Testing

Realistik84

Hi All,
I must admit I dont test much anymore besides Salinity...primarily due to stableness of tank for past 8 months.

I am just starting to add Corals though and I know this is important to test. I go to the store and see 20 different chemicals.

What are required, and what is just marketing bullcrap? I wont lie, money is an issue, when isnt it? I figure to spend $35-40.

bearwithfish

well the basics are alkalinity calcium and magnesium
but a good master kit will have all but the mag in it....i personally prefer API but i have heard from other members that saifert is also a good brand

onefish2fish

you could spend $30 on one salifert test though, so your better off getting the marine API kit and the reef API (look into buying online) and then coughing up i think like 10-15 for a salifert mag kit because as far as i know API doesnt make a mag test.

at the bare minimum your going to want liquid tests for amm, nitrite, nitrate, alk, cal, mag, a thermometer, and a refractometer. keep in mind you'll also need suppliments to dose for alk, cal and mag as well.

Realistik84

Thanks. I have the API master Marine which is PH, Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, and tested daily in the beginning. Everything always checked out perfect, and it got to be tedious when it was always good. I keep the test handy in the event something ever seems funny I can test to identify what, but thats all.

I will look into a test with Calcium, Alk. So how does Mag trump Iodine? Any suggestions for the supplements? LFS recommend BIonic....

bearwithfish

b ionic is good as is Kent 2 part a and b ...

Administrator

I am in the same position, Realistik84 - I recently bought an API Master test kit that contained the "big 4". I wish I knew I'd be thinking about coral, etc., a week later or I'd of just bought their reef test kit that contained the "big 4" in addition to the reef/coral related tests.

Have you seen any packages that supplement the basic API test kit to give you the additional coral related tests it left out, or do you have to buy them each piece meal if you don't buy the kit that includes them all to begin with?

Realistik84

From what I have seen, all the kits are either Individual, or a set. The sets from API, or Red Sea include 4-5 tests. The first of which we both bought and seems to be centered around the tank in general (Ph, Ammonia, Nitrate/ite). The other test is for the Reef.

Either way it is all expensive....but we knew that getting into this hobby.

njudson

Don't feel bad. There actually isn't much overlap between the API Reef Master kit and the API Saltwater Master kit. (Only the nitrate test is in both kits) I initially though the Reef Master kits was just the Saltwater kits plus more also but that isn't the case. Anyway as you now know you want tests for CA, dKH and Mag. I'm using API for Ca and dKH and Sailfert for Mag

Administrator

Thanks for the clarification, njudson. I'm surprised they included the nitrate test in the API Reef Master Test Kit since you evidently don't have a full reef test kit solution from API unless you purchase both the API Reef Master Test Kit and the API Saltwater Master Test Kit, yet if you do purchase both you end up with an extra nitrate test. To me it seems it would make more sense if the API Saltwater Master Test Kit contained the tests it does and for the API Reef Master Test Kit to contain only those tests specific to reefs and coral so that the two kits perfectly complimented one another without the redundant nitrate tests.

onefish2fish

IMO a fish only tank should get tested for alk, cal and mag too and the levels should be right and stable because the fish still need them there. they just wont be getting used up as fast as they would in a reef setting.
the extra nitrate test doesnt hurt anyways because after you know your amm and nitrite are 0 you honestly dont need to test as often with those ( but i would still check it from time to time ) but the nitrate rather gets more use, i would say atleast 1x weekly if not bi-weekly minimum and they call for 10x drops per each of the two bottles.