What brand of test kits to go?

Im currently using API test kit, for the basics, but couldnt find API for magnesium or alk, so went with Redsea, and I hate it.. Didnt realize it doesnt give me a value or level just start and finish...? Are there any reliable and accurate test kits I can buy out there? Im willing to trash what I have to get a whole set of one brand,

 

Alk pro from Red Sea DOES give you a level, and so does their Mag kit. Read the instructions.

 

The Red Sea kit for Mag is OK IME ,Regf
but the Alk kit I had was unreliable

I suggest Salifert for Mag, Calcium and DKH (alk)
as they are very easy to use and very easy to discern the finish colour and thus easy
to ascertain results

Steve

 

Api test kits are not that accurate from my exp. The red sea are ok I have red sea sailifet and just bought eleos. I like the eleos best

 

Honestly, I was listening to someone explain how to use the calcium kit from Elos at the LFS the other day, and it's stupidly complex compared to the Salifert kit or the Red Sea kit, with the same low resolution as the Red Sea (50ppm). Not a kit I would buy, for sure.

It went something like this: Add reagent A until color change, note number of drops. Dump water, get new. Add reagents B, then C, then count drops of D until change from start to finish. Subtract the second number from the first, then you have to multiply number of drops x 50 to get your ppm.

I'll stick to Salifert.

 

Red Sea makes two alk tests. The Red Sea Pro gives the actual amount but the other one just has low, normal and high. I have an Elos Mg kit and I like it, except they use terrible wording and grammar in the instructions which took me a while to interpret.

 

I use Salifert for everything, they are not cheap but they are easy to read and accurate.

 

whiel I have in the past felt that Saliftert is the way to go, when I have the money, I am replacing my saliftert ALk kit with a Hanna meter. my NEW salifert kit reads 7.6 when the Hanna meter reads 6.64! NOT GOOD. a full point low!

 

Don't forget, the Hanna meter needs the tube to be 100% clean. A fingerprint on the vial could easily distort your readings that much.