Whats the difference?

[Elio_Kaji]

Hey all, Im super new to aquarium keeping. Looking at different products (like water test kits) and descriptions, i notice that there are some with "reef" version and "saltwater" versions. Whats the difference with reef versus saltwater? Is there any difference?

 

[tbrown]

There is a difference in some of them, yes. I think most tests work for either but I've read on Hanna that some freshwater tests don't work with saltwater and vice versa.

I assume the specific gravity makes the tests have different results and the saltwater tests have been adjusted in the calculations to make the readings correct.

 

[zbrusko]

OP asked about reef, not fw vs sw. my guess is a reef kit may include alk, cal & mag tests, whereas sw may not. But the tests themselves will work in any saltwater aquarium, regardless of if there are corals.

 

[Fish Fan]

Hey all, Im super new to aquarium keeping. Looking at different products (like water test kits) and descriptions, i notice that there are some with "reef" version and "saltwater" versions. Whats the difference with reef versus saltwater? Is there any difference?

I think maybe you're looking at the API brand Master kits. There's one called the API Saltwater Master test kit, this kit comes with four tests for four different water parameters: pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate.

They also offer a Reef Master test kit which includes Calcium, Carbonate Hardness (Alkalinity), Phosphate and Nitrate.

In theory, the Saltwater Master kit is useful to nearly anyone keeping a saltwater aquarium of any kind. The Reef Master kit is a bit more suited to those that are keeping corals specifically. Again, that's what API suggests.

If you're just getting started, I would skip the master kits from API. API is not as horrible as many make them out to be, but there are better test kit brands, and you don't need everything included in the API master kits.

I'd look to Salifert as a trusted and easy to use brand of test kits that are also inexpensive. To get started, I'd get their ammonia and nitrate kit. You can safely skip testing for nitrite and pH, which is why I don't think the API Master kits are a good value. Once you get further in the hobby, then you may find a need for parameters like phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium, but these will be down the road once you start getting some stoney corals.

I hope that helps!

 

[Elio_Kaji]

Hey all, Im super new to aquarium keeping. Looking at different products (like water test kits) and descriptions, i notice that there are some with "reef" version and "saltwater" versions. Whats the difference with reef versus saltwater? Is there any difference?

I think maybe you're looking at the API brand Master kits. There's one called the API Saltwater Master test kit, this kit comes with four tests for four different water parameters: pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate.

They also offer a Reef Master test kit which includes Calcium, Carbonate Hardness (Alkalinity), Phosphate and Nitrate.

In theory, the Saltwater Master kit is useful to nearly anyone keeping a saltwater aquarium of any kind. The Reef Master kit is a bit more suited to those that are keeping corals specifically. Again, that's what API suggests.

If you're just getting started, I would skip the master kits from API. API is not as horrible as many make them out to be, but there are better test kit brands, and you don't need everything included in the API master kits.

I'd look to Salifert as a trusted and easy to use brand of test kits that are also inexpensive. To get started, I'd get their ammonia and nitrate kit. You can safely skip testing for nitrite and pH, which is why I don't think the API Master kits are a good value. Once you get further in the hobby, then you may find a need for parameters like phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium, but these will be down the road once you start getting some stoney corals.

I hope that helps!

Thank you! I was looking at api a lot, and i think youre right, with only inverts, I'm not too worried about every little parameters right now. Definitely made the mistake of getting a coral without getting the proper testing equipment early in my set up

 

[tbrown]

Oops! You're right I misread that. Reef and Saltwater are the same, one just has different tests than the other as mentioned above.