.OptimusPrime. October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 Is it worth spending hundreds on testers that measure each parameter separately? For example the digital ones from dr. Foster and smith. Some go for 100+ and only test one thing. Is the convenience of not trying to guess what color the water is in relation to the chart worth it? Will the testers pay for themselves after a few uses? Or is it a matter of personal preference? Anyone have or used them that can chime in? In terms of the normal test kits are there any that are better than the rest or are they generally all the same? People seem to like red sea tests but i havent been able to find a kit of theirs that does ammonia. What does everyone else use? Sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors typed this in my DROIDX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 Don't know about any other digital test kits, but the Hanna Alk digital test kit is worth every penny 10 times over. Bruce Is it worth spending hundreds on testers that measure each parameter separately? For example the digital ones from dr. Foster and smith. Some go for 100+ and only test one thing. Is the convenience of not trying to guess what color the water is in relation to the chart worth it? Will the testers pay for themselves after a few uses? Or is it a matter of personal preference? Anyone have or used them that can chime in? In terms of the normal test kits are there any that are better than the rest or are they generally all the same? People seem to like red sea tests but i havent been able to find a kit of theirs that does ammonia. What does everyone else use? Sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors typed this in my DROIDX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 I test multiple aquaria every day and I use Salifert kits. I go thru any given kit in about 2 months. I'd like to switch to the Hanna testers but there have been issues with some of them and reagent refills aren't cheap. When they come down in price and they offer the full range of what I need, (Alk, Ca, N03, P04, Mg) then I'll make the switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 (edited) I have never had good luck with Red Sea, those things are all over the boards from one kit to the next Salifert have been very good to me (dont mind Elos either but prefer salifert) I havent tested for amonia in a LONG time so cant really help out there. Just stated using the Hanna Alk tester and so far i really like it, it reads a little lower than my salifert but as long as you have a buffered solution to test you can easily make the call of where you want it to read. I agree with rob, the refills are a little too expensive and im hoping they go down in the future, right now i just use it every couple of test and do the rest with whats left of my salifert kit. as your tank gets dialed in (in my case at least) i dont test all that often unless something looks off...algea, corals, etc. Salinity is the main thing i test for and lucking with a refractometer the reagents are free since there are none Edited October 19, 2011 by Der ABT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 I used my last phosphorus reagent last night for my hanna checker... I agree Salifert are really good. The nitrate can be hard to judge in the 25-50 area, but you should be going for "clear" when looking down into it. The most important thing is to use these test kits in natural light. It makes it much easier to see the color shifts. I plan on ordering a hanna alk tester when I order more phosphorus reagents. The testers are definately more than the Salifert, and way more than a lot of others. I do like the ease of testing though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 The value proposition, for me, is convenience and accuracy of some of these testers, and in the longevity of reagents. For example, the Hanna alk tester is worth the extra price that I pay (per test) because it helps me to keep track of consumption and make accurate adjustments to my dosing regimen. Because I typically don't test phosphates that often, I find the hermetically sealed reagents of the phosphorus test more economical (because they have a longer shelf life than a boxed test kit, which I'd never get full value from). Beware, though, some new testers have a bumpy start and it pays to read about others' experience before jumping in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecrackerbob October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 I think I would generally agree with the above posters. I dont test as often as I would like(or have time for) so what I do is keep a PH probe in the tank that I can check quickly. I have found that PH tends to be a pretty good proxy for the overall health of the system. I can just walk up to my tank, turn of the meter and see what the PH is in a few seconds. if its around 8 or whatever, then my dosing is usually in line and all my other parameters are usually pretty good. if its off then I start to do other tests- ca, alk, mg... So I would say if for me that having a PH probe is worth every penny for the ease of use. I am thinking about some of the hanna checkers as well, but for now, salifert kits are doing a pretty good job... