Api Water Testing Kit

[Josh]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that most people do not use this kit....

Is it even close to accurate for SW, I bought it back in my freshwater days for checking ammonia etc etc for my planted tank. Ive done water tests and both my nitrate/nitrites have been bang on 0 (or lowest readable ammount)

Do people generally trust these? Ideally id love to buy one of the salifert (all in one kits)
13 Salifert Test Kits. ($350)
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, Calcium, KH/Alkalinity, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphate, Silicate, Iodine and Strontium and Copper.

I know you guys have a WEALTH of knowledge on this subject and are just itching to point me in the right direction.

I am willing to add a small test kit or two right now but would prefer to hold off on replacing my other testers unless they are completely useless to me.

Currently i have the following :

API :

Nitrite
Nitrate
PH
GH

i MAY be wrong here but from what ive read nitrite/nitrate/phosphate/ammonia/PH are the big dogs. With your alk / mag / pot / calc all being more coral related?

Definately adding phosphate tester, any others i should order at same time?

 

[TORX]

Order nitrate and phosphate, cal, mag, and alk/Kh. That is all the majority of us test on a regular basis aftrler the tank is cycled. Most use am API kit for the cycle due to the number of tests needed during the cycle and accuracy is not as important.

I haven't tested ph since my tank was set up. Ammonia should never have to be tested after your cycle.

Get the big 5 in a good test kit. You can test ph and ammonia with API if you want to test for those. API is just not accurate enough imho.

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[Josh]

Salifert a pretty reasonable brand?

I read a review post that had them with average of 4.5/5 on most of the aquarium review sites for accuracy etc etc

 

[TORX]

Salifert and RedSea have decent testers and are probably the most popular brand. More expensive is NYOS. Fancier looking kit, but not really much different from RedSea and you get less tests per kit. Pricier options are Hanna Checkers, which are not for everything and then big bucks is iDip.

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[Salty Cracker]

Love the hanna checkers, like salifert, hate api.

 

[Josh]

Done!
Ordered:
Red Sea Algae Control Multi NO3/PO4 Test Kit
Red Sea Reef Foundation® Pro Test Kit
They had a bit better testing parameters than the salifert of equivalent price.

Thanks for advice!

 

[hark]

I do tests randomly now, with the PH being tested on the apex i calibrate that maybe every 3 months now. I check magnesium monthly (saliferet test), calcium and alk i dose so i just pay attention to the dosing levels there. phosphates when i do test them i use the hanna checker, i find it so easy i should do it more. also have a hanna for phosphate as well.

the one i haven't tested is choramines, i need to find a test kit for that. anyone suggest one?

maybe not the best advice but i find that at least for me I take cues from my tank, when things look off visually I will do a suite of tests, but if things look good - and you learn what that means for your tank with time - then no need to test.

 

[SamB]

I have a bunch of (pretty new) Salifert test kits that I am happy to send you if you are concerned
PM me if you wish
Sam

 

[Josh]

I have a bunch of (pretty new) Salifert test kits that I am happy to send you if you are concerned
PM me if you wish
Sam

Super kind offer. My red sea should be here soon.