Test Kit
- Thread starter Lionhead
- Start date
Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:
I was gonna go with Salifert.. But.. errrr.. Your comment made me think there for a while.. Maybe I'll just go and see what I can afford to buy. Salifert is better than API right?
For a long time salifert was the standard. Then about a year in a half ago, something happened. They sent out a ton of bad test kits, and quality control just hasn't been the same since. I lost a lot of corals and livestock thanks to them, so I can never in good conscience recomend their product.
ULTAQUARIUMSVCS
Well-known member
I like salifert is easy to use, elos is bout the same but elos is more expensive, i been using salifert for bout 7 yrs no problems i have a 600gal reef tank never had any problems with salifert.
You may have gotten lucky Carlos, but a little reasearch on RC and you will find many reefers who had bad test kits from them. They had some serious problems the last year in a half and are now claiming to be "better" and have gotten things worked out. If you want to take that risk fine, but know they had a rough history.
What would you recommend?
burning2nd
Well-known member
u should refrence that with someone else... just cause one person somewhere got a bad kit... i have about 30 of them...
never let me down.. and this is the first ive ever hurd of this...
so run that by some other people..
never let me down.. and this is the first ive ever hurd of this...
so run that by some other people..
TWallace
Well-known member
I had a Salifert Alk test kit during the time when so many had problems with it. Mine gave results nearly identical to Elos' alk test kit. I wouldn't be so quick to write Salifert off. Their calcium test kit has always proven reliable for me, too.
I to am curious as to the claim that people are having problems with Salifert as I've been using their kits for about 4 years with no problems. I've even gone so far as to test with 2 different brand test kits a couple of times with the same results.
I wouldn't be so quick to condem Salifert test kits just yet.
Just my 2¢ on this and not meaning to instigate any riots here.
I wouldn't be so quick to condem Salifert test kits just yet.
Just my 2¢ on this and not meaning to instigate any riots here.
Like I said, I personally had 3 bad test kits IN A ROW from them. Alk, nitrates, and phosphates were giving me readings that weren't even close. Alk was 2+ dkh off, nitrates was telling me 0 when I had 30, and phosphates was telling me 0 when I had .5-1.0. My refrence is myself, but if you take 10 minutes, youll find hundrereds of responses on RC. Im not going to search and refrence them all individually =P
Im sticking with elos until they prove that they cant consitantly make kits.
Im sticking with elos until they prove that they cant consitantly make kits.
Last edited:
krisfal
Well-known member
I have used both Salifert and Elos and am going to Elos as I have to buy replacement kits. I find they are easier to use and the equipment is higher quality e.g. syringes have rubber on the plungers so they slide easier, testing tubes are glass instead of plastic (plastic starts getting cloudy, absorbing colors and I feel this could effect your ability to see the color change you are looking for)
The Elos calcium seems difficult at first but once you use it a few times you understand and if you know the ballpark of where you expect your calcium to be it is much easier and quicker to use than Salifert.
Of course all of the above is just my experience and opinion.
burning2nd
Well-known member
Im woundering why your have no3 of 30 in the first place... kit or no kit...
(check out that top shelf)
NINE 2 the refence of Rc.
Not that this response has anything to do with the thread, but there were two reasons. One, I tested my rock curing water till it read 0, then added it to my display. I then fed my tank enough food to keep everyone happy, yet maintain 0 nitrates. However, 0 nitrates was not actually 0, thus my problem.
Any other smartass responses?
TWallace
Well-known member
The calcium tests from Elos and Salifert seem nearly identical to me in ease of use, steps involved and results. Add several drops of one reagent, then a scoop of purple powder, then add titration fluid until the color changes from purple to blue. Salifert gives more detail in the result though, because Elos' titration fluid is dispensed via a bottle with large drops (each drop represents 25ppm of calcium), whereas Salifert's uses a syringe with much smaller drops allowing you to drill down to something like 10ppm or so. You can ballpark the Salifert one in the same way you can the Elos one. Just shoot in say 70% or so of the syringe to start, then add a drop at a time from there until the color changes. With Elos, I drop in 12 drops (300ppm) at the start and then do a drop at a time and swirl it.
Either one works great (and nearly identical to the other, both in ease of use and accuracy). Salifert is cheaper, though.
