Need help choosing test kits master or individual?

[waynotcars]

Hi,

I need advice on choosing test kits. I have been using API kits for a fowler for 2 years. Now upon conversion to reef, I am not sure what brand test kits to buy. I don't know whether to buy a Master Kit such as Red Sea Reef Master or buy individual kits because one test kit for one parameter may be better than another. What I mean, for example, say one brands Phosphate kit is better than another brand but another brands nitrate kit is better. So can you guys help me out? I am not really interested in ammonia, nitrite or ph as the API kits I have for those seem to work well. I am interested in reef kits, phosphates, nitrates, silicates, iodine, etc., etc.

I cannot afford to buy electronic devices for tests right now and after reading online about problems with a certain electronic phosphate kit I'm not sure they're even worth it.

So any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Boomer]

API is fine but stay AWAY from Red Sea Kits. Others good ones are Elos and Salifert or more of the top of the line lab types like HACH or LaMotte.

 

[tentacles]

API is fine for NO2, NO3, NH3 and pH, but go with Salifert for KH, Mg, Ca, I, Cu, etc. They're much more expensive than the API, but worth it. As for PO4, don't even bother buying a test kit, I've only ever found them to be horribly inaccurate. Hanna meters, however are great, but $200+. Fortunately now, they make "checkers" that are under $60. I haven't tried one yet, but from what I hear they are quite accurate. (If you have the money, hanna has also started making checkers for other params, and I also hear that they're quite good.)

Hope that helps

 

[Boomer]

Tent

There is nothing out yet on the Hanna checkers and how good they are or not other than the PO4 photometer. Of the others released it is just the Alk and NO3- and nobody has even run a test with one yet. I have one guy who's Alk meter is on the way. We are going to see if we can get a means on the accuracy of the Alk meter, as it sounds real iffy. Alk is not just an ion like Ca++ it is a "thing" made up of a number of ions, such as HCO3-, CO3--, Borate, PO4, OH-, etc. I do not know if the Ca++ has been released yet and I'm iffy on that as photometers have serous issues with Mg++ interference when testing for Ca++ and vice verse. We are also wondering and no reply from them yet, do they KNOW they are really dealing with seawater. Many such companies just assume seawater is the same. Some ions have no or little chloride interference, such as PO4, Cu++ or Silica. NO3- also has Cl- interference.

 

[LaurieC]

Would love to know how the Hanna checkers stack up. For the cost of 4 Salifert test kits, you could buy a meter/probe or checker. They seem like they could save $$$ long-term, but of course want to know they are accurate.

 

[chinatown]

Hanna checkers uses reagents to test, so it's not buy a device and it's a done deal type of thing. I would stick with salifert for po4, ca, alk and mag.

 

[Boomer]

The Hanna Alkk Checker meter has now been tested by a few guys often with some troubling results

1. Bad batch reagents, especially those that come with the unit.

2. From some new testing by Hanna, from our complaints on ALk being of wack, you now have to shake the vial for 2 min. now

3. The kit seem to read low but so do all other Alk kits but Salifert and nobody knows why.

4. The have no cal solutions out yet.

5. The are working to try and resolve these issues. I would wait 6 months.

6. Obviously they were not think'in outside the box before they released these.

7. ~ 50% of those that used them they seem to be fine and the other ~ 50 % are having issues of various natures.

 

[LaurieC]

Oh too bad. I don't mind the test kits, but cost does add up over time. The one I have issue with is the Salifert Ph--I find the colors on the card don't ever match or even come close to the water samples. Maybe this is just me and my water, but I'm looking at probes for Ph now. On testing Po4: My understanding is that both test kits and meters are no good for testing phosphates so it's not even worth it. True? I test SG (refractometer); Ph, A, Ni, Na, Ca, Mag, Alk. Aside from the Ph kit, the Salifert kits are really easy, fast and accurate as I can tell.

 

[Boomer]

The meters are more or less aimed at those that have color issue with test kits.

 

[DrHarryLopez]

The meters are more or less aimed at those that have color issue with test kits.

