Advice? test kits

i like salifert for cal, mag
hanna for alk and phosphate
ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate I just use the cheap api kits.

 

Alk: Hanna Checker. Hands down the easiest. Salifert is really good too though.

Phosphate: Hanna Checker. If you don't have the Phosphate, get the Phosphorus ULR (Ultra Low Range) as it is better. But you have to take certain steps in order to get consistent results: mainly, keeping the cuvette at the same rotation point throughout the test as the variations in thickness of the cuvette wall will throw off the test result (mark a point with a sharpie)

Calcium: Salifert. Considering RSP though after talking to Donny about it.

Magnesium: Salifert. Also considering RSP.

pH: not worth bothering IMO unless you are having a problem and you can pin it to pH, but I use a Hanna probe for this one as well, it's a triple meter, TDC/EC/pH probe, but needs calibration, etc. All pH probes are finicky. Usually something else out of whack causes pH to be out of whack, so don't chase it, fix the root problem.

Potassium (K): Salifert. Vastly overlooked. Test is easy but I've heard that it's difficult to get an accurate test for potassium with any hobby-grade kit. So this one will definitely tell you a difference between 2 test accurately, but the reference point might not be accurate. Meaning you can test for 400 and then 350 and know that you dropped 50 points, but you can't be sure if you were at 400, or +/- 30 points off of 400 (for instance). Good news is, you don't care. You can have K a 1000ppm and be just fine (according to Justin Credible)

Nitrate: over 10-20ppm, API. Under 10ppm, Salifert (look through side). Salifert is difficult to discern after 10ppm, when looking through top. API sucks under 10ppm, but you can tell pretty easily the difference between 10 and 20 and 40 ppm. Anything over 40ppm, it becomes difficult to tell. If you have 0ppm, API will look bright yellow, with no orange/brown tinge to it. So in that respect, it's good for telling if you are at zero. But the 5-20 range is iffy.

Ammonia: I don't test. You shouldn't even have ammonia, if have sudden cloudy water, then test.

Nitrite: I don't test. Saltwater can have up to 100ppm Nitrite before it becomes toxic, due to ions in saltwater. Although it's presence would indicate a bacterial colony issue or filtration problem, and you would probably have ammonia present as well.

Strontium: Only tried Salifert and I wouldn't wish the test on my worst enemy. Takes like 40 minutes.

Iodine/Iodide/Iodate: only tried salifert, simple test, not sure of value. But always should test before dosing.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!