which test kits to buy?

[smitas5]

Hey all,

I have a basic test kit with ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH from API. I was looking to expand on it and while placing order bumped in to Salifer, Seachem, Milwauke test kits.. anyone could recommend one over other? I was thinking to get copper, iodine, calcium, alkalinity possibly for now..
thanks

[toytech]

I use elos and like them , if you have lps or sps then you need to keep an eye on cal ,alk , and magnesium . Some people dose iodine but most don't as its replaced with regular water changes , a copper test is only needed if you dose your quarantine with copper and then get the same brand as what you are dosing . Oh and want your coralline algae to take off make sure your magnesium is up and it will go nuts.

[smitas5]

OK I was bringing my water for testing to LFS and they found 0 Iodine.. the rest of the parameters were in good range. Now before I start purchasing like crazy (tests and additives), I already know I will change my salt from Instant Ocean to H2Ocean in the next short while.. Should I wait till I change it and see how my water is?
copper stuff is for treatments that I'm planning on my fish, they are in quarantine at this moment and since I can't get copper based stuff, they are in hyposalinity mode now..

[toytech]

Depending on what you want for corals you will need to test and dose accordingly , a full sps tank needs daily dosing , an all zoathid tank needs none so buy what your going to test for , don't need to know calcium levels in a soft coral tank they don't care. You can switch salts but again its all in what you want , and lots of people use instant ocean with good success you just adjust the levels of the new salt water before you do a water change . Its what im using and im shooting for mostly sps . Oh and why switch from hypo to copper , if you can do it correctly its very effective and easy on your fish , some fish don't do well with copper .

[michaelis88]

u can try the salifert or red sea, im using both of them and i like them both. the red sea actually gives you more hign end looking.

[Proteus]

For you dt. I would check ca. Alk. Mg. Po4

I use salifert and am satisfied