# Testing equipment - suggestions



## skyedale (Mar 14, 2011)

Talk about frustrating. I am using a hydrometer to check for salinity and SP. I use a brand new API salt kit for my other readings. Everything looked great. Ph 8.4, ammonia 0, nitrite almost 0, SP 1.024

Because the API salt is so basic, I took a sample to BA’s in Barrie. If the water tested “good” I was going to buy one little chromis and a couple of nassarius snails. They were on sale. Not that I am planning on killing anything, but if I do I want it to be inexpensive. 

Well, what a shock. When they tested my Ph was 7.2, my salinity was 1.028 my ammonia was high and my nitrites were 0.25. Very different from the kit readings that I got. Needless to say, no fish or snails.

I do want to thank the fellow that did the testing. He spent quite a lot of time with me on a busy afternoon and it only resulted in a bottle of Ph buffer.

I have ordered a refractor and will get better testing kits. So what is the general consensus of which test kits to use and which ones will I need going forward.

Judi


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## twobytwo (Oct 25, 2014)

Many members like the Salifert Tests. I use the Red Sea tests and get them from Amazon or other retailers (BA's is a bit more $). The Hanna checkers look cool. I'd consider getting one or two in the future, for my most important parameters (if my wife is reading this, Christmas/Chanukkah is coming up!). Although, if you really want to be the cool kid on the block, look into the Mindstream.

I think the two most important factors are accuracy and ease of use. There's no point if the results are wrong; and if it's difficult to use, you may not want to do the tests. 

Oh, and I have 95% of an API kit from when I started... if anyone wants


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

I use, for ease of reading:
Salifert - Calcium
Salifert - Magnesium
Hanna - Alkalinity
Hanna - Phosphate

Rarely use:
Salifert - Nitrate
Hanna - Iron


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## CanadaCorals.com (May 12, 2013)

We use Salifert for everything accept phosphate. 

Phosphate is a very difficult parameter to test for and the best method is a Hanna checker.


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## notclear (Nov 5, 2011)

Magnesium and Calcium - ELOS
Alkalinity and Phosphate - Hanna


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## skyedale (Mar 14, 2011)

Should have done this first. I just tested my RO start up water for pH - 7.2. I tried the high range pH first and it showed 7.4 - guess it doesn’t change colour if it is lower. Next I used the pH test - yep 7.2.

So now the question is do I change water sources or just know that I will always need to add a supplement.

House water from tap is 7.2, through filter is 7.2 so adding an R/O system in the house isn’t going to change anything.

My friends well water is 8.0 - it comes from a very deep aquifer, more than likely through limestone. Wonder what the result of using it would be for mixing salt water?


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

Is there any reason why you are testing your tap water, filter water, or RO water's PH? You are about to dissolve a ton of salt into it and change its entire make-up. Is there any specific reason you are testing the PH of the water at all before its in your tank?

PH is affected by both oxegenation and alkalinity which change as soon as the water is added to the tank.



notclear said:


> Magnesium and Calcium - ELOS


How do you find them? After switching to Hannas I am starting to get frustrated with my Salifert kits.


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## RKLion (Jul 2, 2014)

I find Hannas to be too unpredictable. You have to use a lab grade pipette to dispense the water to get consistent readings. Salifert work well, if it ain't broken...


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

I would suggest that you forget about PH right now. If you haven't used that buffer yet return it. Do not chase "ideal " PH numbers.... Forget about PH for now. I can't remember the last time I tested for PH. Like Gooba said mix your salt and it should come into line. Stability is more important than a certain number.


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## notclear (Nov 5, 2011)

Hanna calcium checker has issue for sure.

ELOS test kits can be bought from reefsupplies.ca. SUM may have them as well.


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## notclear (Nov 5, 2011)

Test RO/DI water for TDS rather than pH.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Ph is one of those parameters that really takes care of its self. Early on we are told it's important (it is) but it really is not terribly important to obsess over. If you are mixing your salt correctly and have flow in your tank you will stabilize. If that happens to be 7.? Rather than 8.? Shouldn't really make that much of a difference so long as it does not swing too harshly.


The best way to not worry about it and fight the urge to try to control it into the "ideal" is to not test for it at all..... Unless there is a problem manifesting in which case a battary of tests is good.


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## skyedale (Mar 14, 2011)

*Just curious*

I was just wondering what the starting point for my water was. Since I had the test kit out I wanted to know how much of a change there was from source water to mixed water. Turned out that unless I added a pH buffer there was no change, from the tank reading to the tap to the RO water. It was just something to do.



goobafish said:


> Is there any reason why you are testing your tap water, filter water, or RO water's PH? You are about to dissolve a ton of salt into it and change its entire make-up. Is there any specific reason you are testing the PH of the water at all before its in your tank?
> 
> PH is affected by both oxegenation and alkalinity which change as soon as the water is added to the tank.
> 
> How do you find them? After switching to Hannas I am starting to get frustrated with my Salifert kits.


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## 12273 (Nov 3, 2012)

+ on salifert. Awesome stuff. Easy to read and use. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

fesso clown said:


> I would suggest that you forget about PH right now. If you haven't used that buffer yet return it. Do not chase "ideal " PH numbers.... Forget about PH for now. I can't remember the last time I tested for PH. Like Gooba said mix your salt and it should come into line. Stability is more important than a certain number.


Agree with this statement +


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