"Lab" grade test kits.

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Do you have a "list" of specific colorimeters that would handle everything we need as reefkeepers. I have the Hanna and the MW for P but those are the oly ones Ive found so far.

Thanks
Don
 
When you say colorimeter you mean spectrophotometers like the Hanna for PO4. Colorimeters are also things like color wheels and those Seatest/Fastest kits also. Nope Don there are none. The issue is really with things like Ca++, Mg++ and Alk which are titration. And Alk is a different beast. They will do Ca++ and Mg++ but the levels are only to a few ppm. At the levels we deal with there is waaayy to much interference with Ca++ for Mg++ and Mg++ for Ca++.

How nice it would be if Loivbond or HACH had a kit where all you need to is change the color disk for their colorimetric comparators for x parameters. On another note HACH does make a so called complete seawater kit but it is better to build your own by selection through HACH. This is what I did, Randy has it all now. But such a kit is pricey, mine was on the order of $500. It all came in its own custom case from HACH but the PO4 is separate. Almost all kits are titration par pH, NO2, NO3 and NH3, which are similar to std As Seatest/Fastest/IO kits.

My kit was the following

Alkalinity, Acidity, Salinity, Chloride, Total Hardness, Ca++, Mg++, O2, CO2(for FW not SW) and I threw in the AS Fastest changeable plate kits for NH3, NO2, NO3, Copper and pH. Silica, Iron and Tannis /Lignin were also separate kits like PO4
 
I want to get some test kits for my reef tank. I am pretty new so i want accurate test equipment and I have heard that any of the liquid tests are crap. Is this true? If so what are some good testers? and where can I get them? Can I order them online? Also what do I need to test for exactly
I know Calcium, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, PH, Salinity,
I have a refractometer that shows Alkalinity right?
 
so no ideas on what brand test kits to buy what do you use c'mon guys you cant be as dumb as me and not testing your water :)
 
I use Salifert and I think you'll find that's what most recommend.

CY, API test kits? I always thought these where the least accurate.

Sorry Boomer, this is kind of getting off topic as these are not "Lab" grade test kits.
 
James...my understanding is that with the current state of Salifert, which is awful, many people are turning to API and reporting good results. I'll go double check at RC and make sure I'm not getting my companies mixed up. Salifert is definately not the direction I would go right now though. They are having batch after batch of bad kits and people are killing corals as a result. Their customer service has all but disappeared as well.
 
Yep...found one of the threads where I found API mentioned over and over. Because there are so many people who have been using Salifert when it was reliable you will still see those votes but you will also see many people who are following kits closely and see that Salifert has cancelled their forum at RC and there is no longer a way to contact them and many are having problems. Enough outta me though...:)


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1287371&highlight=API+test+kits
 
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.
 
That odd, I just last month got 7 of ea Ca Mg Alk (P was out of stock) all salifert, my yearly supply. They all tested fine, each was verified by Sprectra Labs. I got a Elos P and it was off by almost 2ppm and the hanna colorimeter was dead on.

I guess next year I may be shopping for new kits. The saliferts that I have are better than all the other saliferts that I've had tested over the past few years. I thought they were getting better.

Don
 
Thanks Boomer I have just recently got an API master kit and intend to get Elos Calcium, Magnesium and Alkalinity tests. I am adding Essential Elements and Two little Fishies two part calcium agent. Thats why I need to be able to have accurate tests to make sure I am not Overdosing my reef. What about Iodine?
 
I use LaMotte for Alk and like it a lot. Elos for PO4 and Mg, just bought Lamotte Ca as it has a good rep also.
 
Don

Yah I think it depnds on what day it is for Salifert latley. Knowbody has been able to contact Habib. I can when I get back in end-Feb :lol: His new Pro Series are suppose to be great but have not heard of any feed back. Have you tried those Don ??

On Elos, just call or e-mail Jesse at Elos. He will take care of you if I say so ;)



Britany

Do not bother with Iodine.

Essential Elements

Don't bother with this stuff either, it is not needed.
 
Don

Yah I think it depnds on what day it is for Salifert latley. Knowbody has been able to contact Habib. I can when I get back in end-Feb :lol: His new Pro Series are suppose to be great but have not heard of any feed back. Have you tried those Don ??

Could it be that I get the kits in the uk from swelluk? They look just like they always have, never seen a "proline"

Don
 
People on RF tend to be better behaved than many on RC as demonstrated by the behavior on this thread. There was an "Attack Habib" thread on RC. I posted on that thread to let people know how much Habib has done for the hobby over the years. (It turned out that he was having some serious health issues as Boomer stated). I don't want to see this excellent thread started by Boomer turn into that here. Let's all play nice. :)
 
People on RF tend to be better behaved than many on RC as demonstrated by the behavior on this thread. There was an "Attack Habib" thread on RC. I posted on that thread to let people know how much Habib has done for the hobby over the years. (It turned out that he was having some serious health issues as Boomer stated). I don't want to see this excellent thread started by Boomer turn into that here. Let's all play nice. :)


I doubt thats going to happen. I will continue to use salifert until the lab has proven that they are no longer useful. To date Ive only had 1 in well over a hundred kits bad and that one sat on a lfs shelf for more than two years. I cant say that about any other kit Ive purchased.

Don
 

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