Essential Marine Test Kits

[karigupi]

Starting to get everything together now for my tank, journal starting tomorrow

Just having a browse on ebay for the test kits, which would people recommend & what are the absolute essentials to test for?

I've looked at the API reef master, is this kit any good?

 

[Crazy fishes]

I am going to assume you have no knowledge or previous experience with marines therefore starting at the beginning. Test kits are an interesting area of debate with many people have differing views over test kits. Something which most people will agree on is that Salifert make an accurate kit and initially you really need 6 kits; ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, hardness (Kh), phosphates and pH. What I should have done was ask what you intend to keep but the above list will accomodate both reef and fish only setups. In addition you also need something to measure salinity, either a hydrometer or a refractometer.

Good luck and hope this helps

Regards

Joe

 

[Trod]

Agree with CF.
Salifert kits seem to be the preferred Kits for Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte and PH which are the 4 you need to start with, I use salifert for Phosphate too but I have seen many people say D&D ones are better, you will need to test the SG too, I would say a refractometer is the way to go for that, have a look on ebay, lots of bargains there

 

[karigupi]

Excellant, thank you. I already have the refractometer, I will go for the Salifert tests, all added to the shopping list!