Saltwater Test Kit
- Thread starter darthgoby
- Start date
Look for one that tests for the following:
High PH (between at least 7.8 and 8.8)
Ammonia
Nitrites
Nitrates
Calcium
Phosphates (optional, if you have phosphates in your water you dont want them. if you dont have them in your water you dont need to test for them)
Also, you need a Refractometer or something to measure SG/Salinity.
I use API test kits for testing everything except Calcium. I use Seachem to test Calcium. As my API test kits run out I will be switching over to Seachem. Seachem uses the titration method for testing. This is more accurate than the color comparison method used by API. Sometimes I have a hard time determining what my test results are. Here is what I mean.
Testing with the color comparison method involves putting a measured amount of water in a test tube. Then you add a specific number of drops of test solution to the tube and shake. After a specific time period you observe the change in color of the water and match it to a scale. Many scals go from one hue of a color to another such as... going from one shade of yellow to another shade of yellow to yet another then to a light green and then to a dark. Mabye it's red's, blues' purples, ect...
Testing with the titration method involves putting a measured amount of water in a test tube then adding a measured amount of a chemical to the tube. The chemical will turn the water a color. My calcium test turns the water pink. I add one drop of a different chemical to the water and shake. I continue adding drops one at a time until the water turns blue. It will go from pink to blue in just two drops. IE: pink, add a drop, pink, add a drop, pink, add a drop, purple, add a drop, blue, add a drop. Then you count the drops (usually you dont have to count because you can read a scale on a dropper) to get the exact level. This is more exact and more important to me, easier to determine the proper value.
I know that is a lot of information. For years I have used API test kits. They are cheap and easy to use. You can get API FW & SW master kits. Look at what they contain. You will want, at a minimum, to test for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. You also want to check Salinity (not in a test kit but with a measuring device) and possibly calcium because calcium is important to corals for growth.
High PH (between at least 7.8 and 8.8)
Ammonia
Nitrites
Nitrates
Calcium
Phosphates (optional, if you have phosphates in your water you dont want them. if you dont have them in your water you dont need to test for them)
Also, you need a Refractometer or something to measure SG/Salinity.
I use API test kits for testing everything except Calcium. I use Seachem to test Calcium. As my API test kits run out I will be switching over to Seachem. Seachem uses the titration method for testing. This is more accurate than the color comparison method used by API. Sometimes I have a hard time determining what my test results are. Here is what I mean.
Testing with the color comparison method involves putting a measured amount of water in a test tube. Then you add a specific number of drops of test solution to the tube and shake. After a specific time period you observe the change in color of the water and match it to a scale. Many scals go from one hue of a color to another such as... going from one shade of yellow to another shade of yellow to yet another then to a light green and then to a dark. Mabye it's red's, blues' purples, ect...
Testing with the titration method involves putting a measured amount of water in a test tube then adding a measured amount of a chemical to the tube. The chemical will turn the water a color. My calcium test turns the water pink. I add one drop of a different chemical to the water and shake. I continue adding drops one at a time until the water turns blue. It will go from pink to blue in just two drops. IE: pink, add a drop, pink, add a drop, pink, add a drop, purple, add a drop, blue, add a drop. Then you count the drops (usually you dont have to count because you can read a scale on a dropper) to get the exact level. This is more exact and more important to me, easier to determine the proper value.
I know that is a lot of information. For years I have used API test kits. They are cheap and easy to use. You can get API FW & SW master kits. Look at what they contain. You will want, at a minimum, to test for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. You also want to check Salinity (not in a test kit but with a measuring device) and possibly calcium because calcium is important to corals for growth.
Thanks for the help. I got a test kit from Petco which tests for Ph, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite when I got my tank. I have the Red Sea Marine kit.
The problems I'm having are two-fold.
1.) I'm having a problem telling some of the colors apart on the results tables. I get colors to that don't match the charts they gave me or colors that are in between the results.
2.) I've been taking my water into the LFS on a regular basis and they have been testing my results. I get results which are pretty different from them and I'm inclined to believe my test kit could be the problem.
I'll look into an API test kit and see how they compare to the one I have.
Thank you for your help.
The problems I'm having are two-fold.
1.) I'm having a problem telling some of the colors apart on the results tables. I get colors to that don't match the charts they gave me or colors that are in between the results.
2.) I've been taking my water into the LFS on a regular basis and they have been testing my results. I get results which are pretty different from them and I'm inclined to believe my test kit could be the problem.
I'll look into an API test kit and see how they compare to the one I have.
Thank you for your help.
Salifert is commonly known as being the "best" as far as test kits go. They are, however, much more expensive than the more readily available brands.
I use the API test kits for nitrate and phosphate, although the API phosphate test kit is virtually worthless for sw. It does not detect a level low enough to really be useful in a reef tank. It only reads down to 0.5ppm (other than 0), however, a phosphate level of <0.1ppm can cause unwanted algal growth.
For Mg and Ca, I use Red Sea test kits. They are ok, but were chosen more out of neccessity than preference, as it was the only brand available at the time I needed them.
If you have trouble matching colors on pH tests, you can buy a pH monitor (like an American Marine PinPoint pH Monitor -- Milwaukee also makes one, among others). I use a Tetra pH kit along with a PinPoint pH Monitor, just to check that each reads the same (beyond the regular calibrations of the pH monitor).
Once your tank has finished its initial cycle, there is little need to test ammonia and nitrite. If you're already beyond that cycle, I wouldn't even buy a kit for either of those unless you plan on setting up another tank, moving the one you have, or seriously rearranging your rock work (and completely stirring things up).
Phosphate is important to test regardless of your water source. Whenever you feed, you're adding some phosphate to your tank. The amount depends on what and how much you're feeding.
I use the API test kits for nitrate and phosphate, although the API phosphate test kit is virtually worthless for sw. It does not detect a level low enough to really be useful in a reef tank. It only reads down to 0.5ppm (other than 0), however, a phosphate level of <0.1ppm can cause unwanted algal growth.
For Mg and Ca, I use Red Sea test kits. They are ok, but were chosen more out of neccessity than preference, as it was the only brand available at the time I needed them.
If you have trouble matching colors on pH tests, you can buy a pH monitor (like an American Marine PinPoint pH Monitor -- Milwaukee also makes one, among others). I use a Tetra pH kit along with a PinPoint pH Monitor, just to check that each reads the same (beyond the regular calibrations of the pH monitor).
Once your tank has finished its initial cycle, there is little need to test ammonia and nitrite. If you're already beyond that cycle, I wouldn't even buy a kit for either of those unless you plan on setting up another tank, moving the one you have, or seriously rearranging your rock work (and completely stirring things up).
Phosphate is important to test regardless of your water source. Whenever you feed, you're adding some phosphate to your tank. The amount depends on what and how much you're feeding.
I almost forgot...
If you're going to have a reef tank, you'll want a test kit for alkalinity, too. Alkalinity is related to pH and calcium uptake, so it's pretty important in the grand scheme of things if you're trying to keep corals or even snails' shells growing properly.
If you're going to have a reef tank, you'll want a test kit for alkalinity, too. Alkalinity is related to pH and calcium uptake, so it's pretty important in the grand scheme of things if you're trying to keep corals or even snails' shells growing properly.
I agree with garbon, the seachem works well for me. No stress over figuring out what shade you are seeing or if the light is making it look like a different shade