What is the best test kit and why?

[fishmama67]

I have been trying to figure out the best test kit(s) for a SW reef tank. At present I have FOWLR but am SSSLLLLOOOOWWWWLY working towards a reef tank. Now, I know I need to test for Ammonia pH, Nitrate, nitrites at present as well as salinity. However, as ya'll are well awrae, there are a BUNCH of brands out there. I started out using API kits but soon discovered they aren't the most accurate. I wen to Red Sea at the advice of my LFS but have since discovered the LFS are often dishonest at worst or uneducated at best.
I have poked my way through the polls and product reviews and stuff but there are only two or three test kits that have been mentioned. I still don't know what ones and why. I have seen that the Salifert kits seem ti be getting the best reviews. Any reasons why or why not to use these? Any others that are better? Easier to use? More accurate?

[DrHank]

Your API and Red Sea (the one I have) are generally good enough to determine when your tank has completed cycling. Once that has happened as indicated by O ammonia, O nitrite and hopefully low nitrates, more sophisticated and sensitive individual test kits are needed for possibly Nitrate, and definitely Phosphate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Alkalinity. Probably the most commonly recommended are Salifert. I'm sure that there are other equally effective kits but I haven't personally tried any so I will deffer to those who may be more knowledgeable. I've always used Salifert and have been satisfied with their performance.

[fishmama67]

Hey Doc,
Are you stalking me?LOL Naw just kiddin'. Actually thanks again for your help and speedy answers. So what you are sayng is that I COULD get a "Master test kit" from API and be ok IYO? If so that is certainly a less expensive way to go than the more pricy ones. However, I do need to know this, Before when I was using APIs, it was showing zero ammonia and almost non-existant nitrate levels. BUT when I had the store test the same water with the Red Sea those showed 50 ammonia and .50 nitrates. That is what led me to think that Red Sea may be more accurate than APIs. What say you?

[SeahorseBT]

I was testing with red seas test kit when I was cycling my tank a while back and it kept detecting ammonia that wasn't there. I don't trust them anymore. Salifert is always VERY accurate.

[DrHank]

Yes, a master test kit from API should work fine. Yes, I stalk many beginners who are having problems. Was that Mr. Misinformation from the LFS who was testing your water? You still trust him?

Always get your own test kit and test yourself!!!

Salifert is generally very accurate but I'd just get the API master kit (make sure the expiration date is several years into the future) and test away. Save your money for the Salifert CA, MG, PO4, and ALK kits that you will want later. You don't need them now.

It is possible to get a bad reagent in a kit from any brand. I think most of us have had the experience at one time or another. The thing is that if you think your reading may be off, get someone else who knows what s/he's doing to test your water. That should tell you if your reagent is bad.

[fishmama67]

No, it was actually the owner and he tested it right there with me. Since I got the red sea kits I often test at home and then have them test it too so I can compare. I don't have Jesse do ANYTHING for me now other than reach out the LR which I then carefully inspect and sniff and accept or reject.

I tested yesterday (now that it has been 24 hours since I added the new rock and shut off the canister. Now I have a base line that says what my levels are at the beginning. Tomorrow I will test again and then on Saturday I will do a WC and give the algae a scrub and test again. Hopefully, I will see at least some slight improvement begin.
I also got an email that my RO/DI unit is on it's way!!! I got the 5 stage 75 GPD PLUS as it had the gauges and TDS and everything all included as well as all the fittings and connectors I will need. I am so excited! Almost like I am getting another birthday!

[MotoReef]

I use the API kit for basic Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate as well as pH. It's one of those things that you really don't need to monitor beyond a range that's good enough or not present at all in case of ammonia or nitrite. API kits use glass beakers which are better in my opinion than plastic beakers which can stain and make it difficult to read the correct colors. API's plastic color chart is also a nice feature over paper ones in many other kits.

For other trace minerals and metals, I like Salifert or Seachem kits. Colors seem to be more distinguishable in smaller increments in general with these kits. Though with the plastic beakers, you must bleach them one in a while to keep it not tinted or stained.

For copper medications (for QT fish), I would agree with everyone in the industry to use strictly Salifert Copper kit as it will measure all forms of copper and at smallest increments and is easy to use.

Just my opinion here.

[CaRSMDuke]

I am right with Doc and Moto Reef on this one. The plan as layed out by Doc is exactly the road I traveled.

[reefsmoker]

I've ordered 2 elos kits - cal & carbonate hardness. Thought I'd change it up, my api kits are about up. I may order a master salifert marine kit as well to compare with. I'll post on elos kits performance...

[browntrout]

Since we are on this topic. I have a question. I bought a red sea master kit the other day as well. I use salifert for dkh and calcium. Is .25 way high for ammonia? What would cause that reading. I do water changes every 2 weeks (i have a 75 gallon tank) anywhere from 10-12 gallons.

