Recommended Testing Equipment? AIO?

[#R_TST]

I'm just getting started and wondering if there are any recommendations for water testing equipment? I was eyeballing the Seneye Reef Aquarium Monitor, but am seeing a lot of mixed reviews. Hanna has a lot of individual digital testers. Is there something like the seneye with better reliability or an AIO type monitor? I have difficulty reading some tests and strips so I would like to find a reliability digital testing method. AIO would be great. My 32.5 gallon tank will be mostly soft corals and a few fish so I need to be able to test levels for both fish and corals. I like the concept of the seneye, but the bad reviews scare me.

Also recommendations for all the various testing kits I should make sure I have on hand as well as chemicals would be great too. Then I can double check my checklist and make sure I'm covered. No stores nearby so I have to drive hours or order and have shipped. Thanks!

 

[yourmom]

I'm just getting started and wondering if there are any recommendations for water testing equipment? I was eyeballing the Seneye Reef Aquarium Monitor, but am seeing a lot of mixed reviews. Hanna has a lot of individual digital testers. Is there something like the seneye with better reliability or an AIO type monitor? I have difficulty reading some tests and strips so I would like to find a reliability digital testing method. AIO would be great. My 32.5 gallon tank will be mostly soft corals and a few fish so I need to be able to test levels for both fish and corals. I like the concept of the seneye, but the bad reviews scare me.

Also recommendations for all the various testing kits I should make sure I have on hand as well as chemicals would be great too. Then I can double check my checklist and make sure I'm covered. No stores nearby so I have to drive hours or order and have shipped. Thanks!

I have these exact questions but you have done more research than I have... hopefully someone can weigh in!

 

[MarshallB]

I'm just getting started and wondering if there are any recommendations for water testing equipment? I was eyeballing the Seneye Reef Aquarium Monitor, but am seeing a lot of mixed reviews. Hanna has a lot of individual digital testers. Is there something like the seneye with better reliability or an AIO type monitor? I have difficulty reading some tests and strips so I would like to find a reliability digital testing method. AIO would be great. My 32.5 gallon tank will be mostly soft corals and a few fish so I need to be able to test levels for both fish and corals. I like the concept of the seneye, but the bad reviews scare me.

Also recommendations for all the various testing kits I should make sure I have on hand as well as chemicals would be great too. Then I can double check my checklist and make sure I'm covered. No stores nearby so I have to drive hours or order and have shipped. Thanks!

Best is probably debatable, however this is what I use.

For Alk/Calc/Mag you can get the redsea foundations test kit. The Hanna Alk digital tester is probably one of the best. I'll be getting one once my alk regent runs out.

I use Hanna for Calc. It's extremely sensitive and many don't like it. I've found it easy to use and accurate enough for my taste.

Phosphate- Seachem. Quick and easy to read. The hanna ultra low checker is very popular.

Nitrate - Nyso. Quick and easy to read.

I cant speak for other monitoring systems, but I use an Apex. It's dang pricey, but I love the expandability and having control over everything in my tank from my phone.

 

[aggrofish]

im using the Red Sea kit for calcium and magnesium. I have the Hanna ULR phosphate checker, Alkalinity, salinity, and PH. Their nitrate checker is too convoluted for my taste. I’m just using an API test for that. It’s hard to tell the colors but I don’t need that to be super accurate just ballpark where I’m at.

 

[yourmom]

im using the Red Sea kit for calcium and magnesium. I have the Hanna ULR phosphate checker, Alkalinity, salinity, and PH. Their nitrate checker is too convoluted for my taste. I’m just using an API test for that. It’s hard to tell the colors but I don’t need that to be super accurate just ballpark where I’m at.

Thank you! I was just looking at the Hanna. Although they are more expensive, the digital readout would be so nice. It’s difficult to interpret the color-based results on API and Salifert kits. I’ll look for a kit with multiple Hannas and compare cost of that with something like the more basic Apex system. I’ve also been hearing about Reef-Pi and Robo-reef Pi systems which sound like a much cheaper alternative to Apex if you can take the time to set it all up. I still have much to learn!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm not a huge fan of the Seneye.

Some Hanna's are good options (e.g., phosphate), while ordinary test kits may be best for some parameters such as calcium.

 

[Dub]

Thank you! I was just looking at the Hanna. Although they are more expensive, the digital readout would be so nice. It’s difficult to interpret the color-based results on API and Salifert kits. I’ll look for a kit with multiple Hannas and compare cost of that with something like the more basic Apex system. I’ve also been hearing about Reef-Pi and Robo-reef Pi systems which sound like a much cheaper alternative to Apex if you can take the time to set it all up. I still have much to learn!!

I have only been in the hobby a little over a year and as such have experienced the questions you have. Let me say to start expensive is measured by the size of your bank account. Also the best kit for anyone is determined by their eye sight, dexterity, available time, knowledge of testing procedures, money they want to throw at it and effort one is willing to expend. No system meets each persons needs and those needs will change as one progresses with the hobby. To my knowledge no one system at the hobby level does all tests.
As a beginner if one uses RODI water and the tds is 0 and you use a hobby grade salt mix you are starting out in the right direction. One needs a good salienty checker, thermometer, PH checker, ammonia checker, nitrite checker and nitrate checker. After the tank is cycled then your needs change. For my tank I added a Alkalinity checker, Ca checker, ULR phosphate checker and a Mg checker. For all other tests I rely upon my local fish store or a professional lab testing service. The reason I don’t do some tests is the hobby kits in my hands do not give accurate results and are seldom if ever used and for a small fee I can get professional results. I find the digital kits like Hanna are easier to use, a good lab grade glass hydrometer with a thermometer gives good salinity and temperature checks and don’t need calibration. Salifert, Red Sea and API also have good kits. If you have the funds I find that Neptune Apex with or without the Trident system will do many of your tests for you. I don’t use the Trident system yet.

 

[aggrofish]

Thank you! I was just looking at the Hanna. Although they are more expensive, the digital readout would be so nice. It’s difficult to interpret the color-based results on API and Salifert kits. I’ll look for a kit with multiple Hannas and compare cost of that with something like the more basic Apex system. I’ve also been hearing about Reef-Pi and Robo-reef Pi systems which sound like a much cheaper alternative to Apex if you can take the time to set it all up. I still have much to learn!!

They sell kits with multiple hanna checkers. I would look at the cost of the reagent as well to figure out what tests will run after the initial investment. For example the reagent, which is good for 25 tests, on the ULR phosphate is $9 whereas the reagent on the Calcium is $23. I like the Hanna checkers a lot. When I was testing phosphate with colored strips it looked like .25 to me but with the hanna it's a consistent .03 - .04 BIG difference!

 

[yourmom]

They sell kits with multiple hanna checkers. I would look at the cost of the reagent as well to figure out what tests will run after the initial investment. For example the reagent, which is good for 25 tests, on the ULR phosphate is $9 whereas the reagent on the Calcium is $23. I like the Hanna checkers a lot. When I was testing phosphate with colored strips it looked like .25 to me but with the hanna it's a consistent .03 - .04 BIG difference!

Great to know. I kept a 10 gal and my ammonia levels always seemed super high testing with the Salifert kit but I never had any issues with my fish so after dozens of tests saying they should have already died from the ammonia I finally decided to stop testing for it and just keep up with my weekly water changes. I love the idea of the digital readout, takes the guesswork out.