Testing Kits/Devices Help

[ladyambience]

I’ve read around and have seen from Facebook groups what people have experienced. I’m just hoping to get some help here to finally clear it up for me.

I first used API saltwater test kit. I’m looking into Salifert and Hannah Instruments for further testing since my tank is cycled, have added other fish, and now corals.

Most say get Hannah Tests for Nitrate HR, Phosphate ULR, and Alkalinity while getting Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium, and whatever else might arise.

What’s everyone’s insights? What tests do I MAINLY need? Which are “just in cases”? Which tests/brands/devices are best to test for which parameter?

Trying to find out so I can just buy it all already. Outside the HI Alkalinity Meter (ppm and not dhk) that is.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

I only use Salifert test kits, Hannah is a good tester but I decided to just use Salifert

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The only thing to test IMO is nitrate and phosphate, because you will want to control these 2 in the next months as you go into the "ugly phase".

If you want to keep corals, then you need alkalinity, and you should have calcium and magnesium tests also. I like hanna and salifert testers.

 

[TheNative192]

I’ve read around and have seen from Facebook groups what people have experienced. I’m just hoping to get some help here to finally clear it up for me.

I first used API saltwater test kit. I’m looking into Salifert and Hannah Instruments for further testing since my tank is cycled, have added other fish, and now corals.

Most say get Hannah Tests for Nitrate HR, Phosphate ULR, and Alkalinity while getting Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium, and whatever else might arise.

What’s everyone’s insights? What tests do I MAINLY need? Which are “just in cases”? Which tests/brands/devices are best to test for which parameter?

Trying to find out so I can just buy it all already. Outside the HI Alkalinity Meter (ppm and not dhk) that is.

If you’re just getting started, I’d recommend starting out with Salifert tests for the basics. For fish & corals that usually means:

• Phosphate
• Nitrate
• Alkalinity (Alk)
• Calcium
• Magnesium

And most importantly — a refractometer (this checks salinity level) if you don’t already have one. You can pick one up on Amazon for around $17, just make sure to calibrate it every once in a while (ideally with calibration fluid, not just RO water).

Here’s why I suggest Salifert first:

• The Hanna kits are great, but they run about $60 each vs $15–20 for Salifert.
• The cost per test is also much higher with Hanna. Since you’ll be testing a lot in the beginning, it adds up fast.
• Some of the Hanna checkers are a little tricky to use at first & if you mess them up you can nuke the tank.

That said, as time goes on, most reefers do eventually pick up:

• Hanna Alk (super handy since Alk is what you’ll dose off of usually).
• Hanna Phosphate ULR (because Salifert/API don’t really show precise low ranges, so if you’re aiming for ~0.05 ppm, it’s a guess by color).

If you start with soft corals (which I’d recommend), they won’t chew through Alk, Calc, and Mag. That means you may not even need to test/dose those right away. It gives you time to learn and keep things stable.

Couple of quick questions to help give better advice:

• What size tank are you running?
• Using live rock & live sand, or dry?
• What fish do you already have or plan to add?
• Any corals in mind?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’ve read around and have seen from Facebook groups what people have experienced. I’m just hoping to get some help here to finally clear it up for me.

I first used API saltwater test kit. I’m looking into Salifert and Hannah Instruments for further testing since my tank is cycled, have added other fish, and now corals.

Most say get Hannah Tests for Nitrate HR, Phosphate ULR, and Alkalinity while getting Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium, and whatever else might arise.

What’s everyone’s insights? What tests do I MAINLY need? Which are “just in cases”? Which tests/brands/devices are best to test for which parameter?

Trying to find out so I can just buy it all already. Outside the HI Alkalinity Meter (ppm and not dhk) that is.

I recommend and use a diy alk test which is far cheaper and more accurate than any hobby tests.

I use and recommend the Hanna high range nitrate and ulr phisphate.

I do not test calcium at the moment, but I’d use Salifert for it if I did.

I do not recommend testing magnesium.

 

[ladyambience]

I’ve read around and have seen from Facebook groups what people have experienced. I’m just hoping to get some help here to finally clear it up for me.

I first used API saltwater test kit. I’m looking into Salifert and Hannah Instruments for further testing since my tank is cycled, have added other fish, and now corals.

Most say get Hannah Tests for Nitrate HR, Phosphate ULR, and Alkalinity while getting Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium, and whatever else might arise.

What’s everyone’s insights? What tests do I MAINLY need? Which are “just in cases”? Which tests/brands/devices are best to test for which parameter?

