Pods and Testing equipment!

[ErikH]

I am looking at getting into some Sps and was wondering is anyone uses Red Sea Mag. Kits? I am going to get (I think):

Red Sea Magnesium Test kit
API Saltwater Test kit
API Reef master test kit

I have used the API and there good enough for me and my corals, but what about the Red Sea kit?

Also, will pods eat strands of chaeto and ulva? Will ordering pods help clean up my tank?

The only recommended tests are salifert. I use API, and have had problems with bad reagents in the past. Ive never used a red sea kit. Add lots of LR and LS for de-nitrification, and you will need the plain jane SW kit much less. I would save the money on that kit, just have your LFS test your Ammonia etc, and spend your cash on CA and Alk kits. the more rock and sand, the more stable in the long run, and the less predators you have on your microfauna, the more itty bitty detritovores you get. If you want your sand stirred, get an engineer goby and a conch.

Pods will have little impact on "what you see", as they are detritivores, not so much algae eaters. Pods will proliferate on their own, just don't go buying a fish that eats them right away, or they will never make it. That would slowly starve your fish.