Test strips or not testing...which is worse

[Reefer Brent]

People with experience in accuracy of test strips and any issues they caused or fixed would be appreciated.

Are any more accurate than others?

 

[Fish Fan]

I do not like test strips at all, I would vote that they are worse than not testing lol!

In my experience, even when they say "aquarium" they are just rebranded swimming pool or drinking water tests. I have a modest pool, and those strips are not known to be very accurate even for swimming pools. Just my $0.02.

 

[fishywishy]

All test strips ive used were completely off so i would say they are worse than not testing.

 

[Waters]

IMO test strips are only of any value if you are testing quickly to see if there is "something" in the water. Yes, there is ammonia, nitrates, etc. The actual value will be inaccurate and worthless.

 

[Reefer Brent]

IMO test strips are only of any value if you are testing quickly to see if there is "something" in the water. Yes, there is ammonia, nitrates, etc. The actual value will be inaccurate and worthless.

This was my thought too. How accurate could something be that other kits require 20min to properly test. However it might lead to more actual testing.

That being said it might be more accurate than a Winedown Wednesday API test.

 

[Fish Fan]

That being said it might be more accurate than a Winedown Wednesday API test.

I'd take the API kit over the strips hands down.

 

[Lavey29]

New systems require more testing then established systems. Test strips ain't gonna do the job.

 

[edsbeaker]

Test strips are unreliable and inaccurate, but not testing at all isn’t much better. A reef tank is such an expensive investment, I just don’t understand anyone being cheap with buying reliable test kits that when looking at the big picture, are a pretty negligible amount for one of the most important safety nets.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What is it you want to measure with a test strip?

 

[Fish Fan]

@Reefer Brent Do you need test kits? I have the Red Sea master kit, it's opened, but probably 75% left to it. I also have an API master kit that's never been opened. If you'd like either of these, please PM me an address and it's yours if it helps.

 

[Uncle99]

Both are problematic.
I do Alk, Nitrate and Phosphate with Hanna in 15 minutes, that’s 5 minutes a test.

 

[Reefer Brent]

What is it you want to measure with a test strip?

It is more of a curiosity of anyone who has done any side by side comparisons of accuracy. Will a test strip provide an insight at the beginning of a busy week?
Will it give you a false sense of confidence? Or will it tell you the sky is falling?

Biggest help I think could be for people who don't have the money for controllers or the time for daily testing of nitrate calcium alk ph. Would they tell you earlier if somethings up even if they are overall inaccurate?

That being said I got rid of a pool guy who used strips to test my pool and it got cloudy. I do my own pool work now lol.

 

[Reefer Brent]

@Reefer Brent Do you need test kits? I have the Red Sea master kit, it's opened, but probably 75% left to it. I also have an API master kit that's never been opened. If you'd like either of these, please PM me an address and it's yours if it helps.

Super nice of you thank you! I have API kits and salifert for the notorious Magnesium.

This was more meant as an interesting discussion and way to share experiences with a seemingly flawed product that is still readily available. I have also never used them.

 

[14 foot reef]

I think most test strips are as accurate as tasting your vehicles oil to see if it needs changing. ( Please don't try this ) ;)

 

[Reefer Brent]

Has anyone done a side by side test with strips?

I'm thinking since I have a lot of testing to do soon for my dosing pump that I might see how they compare to real tests. They are cheap enough to experiment with.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Has anyone done a side by side test with strips?

I'm thinking since I have a lot of testing to do soon for my dosing pump that I might see how they compare to real tests. They are cheap enough to experiment with.

Ive not seen any careful studies.

I’ve never understood how it can even hope to accurately measure alk since it is not a single thing in the water.

 

[Reefer Brent]

Ive not seen any careful studies.

I’ve never understood how it can even hope to accurately measure alk since it is not a single thing in the water.

Yeah they seem to all split it into 3 different readings.

Carbonate hardness KH

Total alk. TA

General hardness. GH

No idea how it applies to saltwater

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I will never forget the day I went into an LFS looking for a phosphate test kit, and they told me to get test strips because they tested that, as well as various other chemicals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

General hardness. GH

No idea how it applies to saltwater

General hardness is not useful in seawater. It's a weird mix of calcium, magnesium and strontium that does not allow any useful response to a value.

 

[GARRIGA]

Ammonia test strips from API were accurate and checked against a reference sample. Outside of cycling, don't trust the other test strips and I've used API, Tetra and Seachem as well as AquaVital. Reagents better if looking for affordable and quick and not precision.