Params

ph-8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
ammonia .25 or a little less not quite the .25 color
dkh 12.5
calcium 450
salinity 1.025
temp 78-80


I use ro/di water for top off and for salt mix. My nitrates are always around 20 can never get them lower. I only have to maxijet 1200 powerheads and a cpr HOB skimmer.

My main question is about ammonia is that a high reading? and what causes high ammonia?

[fishmama67]

Originally Posted by browntrout

Since we are on this topic. I have a question. I bought a red sea master kit the other day as well. I use salifert for dkh and calcium. Is .25 way high for ammonia? What would cause that reading. I do water changes every 2 weeks (i have a 75 gallon tank) anywhere from 10-12 gallons.

Params

ph-8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
ammonia .25 or a little less not quite the .25 color
dkh 12.5
calcium 450
salinity 1.025
temp 78-80


I use ro/di water for top off and for salt mix. My nitrates are always around 20 can never get them lower. I only have to maxijet 1200 powerheads and a cpr HOB skimmer.

My main question is about ammonia is that a high reading? and what causes high ammonia?

Ya know? I have a cpr HOB skimmer too and am having problems with my ammonia and nitrates since the beginning with my tank. While I don't think that the skimmer is the main problem as I had issuses BEFORE The skimmer, I wonder if there is a correlation? (or MAYBE I am just lookin' fer a good excuse to buy a new skimmer? After all, I AM a self-diagnosed reef-a-holic! )
Anyhoo, I am heading down to the petstore to buy my API maters test kit. (Doesn't that sound cool "Master's" test kit!)

[browntrout]

Originally Posted by fishmama67

Ya know? I have a cpr HOB skimmer too and am having problems with my ammonia and nitrates since the beginning with my tank. While I don't think that the skimmer is the main problem as I had issuses BEFORE The skimmer, I wonder if there is a correlation? (or MAYBE I am just lookin' fer a good excuse to buy a new skimmer? After all, I AM a self-diagnosed reef-a-holic! )
Anyhoo, I am heading down to the petstore to buy my API maters test kit. (Doesn't that sound cool "Master's" test kit!)

Only sounds cool till you check your readings

[Woodstock]

API and Salifert test kits have worked well for me for many years. Just make sure they are not expired and follow the instructions!

[MotoReef]

Originally Posted by browntrout

Since we are on this topic. I have a question. I bought a red sea master kit the other day as well. I use salifert for dkh and calcium. Is .25 way high for ammonia? What would cause that reading. I do water changes every 2 weeks (i have a 75 gallon tank) anywhere from 10-12 gallons.

Hi,

There are many reasons ammonia can be present in an aquarium.
Is the tank in question aged somewhat? What type of filtration do you use? Do you have any live rock or live sand and how much?
How many fish do yo have and what type? How much do you feed the fish? Do you dose it with any chemicals? Have the tank gone through any medication recently?

These are all very important questions we must all ask before delving further into investigating the causes. But before we do, I "definitely suggest" you do at least a 25% water change immediately and test again, then after a day take another reading and see if ammonia levels change at all.

While 0.25ppm ammonia may not be enough to make fish gasp for better water by acting weird, it's definitely NOT a healthy thing to have in your tank by any means. It causes immune systems to weaken greatly, and it is seriously detrimental to the life and growth of any corals and most invertebrates.

Ammonia and nitrites should ALWAYS be at untraceable level or ZERO in any testing we perform in any established aquarium. Having ammonia present means there are not enough bacteria to break-down all of the waste from fish and whatever you put into as food as well as something dying and decomposing.

The nitrate level you have of 20 ppm is also a bit too high for most people to call a healthy tank. While nitrates are more tolerated by hardy fish, it's still not a healthy situation to have...and with today's availability of nitrate scrubbing media and advanced equipment, there isn't really an excuse to accumulate nitrate in our tanks. Perhaps 10 would be 'tolerable' immediately before a change...but keep doing water changes till its at least 10ppm or less and repeat often enough to keep it that way.

I hope you can get to the bottom of the cause for ammonia accumulation...

Also, while efficiency of protein skimmer varies, its not wise at this point to remove it until you can resolve the ammonia issue. I say this because the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite, and from nitrite to nitrate are all aerobic bacteria need that skimmer going. And they depend greatly on availability of oxygen as well as the tank's capacity to dissipate CO2 out of the tank. While the skimmer's main goal is to remove wasted by-product of animals physically out of the water, it also has a secondary effect of mixing tons of water with air, helping exchange gasses with environment surrounding the tank. The existing bacteria, which are fighting hard to keep your tank less toxic are REALLY depending on this gas exchange process to keep breathing oxygen.

