What do you test for and which brand of kits?

I've got a red sea test kit and a salifert calcium test kit. I think I only test once or twice a year or if I see a problem.

 

I use API for calcium, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. LaMotte for Alkalinity. Probably gonna switch to LaMotte for calcium next time. Need to pick up a magnesium test kit and still don't know which one to try first.

 

Posted By ToTaLCHaoS13 on 02/02/2008 8:29 AM
I use API for calcium, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. LaMotte for Alkalinity. Probably gonna switch to LaMotte for calcium next time. Need to pick up a magnesium test kit and still don't know which one to try first.
I won the Red Sea Mg test kit at the meeting. I used it the other night and was pretty happy with the ease of use. It measured the same thing as my Salifert test kit did from the same water sample. (of course with Saliferts problems over the past year not sure if that is a good or bad thing).

 

Slovan, thanks for the link. I use coralife salt; which i see runs higher in CA... and matches with what i have been testing at. I used to use Instant Ocean... i guess i am not used to seeing CA levels this high.

 

otherwise i use API tests, with the exception of my CA test.

 

Alk - tested 3-4 times per week w/ API kit. I have lots of SPS frags in a 20 gallon tank, so I like to keep close tabs on my parameters!

Cal - tested 2-3 times per week w/ API kit.

Nitrate - tested once per month w/ Salifert test kit.

I need to get a Mag test kit - I would like to test for it once per week.