Good Reasonably Priced Testing Kit

Hello,

I agree with reefdup and it last awhile. I've been using the same test kit for almost a yr

ReefdUp wrote: I should also mention... I used the cheap kits when I started, and I don't recommend that. You could have a test turn out wrong...then you'll spend days and money troubleshooting everything...which will probably make matters worse. I've also used some of the other nice and expensive kits. They're great, but they can be challenging to perform, which will make you want to test less often. I find that the red sea kits are easy to perform and perform well.

+1

I have been pleased with the Salifert brand, though it has been a while since I compared the price per test with say, RedSea. Okay, why not. Here is an up-to-date pricing comparison:

A recently purchased Salifert Alk test kit was ~$15 online. It does 100 tests(200 at lower resolution)
$15/100 tests = $0.15/test

In checking online, I find the Red Sea Alkalinity Pro test kit is ~$25 for 75 tests and ~$15 for the 75 test refill.
$25 + $15 = $40/150 tests = $0.27/test

There you have it.
The Salifert Alk test kit is much more economically priced. Though the Salifert Ca and Mg test kits are about $25 each, I would expect comparisons to also figure in favor of Salifert.

FYI, the methodology for all these test kits of all brands is exactly the same. It's called Titration. Chemists have used this method of chemical analysis for centuries and they still use it commonly today.

BTW, Alk and Ca test kits is all I buy. When I want to check Mg, maybe 2-3 times/year, I ask a friend or LFS. I almost always test for Alk and Ca together every 2-4 weeks which means that 100 tests will last for a couple years. I don't need a pH test because I know that when there is good water movement to the surface, gas exchange is good and good pH follows good Alk. I can tell that Nitrogen pollution is not a problem when I see coral opening up, algae growing normally and when the tank smells like the ocean.

That's my 2 cents.
Aloha,
Mark


Edited by Mark Peterson - October 03 2013 at 10:40am

I used to use Salifert, but I won't go back after using Red Sea. Here's a link to my blog on with a comparison of the two brands:

http://www.reefdup.com/2012/03/04/red-sea-test-kits-versus-salifert-test-kits/

And, I should mention, some of our great LFS have much better pricing on the Red Sea kits than online.

Edited by ReefdUp - October 03 2013 at 1:46pm

Nikki, that blog is crazy talk.
I keep my Salifert boxes on a shelf. They last long enough.
Salifert kits are easier to use, you said so yourself.
15% difference in results, yet we don't know which test result was most accurate, but in fact it really does not matter and here is why. We speak of keeping these water parameters within quite a wide range, so +/- 15% means almost nothing when Alk can occupy a range of 8-12(40% range).
Even at $49.99, because there are only 75 tests, Red Sea test kits are still more expensive per test than Salifert.
I don't care what Test kit you use but you can't argue with the math.

See ya tonight.

You're right - you can't argue with the math. Salifert makes more sense economically if you have very high levels of chemicals (which most people don't...that's why they test.) Red Sea makes more sense economically for the average reefkeeper who uses a lot of titrant.

(From Marine Depot):
Salifert Calicium: $21.99 for 50-100 tests ($0.22-$0.44 per test)
Salifert Alkalinity: $16.99 for 100-200 tests ($0.09-$0.17 per test)
Salifert Magnesium: $21.29 for 50 tests ($0.43 per test)

Red Sea Calcium/Alkalinity/Magnesium: $49.99 for 210-250 tests (75, 75, 60-100, respectively) ($0.20-0.24 per test)
Refill kits:
Ca ($10.99), $0.15 per test
Alk ($9.99), $0.13 per test
Mag ($11.49), $0.12-$0.19 per test

If you bought all three Salifert tests, you'd be out $60.27, compared to $49.99 for the Red Sea (lower price initially). Your average price for the Salifert tests is about $0.17 to $0.30. Your average price for the Red Sea tests is $0.24. So, they're about right on par with each other, depending on how much titrant you need. If you go with the refills versus all new Salifert kits, then...well, the winner is obvious.

Salifert kits are also getting much harder to find. There have been several times when I was unable to find them locally...or even online due to production backlogs, shipping (literally), etc.

I'd say the Salifert kit is only easier on the Magnesium kit...that's about it. The color change is much more noticeable on the Red Sea kit.

Plus, Red Sea does a better job batching and testing for accuracy. Remember a few years back when Salifert had the bad alkalinity test kits...and hundreds of people fried their SPS? Although Salifert Alk now comes with a "standard", Red Sea actually guarantees their accuracy.

Yeah, I used Salifert for 5 years... It took not being able to find a magnesium kit AT ALL to make the switch. I didn't think I was going to like the Red Sea, but I'm happy.

Did I mention...the Red Sea kits use glass vials? The Salifert plastic ones etch and are known to actually skew test results over time.

Edited by ReefdUp - October 04 2013 at 7:42am

Also, did i mention that my dad can beat up your dad? But in reality i think either salifert or red sea are both good test kits, the API test kits on the other hand are lacking.. just my thoughts.

Blake wrote: When I run out of my current testing supplies for nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia is Red Sea also a good brand to use for those tests? Also, I assume the the "pro" test refill kits are the refills I'd use for Red Sea? I didn't know if there was a none "pro" version or anything that was less expensive.