Buying test kits, reviews?

So test kits I have yet to buy (i know im an idiot) are pH, KH/GH, Mag, Calcium. On newegg.com they have TetraTest kits for roughly $5 a kit. Best prices i have seen yet. I was thinking about picking up the pH and KH/GH test kit. It would be less than $15 including shipping. What do you guys think about this brand? IMO anything is better than API which is what I am avoiding. I will keep searching for cheap calcium and mag, since they are expensive.

 

I have used the Tetra test kits
in a tank full of mostly soft corals IMHO it reasonable enough

quick comparison with Salifert

Salifert kits are more sensitive and thus results such as 8.3 or 8.6 are readable
with Tetra, you add drops until the colour changes from blue to yellow
so with the same water as tested using salifert - you would get either 8 or a 9
thus its not as accurate in comparison to salifert IME, but in a tank with less demanding corals, it works perfectly well

just be sure to target a DKH somewhere in the middle of the general range- 7-11
9 is ideal IMO when using this type of test kit, as it is easy to tell when its a low as 8 or if its climbed as high as 10

The PH kit is also OK, IME

Steve

 

Argh i dont like those color ones, I want readable numbers. Thats why im avoiding API, i use those for nitrate/nitrite/ammonia and i hate them. I have never seen anything above 5ppm.

 

in that case, you want to avoid the Nutrafin KH test also, as thats exactly the same

the salifert kits do require you drop liquid from a syringe into the file, until color changes, but IME the color change is easy to spot

a salifert test kit, if used weekly, will last almost 12 months
there is an option to use half the amount of water and then double the test result figure for the dkh - which means test kit would last almost 2 years , if testing weekly

value for money IMHO

 

Aside from my API test kits, I've only used Sera.

I like Sera better. Here's a review of the Sera test kits.

 

i use api but i heard salifert is accurate