![]() But, if you want an even more durable container, I would consider buying the Marine Care Test Kit. A nice thick vial, and three heavy feeling reagent bottles. The contents of the package itself are higher quality. The cardboard is thicker than all of the other options in this blog, but it’s still cardboard. Quality and Durability– If you purchase the test kit above, it comes in a simple cardboard packaging. It’s hard to get an exact number, but I usually feel confident in a reading plus/minus 0.15ppm, which is good enough for most scenarios. Maybe I’m just used to this kit, but I find it relatively easy to decipher the results. So if you are color blind, you may need to phone a friend to read your results. Readability– All of these ammonia test kits rely on your ability to distinguish different colors or shades of the same color. The wide- base vial is almost tip-proof, so accidental spills are cut down to gross user error (of which I have committed throughout the years!) The first step involves using a tiny scooper (which is the worst of it), but the rest are just droppers. It’s a lengthier process both in number of steps and wait time, but it’s manageable. I’m thinking it was because my first tank was a Red Sea Reefer 170. I can’t even remember why I chose Red Sea. So, I have a natural testing bias toward Red Sea products. I mean, is it that hard to manufacture a shorter, wider vial that is more stable? It would probably mess up how the API test kits are read, but oh well.Įase of Use– I think the Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit was the first I ever bought actually. Worst Characteristic– I really do wish the vials weren’t so tippy. So it is much more likely that the test kit will expire before you can actually use it all up! But for stable systems, it’s just not a parameter that you need to test all that often. Because the only time us old timers really use ammonia test kits is during the cycle, when adding livestock, or when there are sudden changes. So which one should you do? I don’t know!īest Characteristic– For most hobbyists, 130 tests is tantamount to a lifetime supply. 2) If you hold the vial touching the color scale, the color comes out darker than if you hold it 1/16″ away. 1) Since you read through the curvature of the vial, the light refracts at all sorts of different angles. There are two aspects that make this slightly difficult to read. The kit turns yellow to red, and I find that slightly easier than other kits that just rely on shades of the same color. I like that you are not just having to distinguish between shades of yellow. Readability– I’d say this kit falls right in the middle overall. So I really think you just roll the dice and maybe you get a leaker! But I’ve spoken with several other hobbyists, and about half of them have had no problems. Putting aside the fact that it may be toxic, it is also annoying. It doesn’t matter how hard I clamp down on the top, when I’m doing my thing and shaking those vials, colored liquid flies out. It’s actually a nicer case (imo) than the much more expensive Red Sea Marine Care kit.Įase of Use– So I own the Master Test Kit, and 2/4 vials leak. It’s inexpensive, comes with a ton of tests and 4 vials, and the plastic packaging is surprisingly heavy duty and sturdy given the price point. Not only is the ammonia test kit super affordable, but why not just buy the Saltwater Master Test Kit. Price– For anybody on a budget, I would not hesitate to recommend API. Happy reading, but if you are looking for something specific, just click on the links below! We’re going to look at and rate each test kit on the following categories:Īnd at the end, we’ll continue the opine and give you our thoughts on the following: ![]() So if you watch the video, please note that the Seachem test does work… I just did it wrong! After publishing the video below, I was responding to the comments at the MD website, and a super kind person told me how to do it correctly. Evidently I totally did the Seachem test kit wrong. But I tried to separate my opinions as much as possible. I fully admit that a large part of this may just be testing bias. I had never used the Salifert or Seachem test kit before, and needless to say, well, probably not needless actually… I didn’t like them as much. You can find these at Marine Depot, Amazon, or other online stores. So we chose the four most commonly used ammonia test kits on the market. But some companies don’t even make ammonia tests, and some companies are just so obscure that it didn’t make sense. Okay, we could have tested more than just four.
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