Refractometers & Test Kit

[DarkHorseMBA]

Hi everyone,

Continuing to get the tank clean up and getting ready for my first build. I wanted to check with the group about a couple things, refractometers and water test kits.

Salinity Refractometers
Are all of these created equal? I’ve seen some for $100+, some are $50, and still others as low as $20 with a digital PH tester on eBay. The $100 seems like a little, but is there an appreciable difference I see some between these or will any do?

Water Test kit
Is there a single kit that will give me all the tests I need? Again are these all the same or is there a recommended kit?


DarkHorse

[Europhyllia]

I think prices have come down quite a bit over the last years. I wouldn't want to rely on an Ebay cheapy but I think you can get a good one for 50.
The one I got used to sell for close to $100 but I think I bought it for $44. It's a Sybon brand and I like it. Feels very heavy and good quality.

[Mr Cob]

My wife bought me one a little over a year ago. I calibrated it once over a year ago and I read that it should be calibrated before every use....but I have never had to. It has a built in light as well. It's listed below for $120 but I could have sworn she said she paid $60 for it.

Here's the one I have:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?&vendor=&idProduct=CP2111&child=CP2115&tab=0&style=w%2F%20Light

http://www.f3images.com/IMD/600/CP2115/CP2115_99.jpg

[Mr Cob]

Test kits....I think Salifert is one of the best solutions for testing your parameters....but they add up $quickly.

I don't test as much as I should.....I hate testing. I'm still waiting for the $50 all in one meter that tests for everything digitally.

[DarkHorseMBA]

Salifert seems to have a bunch of independent tests, no kit that I could find.
What should I be testing for to start?

[Europhyllia]

to start with I focused on:
Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate (during the cycle)
then later:
Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium

[Mr Cob]

After Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate I went with PH next....before calcium etc.

[Europhyllia]

I don't use a test kit for pH. I monitor with a digital monitor. Pinpoint the first time around, now Reefkeeper Lite. pH changes throughout the 24 hour day so I prefer to just have it displayed constantly

[Mr Cob]

I agree Karin....I also use a pinpoint monitor....but in the begining I only had test kits.....so I would test PH 3 different times....

Before lights on....test
Lights on for a few hours...test
Lights at peak.....test
Lights out with fuge light on.....test

...a few days of that will get you to quickly buy a costly monitor.

Running a fuge light on a reverse light cycle will also help stabilize your PH. Lots more to PH but above my paygrade.

[DarkHorseMBA]

If the PH moves a lot during the day is there something to correct, or just continue to monitor?
I may be getting ahead of self here, I've still to cycle the tank! :-)

[Mr Cob]

Without getting into great details that you will simply overlook or exploring all the things to control PH...the simple solution is keeping a 24 hour light cycle. It helps stabilize the light because of photosynthesis...

This means runing a light over your fuge reverse of your main display lighting.

[Europhyllia]

size of the fuge is important. I used to have a 0.5 swing with a 20g sump under a 125g tank, then I got a 55g sump and had more room for macro and it cut the swing down to 0.2
How much swing is okay will also depend on your critters. Starfish and other echinoderms are more sensitive to swings than most fish, etc.
Right now I have my Reefkeeper set to drip kalk when pH goes below a certain point and now my swing is down to less than 0.1

[Mr Cob]

That's awesome Karin! I wish I could get mine that stable. I'm thinking the 55g I just set up will be pretty stable....the fuge is huge for that sized tank.

Why is there always something else to buy in this hobby...? If I had it my way everything would be automated and digital.

[jroescher]

Karin ,
What do you use to control the flow of your kalk? To turn it on and off? Pump...solenoid ... ???

[Europhyllia]

I use the Reefkeeper Lite for control of the pump (regular Tom's Auqalifter attacjed to some rigid tubing stuck in a 5 gallon petfood container (because it's square and tall and easier to hide than a 5 gallon bucket). The Reefkeeper has a pH probe and it sends the signal to the controller. The pump comes on when pH falls and turns off when pH minimum is reached.
I evaporate more than I am adding kalk so I also have an ATO with just RO water independently from the kalk drip

[DarkHorseMBA]

Should I be testing for KH and GH? Is KH the same as Alkalinity?

[tony]

i made a long post sometime in the past about comparing my $100 milwaukee refractometer to the $30 marine depot one (i owned both). the cliffs notes, i believe them to be the exact same (one is blue and one is black). i even think they are made by the same manufacturer as well but i have no proof of this (they are 100% identical other than the color)