JDM Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 on the weekend i invested in some reliable test kits. :bounce: i was concerned with how accurate the aquarium pharmaceuticals tests were, but when i tested my Ca with the salifert test i was stunned, the salifert test said my Ca is at 500ppm when the other test showed it at 420ppm, so i tested it again and it said the same :evil: then i did the same again with my Kh, the salifert test showed 7 as apposed to the aquarium pharmaceuticals test showed 10! the good news is that the salifert po4 test showed 0.00-0.03 so that im happy with. i cant beleve the differance with the tests! has anyone else experanced the same sort of results with differant test kits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Oh yeah. I can't get a reading with my salifert pH test kit. It just doesn't match any of the colours on the chart. I can't get matching readings with my Salifert kH and my Seachem alk test kit. I prefer the Seachem as it has a reference test for alk and pH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drifty Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 I used jbl and seachem at one time, the difference in the readings was quite a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 just cost me $53 for a salifert mg test kit on the weekend, not cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 just cost me $53 for a salifert mg test kit on the weekend, not cheap! Would be interesting to see how it compares to the JBL Calcium and Magnesium test kit. You get both tests for a cheaper price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 It just doesn't match any of the colours on the chart. i have the same problem with the Ph test, switched to red sea which results in a proper colour as shown on the chart it comes with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Would be interesting to see how it compares to the JBL Calcium and Magnesium test kit. You get both tests for a cheaper price Indeed, Mg was one of the more expensive Salifert test kits. If JBL are cheaper yet produce the same results, then why not go with the cheaper kit? Although if they produce different results then which test kit is right? I only go with Salifert because of the name - from what I see, hear, read its the most consistant and trustworthy kit in the hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 I can't get a reading with my salifert pH test kit. It just doesn't match any of the colours on the chart. Never had any problems reading from my salifert ph kit. Sometimes colours may be between 2 shades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 puttputt - i'd be curious to see how accurate it is, once i've fixed/recalibrated my pinpoint, compare the results on the same sample of water between the pinpoint and the salifert kit. i often wonder how much better some peoples tanks would be if they used different test kits - especially when you read them testing two different brands and getting completely different results :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 yep, always wanted a ph meter, same there wasn't much interest in a marine depot order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 puttputt - i'd be curious to see how accurate it is, once i've fixed/recalibrated my pinpoint, compare the results on the same sample of water between the pinpoint and the salifert kit. i often wonder how much better some peoples tanks would be if they used different test kits - especially when you read them testing two different brands and getting completely different results :-? That is why i think people reccomend a range of calcium etc, 400 - 420, then if your test is off a bit it is still within that range. Also who is to say the pinpoint is spot on either? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Also who is to say the pinpoint is spot on either? no one that i can see... the point being not that the pinpoint is correct and test kit could be wrong, but why there could be a difference in the first place. if the results are different, then i'll be questioning one or the other. if they're +/- 0.1, maybe 0.2 or so thats probably acceptable, but anything higher you have to find out why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 no one that i can see... the point being not that the pinpoint is correct and test kit could be wrong, but why there could be a difference in the first place. if the results are different, then i'll be questioning one or the other. if they're +/- 0.1, maybe 0.2 or so thats probably acceptable, but anything higher you have to find out why. True, but then which one would you consider correct? I think i you were to just stick to one type of kit, then at the least your water quality would be Consistent. They all seem to have some varience between them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 True, but then which one would you consider correct? ...but anything higher you have to find out why. Ten different test kits ten different tests?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skuzza Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 The strontium salifert test kit is a bit of long winded round about system.Going to try a different brand soon as i find one that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 There is a reason for that. It's not a particularly simple thing to test for, especially in the typical concentrations found in tanks. You'd be lucky to find another brand test kit for strontium. Seachem may do one, but some of their test kits can be pretty average. Merck may do one though? Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 I use Aq Pharm for my pH, NO2- and use Salifert for NO3, PO4, Ca and kH/Alk. Would like to go electronic but finding the toys I can afford is a bit hard. I have a water testing lab where I work so might try the comparison test on the pH (if they can do saltwater in the lab). Will find out tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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