API or Seachem?

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by carbonad, Jul 30, 2009.

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Which Test Kit Brand?

  1. API

    10 vote(s)
    83.3%

  2. Seachem

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  3. Other

    2 vote(s)
    16.7%
  1. carbonad

    carbonad Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2009
    Messages:
    70
    Location:
    Bristol, CT
    Ok, so I know this has been asked a ton but I need to purchase a new test kit and can't pick between the two.

    API or Seachem?
     
    carbonad, Jul 30, 2009
    carbonad, Jul 30, 2009
    #1

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  2. Wes

    Wes Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    May 20, 2009
    Messages:
    47
    Both are good. Seachem is just more expensive.
     
    Wes, Jul 30, 2009
    Wes, Jul 30, 2009
    #2
  3. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2007
    Messages:
    2,753
    Location:
    joliet,il
    nutrafin for PO4
    seachem for Sr
    salifert for everything else
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2009
    reef_guru, Jul 30, 2009
    reef_guru, Jul 30, 2009
    #3
  4. adam

    adam Montipora Digitata

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2008
    Messages:
    1,067
    Get API. Very easy, fast and pretty accurate. Seachem is complicated and takes more time.
     
    adam, Jul 30, 2009
    adam, Jul 30, 2009
    #4
  5. bwalker9801

    bwalker9801 Zoanthid

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    1,118
    Location:
    Saint Augustine, Florida
    Salifert
     
    bwalker9801, Jul 31, 2009
    bwalker9801, Jul 31, 2009
    #5
  6. lunatik_69

    lunatik_69 Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2007
    Messages:
    7,933
    Location:
    Miami, FL

    Ditto




    Luna
     
    lunatik_69, Jul 31, 2009
    lunatik_69, Jul 31, 2009
    #6

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  7. AZDesertRat

    AZDesertRat Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2009
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Phoenix AZ
    For the basics API for everything else Salifert.
     
    AZDesertRat, Jul 31, 2009
    AZDesertRat, Jul 31, 2009
    #7
  8. JJK

    JJK Teardrop Maxima Clam

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2009
    Messages:
    845
    I have both the API and Seachem tests. I don't like the Seachem ones AT ALL. The problem with them is that all the tests rely on your ability to discern shades of the same colour. In other words, for example, the nitrite test should be clear if there is no nitrite, and dark purple if there is lots of nitrite. For anything in the middle, you have to discern just how dark the shade of purple is to tell whether it's 0.5ppm, 1ppm, 2ppm, etc. I like the API much better, where it is light blue if 0, blue-purple if 0.25, lavender if 0.5, etc. In other words, the colour is actually DIFFERENT with each measure, rather than being just a shade of the same colour.

    For this reason, I find the Seachem tests for nitrite, nitrate, and copper not to be very useful for me.
     
    JJK, Jul 31, 2009
    JJK, Jul 31, 2009
    #8
    1 person likes this.
  9. carbonad

    carbonad Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2009
    Messages:
    70
    Location:
    Bristol, CT
    Thanks guys. I will go with the API kit for now. I do plan on getting a better kit (such as Salifert) once I start adding corals.
     
    carbonad, Jul 31, 2009
    carbonad, Jul 31, 2009
    #9
  10. chuckdee

    chuckdee Peppermint Shrimp

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2007
    Messages:
    423
    Location:
    Las Vegas
    I have both Seachem and API tests and I use the Seachem ones over the API. I like how some of the Seachem tests are more precise.. And I don't really mind discerning the color like JJk pointed out. You get used to it I guess..
     
    chuckdee, Jul 31, 2009
    chuckdee, Jul 31, 2009
    #10