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.OptimusPrime. October 19, 2011 Author Share October 19, 2011 The general rule of thumb ive heard/read is dont test for anything youre not dosing for. Is this true? Since I'm just starting out the main ones I can think of are ammonia/phosphate/ph/salinity/nitrate(ite). am I missing anything? I've heard good things about the hanna checkers, so that maybe a future investment. Will probably invest in Salifert since other members have had good results. pH test will probably get replaced by the pH probe once I get a controller. Do most reefers not check for ammonia often(or at all) once the tank is cycled? Does everyone test every couple days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecrackerbob October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 I would say PH, Ca, and alk should be tested relatively frequently, especially if you have SPS or LPS (daily if you have heavy demand). Mg should be tested often as well, but maybe more like weekly or every other week, depending on your system. I also check salinity about once a week. these are less important if you are running a FOWLR though. as mentioned, since I have a PH probe, I check that at least once a day, often twice. I do NOT check ammonia, phosphate, nitrates or anything else for that matter... but my system is pretty well established and when I did test, I always got 0 for those parameters. I also do not dose any trace chemicals, so there is no need to test for them in MHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grav October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 The general rule of thumb ive heard/read is dont test for anything youre not dosing for. Is this true? The rule is: don't dose anything you are not testing for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 I have a Pinpoint Salinity monitor and love it. I hated using a refractometer. I hit the on switch and there you have it, and instant accurate reading. I would be willing to spend the money on the calcium monitor as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 To this day, I am still surprised that there isn't an all in one digital testing device for the various reef items we need tested. For example, I imagine a plastic device that would go on a sump, and hold a bunch of probes for: Salinity; Ph; Alk; Ca; Mg; NO3; PO4; etc. They'd all attach to a control unit that would monitor each/graph them, etc, like an Apex. /shrug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami October 19, 2011 Share October 19, 2011 I think I would generally agree with the above posters. I dont test as often as I would like(or have time for) so what I do is keep a PH probe in the tank that I can check quickly. I have found that PH tends to be a pretty good proxy for the overall health of the system. I can just walk up to my tank, turn of the meter and see what the PH is in a few seconds. if its around 8 or whatever, then my dosing is usually in line and all my other parameters are usually pretty good. if its off then I start to do other tests- ca, alk, mg... So I would say if for me that having a PH probe is worth every penny for the ease of use. I am thinking about some of the hanna checkers as well, but for now, salifert kits are doing a pretty good job... While pH is not a good indicator for some things (phosphate & nitrates, for example), because it's either not connected with or features diurnal swings that mask other, lesser effects, it can, if you're charting it, indicate declining alkalinity (and, by inference, calcium, in a system that's using balanced additives), and even build up of gelbstoff (yellowing organics) from the increased presence of organic acids. It's actually one of the ways that I can tell when it's time to replenish the kalk in the kalk stirrer: The downward pH trend from day to day as seen from my controller's data plots. The most sensitive indicator, however, is almost always going to be how your corals look. Once you become familiar with your tank and it's "indicator" species, you can quickly judge if conditions are healthy and if they are not. When they're not - that's when you begin doing a lot of testing to figure out what's happening. Otherwise, you'll find that routine testing is fairly infrequent (at least, compared to what you did when you were starting out). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.OptimusPrime. October 20, 2011 Author Share October 20, 2011 The rule is: don't dose anything you are not testing for. Thanks for clearing that up Looks like Salifert kits for awhile..thanks for all the input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khalid October 20, 2011 Share October 20, 2011 Stay away from the Pinpoint calcium monitor it is the biggest piece of... I got two or three uses on mine before it would no longer calibrate and would give me an error every time I tried. Biggest waste of money I have bought to date and has been sitting in my garadge for a couple of years useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella October 20, 2011 Share October 20, 2011 Stay away from the Pinpoint calcium monitor it is the biggest piece of... I got two or three uses on mine before it would no longer calibrate and would give me an error every time I tried. Biggest waste of money I have bought to date and has been sitting in my garadge for a couple of years useless. Canyt you just leave the probe in the water rather than take it in or out.?? Thats how my pinpoint salinity monitor works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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