Test Kits

[MadReefer]

Looking to get new kits and wondering what kits everyone uses. Not brand such as API, Salifert, etc.
I am thinking:
PH
Alk
Calcium
Ammonia
Anything else critical to test?

 

[etmanning1]

My testing:

ALK daily (Hanna checker)

Ca,Mg every weekend (Red Sea)

I’ve never felt the need to test anything else. If I start having an algae problem I just do a WC.

Idk if this will really help you it’s just y way of reefkeeping.


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[Mrx7899x]

Just alk, calcium and magnesium

 

[Labridaedicted]

I test my alk every day with my hanna checker.

Every 3 days I check nitrate, calcium, and mag. (Red sea pro, Hanna, and red sea pro respectively)

Weekly I check my phosphates with my hanna ulr checker.

Ph and temp is constantly monitored through the apex and I have an American marine pinpoint salinity monitor for salinity. Periodically ill check my salinity monitor against a refractometer to see if it needs calibrating.

I also monitor par curves using a pmk from Neptune.

I think that's all my usual testing

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[jmags080307]

Hanna - alk and phosphate
Salifert - nitrate, calcium and magnesium

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[burrito]

i just started my tank so using the standard reef api kit
ammonia
nitrate
nitrite
ph

once things are more established i plan on alk, ca, and mg going foward

 

[diana a]

alk, ca, mg, I2, k, and fe

 

[evoIX]

I test for alk, ca, mg, po4, no3 and probe pH.

Salifert for everything but phos with a hanna ulr checker.

I am happy with it as I get consistent readings. I see an expected rise or fall if i dose or do a water change so i assume it is working well.

I started GFO a week or two back and saw a steady drop as expected with the hanna ulr. I also noticed clean symptoms like chaeto starting to die off algae kept at bay in the display.

 

[evoIX]

BTW, a very big tip or advice on salifert tests that i found was with the 1ml droplets. You should aim for .85 of fluid and the bottom of the suction at the 1ml line.

I add or minus from the .85 if it takes to long to try to get it perfect. Simple math.

 

[jkapit]

I test weekly
Alk, Phosphate ULR, and Calcium - Hanna
PH -API
mag and Nitrate -Salifert

Very happy with all these test kits.

 

[Mark_C]

20% weekly water change.
Alk and Ca on occasion or when thing looking off.

 

[Jeremy Brito]

Looking to get new kits and wondering what kits everyone uses. Not brand such as API, Salifert, etc.
I am thinking:
PH
Alk
Calcium
Ammonia
Anything else critical to test?

Some people will say I go over kill and from a past discussion will argue that there is only like 4 things that truely need testing for... With that said I test for everything that can be tested for particularly anything I dose for but to simplify
My primary tests
Salinity
Calcium
Phosphate
Nitrate
Alk

***ammonia when some thing doesnt seem right***

When I am feeling groggy and want to get a bigger picture of what my water is like I test the elemental
Magnesium
Potassium
Iron
Iodine
Silicate
Most will tell you the above is a waste but with the advances we have made in hobby when it comes to the understanding of trace elements they have a place even if at this moment its only a small one.
Realistically I look at water chemistry as a picture of the tanks environment using a side by side comparison of sea water to the water in my tank I dont chase numbers but my goals are to get as close to and stay close to what nature naturally provides.
But that's just me