What test kits are essential

[trembsreef]

Hey everyone!

A bit of a newbie question here from someone that’s been in the hobby a long time. I’ve always just done consistent water changes, kept watch, month long cycle period, and have always had decent luck.

I just set up a Fluval Evo 13.5 and want to make it a heavily concentrated reef tank. I plan to regularly keep up with water maintenance and dosing to have the best and most thriving tank possible! I plan on keeping a mixed reef with soft, lps, eventually sps and hopefully a nem or two!


Just want to see in your opinion, if you needed to buy the “must have” water testers- what do you get?

I like the idea of Hanna but have heard mixed reviews. Thanks in advance!

Edit*** the one consistent check I do would be salinity!

 

[Rmckoy]

I like Hanna for Alkalinity and ulr phosphates
And use salifert for everything else

Hanna salinity checker isn’t bad either .

Calibration packets are cheap enough to guarantee accuracy

 

[Lebowski_]

Most new hobbyists start with easy corals, mainly soft corals and Zoanthids. They don’t suck up Calcium, Alk or Magnesium so I would say hold off until you get into more challenging coral.

For now, go with Nitrate and Phosphate.

I like the Hanna High Range Nitrate and Ultra Low Range Phosphate because they are easy to read.

I also like their Salinity pen because it’s easy and quick to use and calibrate. I find when a tool is a pain to use, I use it less, which is not what you want for checking salinity.

The other tests will come down the road when you are ready to cross that bridge.

 

[flashsmith]

For that tank salifert would work good. A weekly 2-3 gallon water change in a tank that size will more than suffice in keeping things stable. Don't bang your head chasing perfect parameters. You probably can get by with little to no dosing on a tank that size too. As long as your salt mix is right you shouldn't have an issue. If you have an lfs close just use their water. Again for a tank that size you should be good with a weekly change. For salinity the Hanna is garbage. Very inconsistent and you always need to buy calibration packs. Get a tropic Marin hydrometer and proper sized plastic beaker and never look back. They run around $30 or never needs calibrated and is usually spot on.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hey everyone!

A bit of a newbie question here from someone that’s been in the hobby a long time. I’ve always just done consistent water changes, kept watch, month long cycle period, and have always had decent luck.

I just set up a Fluval Evo 13.5 and want to make it a heavily concentrated reef tank. I plan to regularly keep up with water maintenance and dosing to have the best and most thriving tank possible! I plan on keeping a mixed reef with soft, lps, eventually sps and hopefully a nem or two!


Just want to see in your opinion, if you needed to buy the “must have” water testers- what do you get?

I like the idea of Hanna but have heard mixed reviews. Thanks in advance!

Edit*** the one consistent check I do would be salinity!

The most important measurements in a reef tank are Salinity and Alkalinity.

Get decent instruments for those.

Calcium, Nitrate and Phosphate are next once the tank is settled.

Salifert for the first two, and Hanna ULR Phosphate for the last.

For dosing All for Reef is a single head solution that works well in Nano tanks