TheMilkMan
Cristian
@TheMilkMan · 1 year ago

So which ones do I actually need for my reef tank?

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Id be lieing if I didn't say all

Hannna - HR Nitrate ( don’t get LR it’s a nightmare ) - ULR Phosphate - Alkalinity Salifert - Mag - Calc These are the test kits I use after trial and error of trying several over a few years.

100% this is the best advice

What about ammonia?

Honestly, for ammonia, I think the cheapo API kit is plenty. All you need to know if it's there or not. If there is a slight tinge of color, then it's not good. Any level of ammonia for fish and inverts is toxic. So cycle isn't complete or you've got something dying that might nuke your tank if you don't hurry.

I just ordered the phosphate, alkalinity, calcium, and copper(for qt purposes) hanna checkers and people seem to love them. They all have great reviews except the magnesium checker, I’ve heard it isn’t very good, nor accurate. I use the api drop kit for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite since they all should be relatively 0, but the api drop testers aren’t good for literally anything else.

From what I’ve seen the salifert magnesium tester is the one I’ve been pushed towards upon research.

I have found them to be the best IV used they for the last 10 + year

The hanna checkers?

IV used the for over 10+ years

Just got one of mine in yesterday, wayy more accurate than the others I’ve experimented with. Excited for the rest to come in

I’ve heard the only ones you really want to invest in would be Nitrate, Phosphate, and Alkalinity for Hanna. Magnesium and Calcium Hanna Testers aren’t the most accurate supposedly. For those two elements I’d go with Salifert.

My hanna cal checkers is spot on everytime I've used it. I always double check with my salifret test I also would add the hanna saltinity checker and ph I love them.

I used both the phosphate and alkalinity checkers- alk is fantastic, it’s such a quick easy test it’s a must get. Phos was good for a few months and then I had major inaccuracy where each test would give different results, I couldn’t seem to calibrate it or reliably get a test result, so I stopped using it. Here is what I use now and works for me every time: Ammonia, Nitrite, PH - API Nitrate - Nyos Phosphate - Red Sea Alkalinity - Hannah Calcium - Red Sea Magnesium - Aquaforest

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