I'm so color blind, i threw away all those color deviation type test kits.

I use salifert test kits for Ca Alk Mg, I find the color change to be quick and dramatic. Its quantitative features athat attract me. I do all tests in ten or so mins. I use the Martini photometer for phos, i really don't like the power reagent. I wonder if i used all or enough of the reagent to get an accurate reading. Otherwise, I'm satisfied with the test kits I use.

 

[Boomer]

Doc

This one ?

http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/MI412.html

 

[DrHarryLopez]

Doc

This one ?

http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/MI412.html

Yea, its ok.

 

[Boomer]

Yes, it should be fine, as photometers are not affect by seawater for PO4. I some times get worried about certain some instrument companies because often some of them are not their own but re-labeled Hanna or somebody else's. This is not but thought it may be a first. Milwaukee has many meters that are re-labeled Hanna or from other instrument companies. For example, their Digital Refractometer is a Hanna.

 

[DrHarryLopez]

The electronics world does the same thing. I purchased a Pioneer 300 disc DVD player after comparing with other when i notice Onkyo (i think) had a model nearly 100% similar. Funny enough the only differnce was one model had square shaped buttons while the other had round shaped buttons. The real difference was the Onkyo model was $200 more expensive!

 

[Boomer]

When you say a Pioneer 300 DVD, that means this one below. I'm a 40 year Hi-End Audiophile ( see profile) My Threshold Audio system ( not a home entertainment system) cost $12,000 ~ 25 years ago :Yikes: My Quartz Phase-Lock-Loop pure FM Tuner is a Onkyo. I doubt Pioneer is making a DVD for Onkyo or vise-verse. I do not see any resemblance between any of the 6 Pioneer's or 6 Onkyo's.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Shop/Home/Bluray-DVD/Models/ci.DV-F07.Shop

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

When you say a Pioneer 300 DVD, that means this one below. I'm a 40 year Hi-End Audiophile ( see profile) My Threshold Audio system ( not a home entertainment system) cost $12,000 ~ 25 years ago :Yikes: My Quartz Phase-Lock-Loop pure FM Tuner is a Onkyo. I doubt Pioneer is making a DVD for Onkyo or vise-verse. I do not see any resemblance between any of the 6 Pioneer's or 6 Onkyo's.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Shop/Home/Bluray-DVD/Models/ci.DV-F07.Shop

Ahh a fellow audiophile......Its nice to hear there are still some out there. Ohh how I love my tube amps....:splitspin

 

[DrHarryLopez]

When you say a Pioneer 300 DVD, that means this one below. I'm a 40 year Hi-End Audiophile ( see profile) My Threshold Audio system ( not a home entertainment system) cost $12,000 ~ 25 years ago :Yikes: My Quartz Phase-Lock-Loop pure FM Tuner is a Onkyo. I doubt Pioneer is making a DVD for Onkyo or vise-verse. I do not see any resemblance between any of the 6 Pioneer's or 6 Onkyo's.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Shop/Home/Bluray-DVD/Models/ci.DV-F07.Shop

I'll find the two company's which had the same product. Sometime next week

 

[Boomer]

Geek

Ohh how I love my tube amps.

I think I do not like you ...and it is not fare having tube amps when I don't, although my Threshold is Class A

Who's do you have ?

Two years I almost bought a $2,000 tube CD player and ordered Western Electric new vintage tubes, @ $200 for a matched pair (takes 2 pair), to replace the crap ones it came with.

Shanling

OK Doc

 

[DrHarryLopez]

Cool stuff, My home is under construction which will include a whole new theater, projection and equipment room. Gonna start new n fresh, but haven't even started looking into what I wanna get. Thats more my winter sport

 

[Boomer]

That Cool Doc. I kinda gave up on it all a few years back it was just getting to expensive but needed a CD as my system is 33 1/3 records, although I do have a pricey Nakamichi tape deck but those are now vintage units also. Record are STILL better than any CD but records are a real pain. Where is my 8-Track :lol:

Here are my AMP and Pre-Amp ( not my pic)