"Lab" grade test kits.

[barrierreefcf]

Boomer...I don't know when he pulled his forum at RC. I just noticed it gone a few days ago when someone told me about it. Could be he was tired of all the flaming...who knows??

Don/Curt...I used to love Salifert but having to pull a dozen units of two different tests as instructed by my supplier and seeing others have issues sent us looking elsewhere for the time being. Not intending to harm Habib or Salifert...just explaining why the move in another direction I agree that some batches are fine but some have had problems and that has ruined many peoples faith in the product. I truly hope things turn around for the better as its always nice to have quality options and people who know Habib always have nice things to say about him.

 

[Scooterman]

Well these kits are like salts for the hobby, unless your buying Lab materials you will most probably get varied results for any manufacturer. I would think for the most part they would work well enough & If you test enough then through experience you should be able to determine if you have a bad kit or realize you may need to get another to compare if your having issues. That is like all of these controllers that people use, the equipment is hobby designed & not something you can take to heart If you have a failure, all of this is nature of the hobby itself.

 

[caribewolf]

Need Info

barrier

cancelled their forum at RC

When the heck did this happen ?

API seem to be good kits and same for Elos. I thought Habib had fixed things, guess not. I know, now, you can get them from F & S.

He is a really good friend of mine and I do not know what is going on. He is MIA again for about the 6th time in the last 2 years. He has not been on RC since the 11/10/2007. I spent allot of time with him at MACNA and all was back to normal then, health wise.

We have had lots of threads on kits on our Chem forum on RC. Billybeau1, my partner in crime on RC, has tested most of them and is going to try Elos net. He likes mostly API and Salifert. Not all are having issues with Salifert. One of the issues in the last year is Habib has been very sick many times. There is a new line of Salifert's out also and more or less called the pro line.

I can tell you this about Elos. I had Jesse send all their kits to ENC Labs fro verification and all came back with "flying-colors"

Britany

I know Calcium, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, PH, Salinity

And add Alkalinity, Magnesium and Phosphate. That is about it.

Presently testing for pH, NH3, No2, No3, kH, Ca, P, and salinity utilizing combination of API Master Test Kit and Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Master Liquid Test Kit. I dont test for trace elements and would like to. What trace elements are essential to test for? Is there a kit which combines all the parameters which I test for as well as tests for trace elements - an all in one approach ?
I get good results on present testing equipment. I add trace just because it seems like the right thing to do, not because I know that the tank needs it. I make my own saltwater using RO/DI and that is working out fine.
My tanks are doing well right now.

 

[caribewolf]

API and American Pharmaceuticals are the same oops

 

[CJG]

I'm kind of late to the thread, but better late then never. Where's a good place to get a master API test kit. I've heard good things about seachem test kits. Anybody have a take on those?

 

[nyfireman3097]

Boomer what do you think about Lamotte test kits ?

 

[Boomer]

LaMotte are lab grade test kits and are very good. The only issue for some is that there is allot of extra work doing conversions. For example, Calcium and Alk are expressed as CaCO3 in ppm so they have to be converted. You will find tables for Alk conversions but not the Ca++ so you will have to do the math which is simple. It is all explained in the test kit. For example; test reads Calcium Harndess = 1,000 ppm CaCO3, Ca++ makes up 40 % of the CaCO3, so 1,000 x 40% = 400 ppm Ca++.

 

[spongebob lover]

Boomer are you sure you weren't a quemestry teacher ?
i'm embarrased to say that i used to use some petco (i think they're called red sea) test kits but i'm planning on getting better test kits .

 

[Scooterman]

I'm kind of late to the thread, but better late then never. Where's a good place to get a master API test kit. I've heard good things about seachem test kits. Anybody have a take on those?

I have the seachem Nitrate/Nitrite & ammonia kits, to me they work well enough for these, haven't anything to compare the results against though.

 

[Boomer]

Teacher, no but often wished I had become one :lol:

 

[Gordonious]

I, like many in the hobby, am hoping to start and aquaculture biz and would like to have accurate results, so I suppose I will be looking into higher dollar test kits for Ca, Mg, and Alk. However it seems like many people seem to get good results with API.

I'd like an expert to stand up and say use "X" brand for the Ca test kit and "Y" brand for Mg, but it seems like no one will make a strong stand one way or another. Boomer you seem to be making large efforts to stay politically current and careful with what you say, but am I reading that your leaning towards LaMotte for lab grade and Elos for hobby? Or are just about all of the “lab grade” kits going to be along the same lines of accuracy.

Jon

 

[joelfletcher]

Ty for those links!

