Freshwater/saltwater Test Kits

[eschaton]

I just started my first saltwater tank this week. I've had freshwater tanks for awhile now, and have existing fresh water kits. I just took ammonia readings using the freshwater kit, and, while the test fluid looks weirdly opaque, it seemingly turned slight green as it should. Is a new test kit needed?

 

[Ter]

whats the brand name of the tests in question?
Salifert
Ter

 

[eschaton]

API

 

[Ter]

well does it see marine on it?
or freshwater only?
Ter

 

[eschaton]

There is nothing on the bottles of chemicals themselves that say freshwater or marine. However, the results card is only freshwater. I sort of wonder if they just packed the card with the "freshwater master kit" out of convenience/in the hopes people would spend more on a second test kit though.

 

[Ter]

ok.. im sure someone else here knows.. but maybe you can google image for the marine card
Ter

 

[SkiFletch]

SOME API kits can be re-used for saltwater, and some cannot. For those that can, a new card is needed as the colors are different. Unfortunately I dont know which ones are switch-hitters

 

[stang1]

Some of the test kits from Nutrafin can be used for both. We have the master kit and the only one that we can't use for SW is the ammonia one.

 

[andywg]

API FW test is one bottle, the SW is a two part one with a longer wait time and copmletely different colour chart.

You can re-use most of the kits, just not ammonia.

 

[ox5477]

So does that mean that you can use the high pH from your freshy kit to test your salt pH?

I just figure that with most chemicals the salt would act as either a buffer or hinderance to the chemicals reacting so would give false readings. I'm hoping that you can use the fresh kit for salt as I won't have to spend another $30.00 , but I'm betting that would be a perfect world

 

[rhysiboy]

i have the API saltwater test kit and the Ammonia and Nitrate have two bottles each
also if you get yellow to red colours for nitrate, green for ammonia, yelowy to purple for ph and blue to purple for nitrite then i think it should be alright. If you want the colour charts then pm me and ill take a photo of them for you

 

[eschaton]

We apparently have the same test kits then - just different cards, though I'm not absolutely sure on PH. I already have a phosphate test which can be used for fresh or salt water. Sounds like (except for the cards) I'm all set.