PH testing, and Alkalinity Questions
 

Hey guys. I need some Ph and Alkalinity testing kits. What is recommended? Has anyone found some to be more reliable/unreliable than others?? Where can I get digital ones?

And oh yeah, where's the best place to buy test kits????

I just bought some Seachem, I hate them, too much work... I have just ordered and going back to ELOS, very accurate and simple to use.

Thanks. What's ELOS, and where can I get it??

The API test kits are also decent and easy to use for KH.

Most LFS have ELOS, but I get mine from jlaquatics.com, they are cheaper on there. Very accurate test kits.

I have never used API, but here they are decent also.

API for KH, it is cheap and accurate and always consistent. Matches my more expensive Lamotte. Elos is good too. Salifert had a bad batch of KH test kits years ago and I would never trust them again, more so out of principle for denying it. For Ph gets yourself a monitor

OK, so where can I get a ph monitor?? :question:

got mine here off Canreef but JL Aquatics carries different ones.

I'm using Salifert for Alk, no problems and last couple I got had a calibration solution to check against.

For alkalinity I would say Elos is a good kit (or Hanna or LaMotte if you're into spending that kind of money).

For pH I wouldn't bother buying a kit as they are quite inaccurate. A handheld digital pH meter (buy calibration solution too for pH 7 and pH 10) is much more accurate.

I have a Salifert kit for alkalinity and even though it matches the calibration solution they send with the kit the kit reads 2 dKH higher than accurate, my last one was 3 dKH higher than accurate. I won't buy another Salifert kit for alkalinity.

THanks, very helpful. where is a good place to buy the handheld Ph testors??

2-3 higher than what if matches cal solution?

You see, I think the calibration solution that comes with the Salifert alkalinity kit isn't accurate. My two Salifert alk kits were tested against Elos and LaMotte. The Elos was accurate to the LaMotte.

I went through the same issue with the salifert dkh test kit http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...hate+test+kits....

Ok, I've found this interesting...

Many people believe it is "general knowledge" that Salifert is 2 dKH higher than Elos. Most people believe Elos over Salifert.

In the mid 2000's in the USA it was popular to keep alkalinity at 9 dKH. The most popular alkalinity test kit? Salifert.

In the last few years it has become more and more popular to keep alkalinity 7 dKH. Interestingly enough Salifert is losing sales as Elos creeps into the market.

NSW alkalinity values are usually around 7.0 dKH (Randy Holmes-Farley).

Is this all coincidence or just works from my particular perspective? Opinions are always relative. :) I'm not the first to notice this interesting trend though.