 

[Gordonious]

NICE! Over three years later my questions weren't answered. lol Talk about a blast from the past earing this post.

 

[Boomer]

You can't, as no one would have to test them all

Boomer you seem to be making large efforts to stay politically current and careful with what you say

Don't make me laugh so hard. I do not buy into being politically current or correct. That is my nature or reputation.

but am I reading that your leaning towards LaMotte for lab grade and Elos for hobby?

More on the order of HACH and Elos

Or are just about all of the “lab grade” kits going to be along the same lines of accuracy.

That may or many not be, one would have to test them all



NICE! Over three years later my questions weren't answered. lol Talk about a blast from the past earing this post.

Well, did you think there may be a reason for that I was not around that year or any year sicne 2006 from Jan to April, as I am in Texas, rarely come on-line and ask others to watch the forum for me. I'm and am not about to go look for post 2-3 months old unanswered when I get home

 

[ryansreef]

So, all liquid test kits are crap? I have a Red Sea Reef Master kit, seems ok but I am new to the hobby...recommendations?

 

[Ed Hahn]

I always like Habib. We talked about him visiting Northwest one time. Where ever he is I wish him the best. I am a big Salifert Fan because of Habib. He would sometimes stop production to get the out dated product off the shelf to make sure his product was being represented as it should. People should always check dates of test kits!

 

[ryansreef]

I always like Habib. We talked about him visiting Northwest one time. Where ever he is I wish him the best. I am a big Salifert Fan because of Habib. He would sometimes stop production to get the out dated product off the shelf to make sure his product was being represented as it should. People should always check dates of test kits!

I have some old Salifert test kits that came with a system I bought...Calcium, Phosphate, Amonia and Nitrate. Do they expire? I couldn't find any expiration dates on the boxes.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Ryan,
Most Boxes will have a white label with stamp on them. People need to train themself to look for that white label with expiration date.

 

[Boomer]

Ryan

So, all liquid test kits are crap? I have a Red Sea Reef Master kit, seems ok but I am new to the hobby...recommendations?

Any company ends up having a bad batch of kits from time to time. However, hobby grade kits are more prone to it.

The Red Sea kit has been about the wost there is when it come to accuracy, usually reading way to low.

If you are worried about an Alk kit reliability then I would go get me a LaMotte Kit and add 10 % to the reading. All kits par the Salifert and Fauna Marine should have 10 % added to the reading. The reason behind this is the color end-point is a pH of 4.5 and needs to be 4.2 for seawater and is what the Salifert are.

ANY test kit should have the reagents replaced if more than 1 year old...........period.



Ed

All Seas Marine, Inc, of Torrance Calif use to be the exclusive distributor of Salifert but looks like now it is Quality Marine. Habib's old e-mail addresses I have do not even work any more. There is nothing on the Salifet website to contact them.

Habib use to suffer from sever headaches to the point where he had to be hospitalized at times and was on special meds. He was also very prone to pneumonia. I have no clue what is going on know or how he is. I use to be able to find out from Ted at All Sea but not anymore. But I do have a means to find out and will look into it to see what has happen to him if I can.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Ryan

So, all liquid test kits are crap? I have a Red Sea Reef Master kit, seems ok but I am new to the hobby...recommendations?

Any company ends up having a bad batch of kits from time to time. However, hobby grade kits are more prone to it.

The Red Sea kit has been about the wost there is when it come to accuracy, usually reading way to low.

If you are worried about an Alk kit reliability then I would go get me a LaMotte Kit and add 10 % to the reading. All kits par the Salifert and Fauna Marine should have 10 % added to the reading. The reason behind this is the color end-point is a pH of 4.5 and needs to be 4.2 for seawater and is what the Salifert are.

ANY test kit should have the reagents replaced if more than 1 year old...........period.



Ed

All Seas Marine, Inc, of Torrance Calif use to be the exclusive distributor of Salifert but looks like now it is Quality Marine. Habib's old e-mail addresses I have do not even work any more. There is nothing on the Salifet website to contact them.

Habib use to suffer from sever headaches to the point where he had to be hospitalized at times and was on special meds. He was also very prone to pneumonia. I have no clue what is going on know or how he is. I use to be able to find out from Ted at All Sea but not anymore. But I do have a means to find out and will look into it to see what has happen to him if I can.

Boomer,
I communicated with him through RC years ago. He donated test kits to MCMAC at very first Conference. I have switched computers. I have my old one. I bet its the same email. I am not sure if it will work or not. I will make a effort to get it to you If I find it. I promise. You know when people give you respect you always want to return it. I hope Habib is doing good. thank you for heads up Boomer!
sincerely,
Ed