So adding or replacing the skimmer with a better one will help, but don't remove or stop it until you have a new one installed and ready to fire up immediately.

[browntrout]

Originally Posted by MotoReef

Hi,

There are many reasons ammonia can be present in an aquarium.
Is the tank in question aged somewhat? What type of filtration do you use? Do you have any live rock or live sand and how much?
How many fish do yo have and what type? How much do you feed the fish? Do you dose it with any chemicals? Have the tank gone through any medication recently?

These are all very important questions we must all ask before delving further into investigating the causes. But before we do, I "definitely suggest" you do at least a 25% water change immediately and test again, then after a day take another reading and see if ammonia levels change at all.

While 0.25ppm ammonia may not be enough to make fish gasp for better water by acting weird, it's definitely NOT a healthy thing to have in your tank by any means. It causes immune systems to weaken greatly, and it is seriously detrimental to the life and growth of any corals and most invertebrates.

Ammonia and nitrites should ALWAYS be at untraceable level or ZERO in any testing we perform in any established aquarium. Having ammonia present means there are not enough bacteria to break-down all of the waste from fish and whatever you put into as food as well as something dying and decomposing.

The nitrate level you have of 20 ppm is also a bit too high for most people to call a healthy tank. While nitrates are more tolerated by hardy fish, it's still not a healthy situation to have...and with today's availability of nitrate scrubbing media and advanced equipment, there isn't really an excuse to accumulate nitrate in our tanks. Perhaps 10 would be 'tolerable' immediately before a change...but keep doing water changes till its at least 10ppm or less and repeat often enough to keep it that way.

I hope you can get to the bottom of the cause for ammonia accumulation...

Also, while efficiency of protein skimmer varies, its not wise at this point to remove it until you can resolve the ammonia issue. I say this because the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite, and from nitrite to nitrate are all aerobic bacteria need that skimmer going. And they depend greatly on availability of oxygen as well as the tank's capacity to dissipate CO2 out of the tank. While the skimmer's main goal is to remove wasted by-product of animals physically out of the water, it also has a secondary effect of mixing tons of water with air, helping exchange gasses with environment surrounding the tank. The existing bacteria, which are fighting hard to keep your tank less toxic are REALLY depending on this gas exchange process to keep breathing oxygen.

So adding or replacing the skimmer with a better one will help, but don't remove or stop it until you have a new one installed and ready to fire up immediately.

Ok here we go.

I have a 75 gallon tank. I have a fair amount of live rock and about a 3" bed of live sand. I use 2 maxi-jet 1200's and have been using a cpr bak pak skimmer. i have had the tank for about 4months. I basically bought the tank, added the LR and LS and mixed my salt mix and let the tank cycle for 3 weeks. I then purchased 5 blue chromis, 3 turbo snails and 10 hermits. All was looking good. About 2 weeks later added some more fish. 2 clowns and a spotted goby. Never checked anything for the first month all the fish ate and acted just fine. I was feeding them the frozen food cubes. I would feed one cube a day. I have never dosed my tank with anything. I simply fed, cleaned skimmer and did 10 gallon water changes every 2-3 weeks. It wasn't till recently when I wanted to get a clam and had learned more about the hobby that I started testing. Bought a blue tang, he developed ich and gave it to my 2 clowns, 2 firefish, and purple dottyback all of which died. I removed from tank one they were dead. I did a fresh water dip and water changes for the tang, I can't believe the dude is still alive he looked so bad but he fought it off and killed the others. I recently bought a cheap skimmer at petco a red sea one not sure of the brand it has a maxijet pump on it as well. That thing sucks!!! I was using it and the CPR at the same time.

Anyways here is where Im at today

1 watchmen goby
1 lawnmower blenny
5 blue chromies (the og's)
1 six line wrasse
1 blue tang
1 flame hawkfish
3 pepperment shrimp
1 cleaner shrimp
10 hermits
3 turbo snails

I feed 2 cubes about 4 times a 7 day week. Sometimes a mysis and a mix but mostly the mix.

I was using RO/DI water from a stand by the store. I just purchased a Bulk reef Supply 5 stage dual DI system got it in the mail yesterday. I heard the store RO water an be crap if the filters are not changed.

Even with the die off of other fish my nitrates still have not come down. I have never dosed the tank, I removed the fish the day they died so Im not sure what is keeping my ammonia high?

Hope this info helps. Kinda sucks at the moment but I have a really nice 125g tank I am in the process of drilling and setting up. I plan on using about a 50gallon sump/fuge with that tank and hope that will help keep my ammonia and nitrates down.

This is a pic of my tank the first moth I had it. I should take one of it now