Test kits - Red Sea Pro vs Seachem Reef vs Hanna

[RGS88]

I'm looking to purchase test kits (Calcium, Alkalinity, Phosphate, Magnesium, etc.) for what will become my new reef tank , and am wondering which brand of various test kits appear to give the most accurate and consistent results... Red Sea Pro, Seachem Reef test kits, D-D, Elos, etc. (and isn't so complicated it requires an NASA rocket scientist to come in and perform the tests). I would love to get the Hanna Digital checkers. The get very good reviews on the net... but I can't justify the price... $60 for each checker with only 15 tests (for the Calcium checker for example), then another $30 for an additional 25 tests. Maybe I'm wrong, but the prices for the Hanna Checkers and refills seem high/excessive. It would cost $90 for 40 tests with the Hanna Calcium Checker (including the checker), vs $30 for 75 Calcium tests with Red Sea Pro, vs $30 for 150 Calcium tests with the Seachem Reef Status Calcium kit.

[phi delt reefer]

get the hanna phosphate checker - most other phosphate test kits are very hard to read.

i would go with salifert for alkalinity and calcium. They are easy to use titration kits

seachem marine test kit for nitrate/nitrites/ammonia/ph

elos makes great kits too but salifert is top notch as well.

[globaldesigns]

Haven't used the Hanna stuff yet... But I have tried the Red Sea Mg, cause there was no ELOS to get, and I HATE IT!!!! I can do 3 tests all in a row and get 3 different results.

I will be going back to ELOS for now, until I can see a Hanna one come out, and see it work.

[jorjef]

I have the Hanna calcium and alkalinity. I really have nothing to check accuracy against but what ever you do be very accurate with the water and solutions you need to add in testing and they should read out accurate. I got alot more than 15 tests in the calcium so not sure what to say there. For the ease of use and not trying to decide what "shade" of color is showing on other kits I'm glad I bought the Hanna testers.

[RGS88]

Originally Posted by jorjef

I have the Hanna calcium and alkalinity. I really have nothing to check accuracy against but what ever you do be very accurate with the water and solutions you need to add in testing and they should read out accurate. I got alot more than 15 tests in the calcium so not sure what to say there. For the ease of use and not trying to decide what "shade" of color is showing on other kits I'm glad I bought the Hanna testers.

I think it's cause I read on a couple of online vendors and Hanna's website that the Hanna Calcium Checker was $60 which included the checker, and 15 tests included.

[doch]

I love the hannas. If nothing else, get the hanna po4. I've had troubles with the elos mg and switched to seachem. Seemed very complex for the first test (i was 55 days setuo into a stretch of night shift) but I really like it now. If you get the hanna ca, it takes a bit to get used to. You have to be very accurate with your testing methods. I vote hanna for all of them... If you're going to skip one, skip the ca, and go elos.

[Myka]

How many opinions do you want? Everyone will have a different one on this subject!

Personally, I have heard too many accuracy issues with the Hanna Calcium, Salifert Alkalinity, and Elos Mg to spend money on those particular kits. I have personally experienced more than one Salifert Alkalinity kit to be off by 1-2 dKH.

Kits that I do like include: Elos for calcium and alkalinity, API for alkalinity and total ammonia, Salifert for Mg and nitrate, D-D Merck for phosphate, and SeaChem for toxic ammonia. These are kits I have used personally over many years and find them accurate and consistent. I have heard a lot of good things about the Hanna alkalinity and phosphate kits, and will replace my Elos alkalinity kit when it runs out with the Hanna to give it a try. The D-D phosphate kit is a high sensitivity kit, is very pricey, and is probably more kit than you need when you're first starting off. In saltwater you do not need a nitrite kit as nitrite is not toxic to marine inhabitants except at extremely high levels (like <100 ppm).

Some things you won't test often and if money is an issue you can just buy the ones that are used often, then take a water sample to your LFS for the tests you don't perform often. You will often test calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. You will test ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate much less often.

[jostafew]

I will throw in my vote for Salifert calcium. In my experience just as accurate as Elos but a little easier to use. I also have a salifert alk test which i picked up to verify the API kit i was using (it did). I like the salifert alk kit but i haven't had a chance to verify it against another higher end kit. I'm currently using a seachem mag kit which i would not recommend. It's a PITA and was out by about 15% against its reference sample. I've come up with a factor to correct for the kit's error so i keep using it but will not buy again. I've also got salifert phosphate, nitrite, ammonia and silica kits as well as API nitrate kit and have no problems with them, but i have not verified those kits against anything so i can't speak for their accuracy.

[e46er]

I use Elos for ca alk mg nitrate and phosphate
I think I'm going to try the hanna phosphate when it runs out as it goes to really low readings
I get consistent results with Elos as long as your measurements are accurate