clear to read ! The Ammonia is up to the color chart , idk !

 

[Jesterrace]

Yup, when I first used my API kit and started shaking the vials I couldn't believe how much was splashing out on my hands, clothes and floor (thankfully I was over a concrete floor when I did it). Not good when you read the warning labels about what the nasty chemicals can do to your skin and body if exposed. I even spent extra time and effort mashing the cap down to try and get a good seal to no avail (to the point where if I had applied any more pressure it would've snapped the vials). My Red Sea Test kit vials only leaked on me when I didn't screw the lid down tight enough. The False positive for Ammonia is lovely. After all what good is a test kit if you can't even accurately tell whether or not you have a massive killer chemical in your tank (the aquarium equivalent of mustard gas).