I hate testing my tank! Please Help

Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum

Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:

shallowreef

shallowreef

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
2,457
Location
Palatine, IL
Hey,

Yesterday i was testing my tank and i almost threw all my test kits in the garbage because it took so long. At the moment i test for a Amonia, Nitri, Nitra, Phos, PH, KH, Calc, and Mag. I use three different type of tests one is seatest, one is doctor wellfish and the other is salifert (which i hate!). Can anybody reccomend a brand name that has easy to use, quick, and reliable test kits?

Also i have a salifert Magnesium test kit that i cannot stand! I have read the instruction a number of times and have tried a number of times to test my Mag levels and i just cannot tell when the water changes color. Does anyone know how to use it or tell me a better brand to use. I know salifert is the best but i think its a major PITA!

Thanks,

Nick
 
Sorry man, I like Salifert. They are time comsuming, but accurate, and priced resonabley. More accurate kits look even harder to use. Less accurate kits probley are easier but then again its a reef, not a huge margin of error is allowed.
Just my opinion though.
 
I had a bad experience with a none Salifert Alk kit. It never gave me a reading above 7dkh so I kept adding buffer. When I finally got a Salifert my dkh was above 20. Since then I've only use Salifert. I understand about the Mg kit. It is a little difficult to see the color change but it does change. Are you going thru a whole dropper and not see a change? If so, fill another dropper and see if you get a change. If your Mg levels are above 1500 ppm I would check the salt you're using.
If this is an established tank I don't see the need to test for Amm and trite. pH I would use a probe and Ca, Alk, trate, Phos, Mg I would stick with Salifert.
Just my 2 cents.
 
Red Seas version has a tiny waterproof card that has the directions in symbols on the back, easier to keep track of then the large papers that come with Salifert. They also have corresponding numbers on the bottle, with the drops required, order, ect. I think all the test kits probably have the same reactants and stuff, so I think they are just as reliable?

The MGSO4 seems very similar, though...sorry.

I think you can skip testing for ammonia, nitrate as much, though. Once the cycle is established?

Also, if you get a pH monitor, that is one more less test?
 
Its not 100% established its been up for a month and i used all my LR from my old tank that is about 4yrs old and live sand. The only reason i test for the ammo and Nitri and Nitra is just becaus it still is new. I am thinking about just getting monitors for all of my reef chemicals. I hate testing my tank!
 
Well i just did a little browsing and i can get monitors for Ph Calc and Alk for around $430 leaving just the dreaded magnesium to do by hand. I'm not sure what to do?
 
If your keeping fish only then you can cut down most of the kits, save yourself a headache.
 
I agree with Scooty and I know what you mean about how long it takes to test. Salifert is what I use and I guess testing is a small price you have to pay fr a hobby like this:)
 
Well that is no longer the case scooter i am back in the reef scene and i would like to make sure that my corals do not get neglected like they did in my 90. I want this tank to look beautiful and full of coral.
 
Before you decide to purchase a Calcium tester, you may wish to do yourself a favor, and do a search here about them. I understand that Pinpoint does have a Calcium test set... but if I remember my readings correctly, people wern't having very good results with them. I'd hate to hear of you putting out the $$$, only to purchase something that is useless, or way more work than using a Salifert test kit.
 
Well i talked to Matt and he ditshed his calcium monitor because he said it never worked that great for him. So i don't know.
 
Yeah, I think I got one accurate reading from it over the course of a few months. It had to be calibrated before every use and sometimes the calibration did not stick and had to redo it. Maybe they have change the design but from what I've read on Reef Central it's not worth the money.
 
That sucks. I haven't tried any of saliferts other tests besides Magnesium so i really shouldn't dislike all of saliferts test kits just the one.
 
well, most salifert test kits are the same as they are tritation type tests usually. i don't find them difficult to use but they are a little time consuming but they are accurate and that is what i want. i test about once a week now since my tank has finished cycling so it's not a big chore.
 
How many of you have PH pens? I have one but i don't know if it is acurate. I used it and it said i had it at 7.8 and when i did the manual test it came out 8.3? Do i have to recalibrate it?
 
I use the pH monitor built into my Aquacontroller. I calibrate it monthly though to make it's accurate but yeah you should definitely calibrate it with a 2 part system - a solution of pH 7 and a pH 10 solution but that is if your pen can do a 2 part calibration.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

barrierreefcf
Please Read - Helping Mike Foote
Replies
2
Views
972
Scooterman
Scooterman
Playapixie
Most cost-effective tests?
2
Replies
24
Views
9K
NC2WA
NC2WA
F
Magnesium testing and magnesium test kit reccomendation.
2
Replies
20
Views
5K
Mr. Brooks
M
sedrostyle
First time
Replies
9
Views
2K
sedrostyle
sedrostyle
Maxx
Phosphate testing
Replies
6
Views
2K
Boomer
Boomer
Back
Top