Test Strips

[jd371]

Are these accurate at all or just within the ballpark? I would still do my full testing on Saturdays with the test kits but like the idea of a quick check on Alk and Ca from time to time.

There's this one and API that I know of.
https://www.aquarium-munster.com/en/products/aquavital-care-products/aquavital-marine-test-5in1/

 

[jeffchapok]

The best thing test strips are good for is measuring the depth of your trash can.

 

[sde1500]

I used cheap test strips for tracking when I cycled my tank. Since it wasn't really valuable to test ammonia or nitrites after the cycle, they served a good purpose.

 

[jd371]

Yeah, maybe useful for cycling when you do a lot of testing. I was just hoping they would be somewhat accurate to be able to use quickly once and a while.

 

[sde1500]

Mine are expired so I couldn't confirm, never tried testing so can't say for certain if they are or not.

 

[resortez]

They are good enough to run a quick simple test but the readings do have a large range & will not give you a reading to the 10th decimal point. I have 5 tanks running, 2 reefs & 3 fowlr & it would take hours to test every parameter on all the tanks, so I use the API strips to get a ballpark reading on NO3 & PH only, any of those two readings are high or off balance, then I know there might be some issues with the water chemistry. If I get any unwanted reading on the strip, then I pull out the master kit & run a thorough test on all parameter, which I do religiously every Sunday. I’ve never used the aquavital brand, I didn’t even know they were around. As always, the best line of defense is you developing keen observation skills & proper fish husbandry skills, that’s a must in this hobby. You will be surprised at what can happen in the course of a 24 hour period, believe me. The animals will always be your first indicator to something wrong within the water chemistry. The strips are not an accurate tool that can replace a proper parameter test kit but more like a placeholder or support to your master kit.

 

[jeffchapok]

I'm going to respectfully disagree. While new to reefing, I have maintained saltwater swimming pools for years. Test strips exist for that application as well, and I can only assume they work (or not) in a similar fashion.

Test strips in the pool world are generally viewed as less than worthless, the reason being that they are often misleading or altogether wrong. This can lead to making decisions and dosing chemicals unnecessarily based upon invalid readings.

Perhaps worse, they can provide a false sense of security that everything is within limits when in actuality it is not. I would venture that the use of test strips is singlehandedly responsible for more green pools than anything else, save perhaps temporary summer hires at pool stores.

When dealing with aquaria, living creatures are at stake, so I would even more strongly discourage their use.