Test Kits - Which Brand And Where To Buy?

[reefdude2003]

I'm new to this hobby and currently have 0 test kits. I was wondering if you know which is the best value for money test kits to buy and where to buy from? My second question is I have a eletronic salt meter but its readings are in percentages. I bought it for my pond. And my pond is currently at 0.3 % salt. How do I convert this reading to the specific gravity reading? If its possible?

[Tanzy]

The pond electric salinometer is not suitable for use in saltwater because seawater conductivity is out of the range it is designed for.

Get Salifert or Seachem testkits. The rest are cheaper but are unreliable or just don't work.

For starters, get ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

After cycling, get alkalinity, calcium and phosphate.

You'll need pH too but prefereably an electronic meter.

[junyong84]

get those suggested testkits almost every LFS that sell marine fishes...

like 328 clementi, petsmart... or even, the online shop located on top of ur browser,

eaquanature.com

[Coral_ClamS]

where to get pH meter hah,,,,,,,who got use? accurate?

how much$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[leeweixiang]

are test kits reali needed for reef keeping .....i have no money to buy them....can i borrow them from my friend???are they needed oftenly ???

[diabolus]

sorri to say this...

but if u have no money to buy testkits...

how are u going to afford SPS?

[BarraCudaTM]

I bought the hanna pH pen for $39 at C328

[leeweixiang]

tt y i am saving up all the money tt i can save up and i wanna reduce the amount of money needed to buy other things....so sad tt i am just a kid...no money..

[diabolus]

wats the use of saving up ur $$ and buying those nice expensice fishes,corals when u r not even sure if ur water parameters are ready for them.

not trying to be sacarstic, but this is one expensive hobby. some things u can try to save on, some u simply cannot.

[leeweixiang]

hmm i think u are rit but wat are the things i can save on???and can i borrow test kits???

[Razo]

hmm i think u are rit but wat are the things i can save on???and can i borrow test kits???

by all means if ur fren is willing to loan his...

[IcecruncherZ]

Be prepared for unexpected costs. I always tell my friends that are going to start up a marine tank that the initial cost is but a tiny fraction of what you are going to have to spend eventually on lifestock and maintenance.

[maxifire]

May I know where can I get Salifert test kits? May I know what's the price of the test kits?

I've tried a couple of stores but they don't bring in.

[oshkosh]

are test kits reali needed for reef keeping .....i have no money to buy them....can i borrow them from my friend???are they needed oftenly ???

If you are planning a reef system. Better get your test kits. There are no substitutes.

If you are only planning on keep a FOWLR, and hardy marine fishes, you can afford to do away with many of the test kits. This is provided that you are not adding a lot of LSs to your tank.

[regularguy]

May I know where can I get Salifert test kits? May I know what's the price of the test kits?

I've tried a couple of stores but they don't bring in.

for salifert, can try OP

it ranges from $20++ for basic ones like Ph, ALK to $30++ like NO3 and CA

[maxifire]

May I know what's OP in long?

[Coral_ClamS]

Ocean Planet in Oxford rd [quite easy to get there if u no directions but lots of turns]

near condo

[Coral_ClamS]

BTW can estimate how much i need to spend on salifert for sps

need to buy all??????????

also the pH meter effective ?[battery/socketed]

$38 so cheap

tot one w'ld cost 100+

can specify the place

[Achilles Tang]

There is no test kit to test for sps, not even by Salifert.

[reefdude2003]

Wow those salifert test kits cost a bomb!!! But that ph pen sounds cheap!! Any good or bad experiences with that electric pen? $38 is cheapppppppppp!!

[scarab]

Hi! I'm using salifert test kits and my tank is cycling. But everytime I test for ammonia the result is white which correspond to <0.5. i even introduce raw prawn inside but still the same results. aren't i suppose to get verry high ammonia at the beginning of cycling. is it test kit problem? please advise? thanx

[heckers]

Hi! I'm using salifert test kits and my tank is cycling. But everytime I test for ammonia the result is white which correspond to <0.5. i even introduce raw prawn inside but still the same results. aren't i suppose to get verry high ammonia at the beginning of cycling. is it test kit problem? please advise? thanx

All,

i am facin' the same prob as scarab. i hv recently converted my 3ft wif canister filtration in2 a 3ft wif sump filtration. now in my 4th wk of cyclin'. ever since the 1st day of cyclin', i hv been testin' my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate wif Salifert test kit averagely abt 3dayz per test. i tot it suppose 2 hv a spike in the increase of ammonia in the 3rd wk but unfortunately my tests r pretty constant since day 1. till now, in my 4th wk, still the readin' haz not change much.

duno if it'z a test kit prob??? if it 'z, dun tell me all my test kits (ammonia / nitrite / nitrate) all got prob as all of them gave the same result since the day 1.

[scarab]

All,

i am facin' the same prob as scarab. i hv recently converted my 3ft wif canister filtration in2 a 3ft wif sump filtration. now in my 4th wk of cyclin'. ever since the 1st day of cyclin', i hv been testin' my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate wif Salifert test kit averagely abt 3dayz per test. i tot it suppose 2 hv a spike in the increase of ammonia in the 3rd wk but unfortunately my tests r pretty constant since day 1. till now, in my 4th wk, still the readin' haz not change much.

duno if it'z a test kit prob??? if it 'z, dun tell me all my test kits (ammonia / nitrite / nitrate) all got prob as all of them gave the same result since the day 1.

i have readings for nitrite which is going down. haven't tested for nitrate. it is ammonia test that is really puzzling me. water looks cloudy so i thot ammonia will be high but it's not.

[heckers]

i have readings for nitrite which is going down. haven't tested for nitrate. it is ammonia test that is really puzzling me. water looks cloudy so i thot ammonia will be high but it's not.

scarab,

mine lookz cloudy 2. how do u know tat ur ammonia iz not high since ur test iz cloudy 2??? u use another brand of test kit 2 re-confirm???

[scarab]

hi heckers.

actually not sure whether it is high or not. i think must test with another brand of test kit. so far only base on the salifert test kit. btw should i start testing for nitrates already?