Trying to find out so I can just buy it all already. Outside the HI Alkalinity Meter (ppm and not dhk) that is.

If you’re just getting started, I’d recommend starting out with Salifert tests for the basics. For fish & corals that usually means:

• Phosphate
• Nitrate
• Alkalinity (Alk)
• Calcium
• Magnesium

And most importantly — a refractometer (this checks salinity level) if you don’t already have one. You can pick one up on Amazon for around $17, just make sure to calibrate it every once in a while (ideally with calibration fluid, not just RO water).

Here’s why I suggest Salifert first:

• The Hanna kits are great, but they run about $60 each vs $15–20 for Salifert.
• The cost per test is also much higher with Hanna. Since you’ll be testing a lot in the beginning, it adds up fast.
• Some of the Hanna checkers are a little tricky to use at first & if you mess them up you can nuke the tank.

That said, as time goes on, most reefers do eventually pick up:

• Hanna Alk (super handy since Alk is what you’ll dose off of usually).
• Hanna Phosphate ULR (because Salifert/API don’t really show precise low ranges, so if you’re aiming for ~0.05 ppm, it’s a guess by color).

If you start with soft corals (which I’d recommend), they won’t chew through Alk, Calc, and Mag. That means you may not even need to test/dose those right away. It gives you time to learn and keep things stable.

Couple of quick questions to help give better advice:

• What size tank are you running?
• Using live rock & live sand, or dry?
• What fish do you already have or plan to add?
• Any corals in mind?

Thank you for all of this! This is basically the consensus I’ve been getting.

My tank is a 34 gallon AIO. I’m on day 33 of my tank. I started with live sand, live rock, established bacteria from an older tank, bioactive media, seed, prime, and fritz zyme. I currently have a clean up crew with Halloween hermit, sand snails, trocus snails, blue hermits, and a conch. I have two nano clowns and two days ago, just added a flan tail blenny on the smaller side, and a firefish. I do plan to add about 3-4 more fish, an urchin, and hopefully a cultured sea horse. ( I’m in the process of also getting a bigger tank roughly 100-125 gallons. This is my trial tank) My clowns started on day 5 with me while the cleanup crew was added on day 3.
I currently have two tiny, quarter sized corals in my tank: a speckled favia and a speckled acan. For corals, I’m planned on getting a half dollar sized Yuma, a zoa, another acan, and a nepthea. I’ve made sure to get most that are on the tinier side so they don’t deplete everything while I’m unaware. I do have reef4all and I do minor doses just to make sure. Every week, I do have my LFS test my water to make sure I’m in the clear until I get some better testing tools and get the ICP kits in the mail.

If you have any more questions to understand more, let me know!

 

[ladyambience]

I’ve read around and have seen from Facebook groups what people have experienced. I’m just hoping to get some help here to finally clear it up for me.

I first used API saltwater test kit. I’m looking into Salifert and Hannah Instruments for further testing since my tank is cycled, have added other fish, and now corals.

Most say get Hannah Tests for Nitrate HR, Phosphate ULR, and Alkalinity while getting Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium, and whatever else might arise.

What’s everyone’s insights? What tests do I MAINLY need? Which are “just in cases”? Which tests/brands/devices are best to test for which parameter?

Trying to find out so I can just buy it all already. Outside the HI Alkalinity Meter (ppm and not dhk) that is.

I recommend and use a diy alk test which is far cheaper and more accurate than any hobby tests.

I use and recommend the Hanna high range nitrate and ulr phisphate.

I do not test calcium at the moment, but I’d use Salifert for it if I did.

I do not recommend testing magnesium.

Why do you recommend not testing magnesium?

 

[Reef.]

I’ve read around and have seen from Facebook groups what people have experienced. I’m just hoping to get some help here to finally clear it up for me.

I first used API saltwater test kit. I’m looking into Salifert and Hannah Instruments for further testing since my tank is cycled, have added other fish, and now corals.

Most say get Hannah Tests for Nitrate HR, Phosphate ULR, and Alkalinity while getting Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium, and whatever else might arise.

What’s everyone’s insights? What tests do I MAINLY need? Which are “just in cases”? Which tests/brands/devices are best to test for which parameter?

Trying to find out so I can just buy it all already. Outside the HI Alkalinity Meter (ppm and not dhk) that is.

Yes but I would probably pass on the Hanna alk, they can read low and also give different results depending on the age and how much regent is left, salifert is excellent for alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why do you recommend not testing magnesium?

I explain why here, but it is too inaccurate and there are better ways to dose it.

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

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