So I dropped some bones on something I don’t need but have really wanted!

[AydenLincoln]

Ever since I found out about the API AquaSpin I have wanted one! Sadly they are only sold to fish stores and are more expensive despite my fish store willing to purchase one for me. There is however a discontinued LaMotte one! Now I need to find the disks too. Very excited for my magical machine.

 

[AydenLincoln]

As for the accuracy of them! I believe they are fairly accurate. I know people feel strongly that they don’t work and strongly that they do work. I believe they do. I have compared the AquaSpin to other tests and have found them to be fairly accurate…but at the end of the day I’m aware automatic tests will never be 100% and even more popular devices like the Trident has issues. And being as LaMotte is a reputable company and that if they didn’t work and/or were garbage then pool companies and fish stores wouldn’t use them. As it’s a commercial product.

 

[Tamberav]

Does it use API discs?

Cuz I wouldn't buy something discontinued expecting them to continue making discs.

Do you know the resolution of the phosphate test? My understanding is it only reads to 1 decimal point, aka kinda garbage/useless for most people on the phosphate.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Does it use API discs?

Cuz I wouldn't buy something discontinued expecting them to continue making discs.

Do you know the resolution of the phosphate test? My understanding is it only reads to 1 decimal point, aka kinda garbage/useless for most on the phosphate.

They do have another seller. I can buy from. I have found another box of 50 disks. And no the disks aren’t compatible. It reads up to 2.0! And the same numbers as the AquaSpin.

 

[Tamberav]

They do have another seller. I can buy from. I have found. And no the disks aren’t compatible. It reads up to 2.0!

yes it reads up to 2.0 but it only reads to the first decimal (resolution).

SO it will read 0 or 0.1 or 0.2 and so on.

it will not read for example, 0.05

So you won't really know what your phosphate is.

My point was that if they discontinued the product, most of the time, eventually they discontinue reagents too unless they made a new module or something for the same disc. I am not sure I know what you mean by discontinued.

Not trying to rain on your parade, it is just a lot of money so just make sure this is what you want.

 

[Miami Reef]

yes it reads up to 2.0 but it only reads to the first decimal (resolution).

SO it will read 0 or 0.1 or 0.2 and so on.

it will not read for example, 0.05

So you won't really know what your phosphate is.

My point was that if they discontinued the product, most of the time, eventually they discontinue reagents too unless they made a new module or something for the same disc. I am not sure I know what you mean by discontinued.

Not trying to rain on your parade, it is just a lot of money so just make sure this is what you want.

As always, I completely agree with you.

I wouldn’t buy this kit. There are SOO many better and cheaper tests you can spend your money on.

To each their own though.

Heck, you can even do over a year of ICPs I think. I wouldn‘t spend this on hobby grade level kits.

I feel bad to be a Debby Downer, but I just feel like this is a mistake.

 

[AydenLincoln]

yes it reads up to 2.0 but it only reads to the first decimal (resolution).

SO it will read 0 or 0.1 or 0.2 and so on.

it will not read for example, 0.05

So you won't really know what your phosphate is.

My point was that if they discontinued the product, most of the time, eventually they discontinue reagents too unless they made a new module or something for the same disc. I am not sure I know what you mean by discontinued.

Not trying to rain on your parade, it is just a lot of money so just make sure this is what you want.

I understand that. I do. I am about to be taking care of 3 tanks and I hate hate hate hate testing the parameters individually and waiting. I tried Hanna checkers and I kept spilling the reagent and I personally couldn’t get an accurate number on the phosphate. And for me the same thing happened with Red Sea and Salifert which took way too long. So I personally wanted it for ease of use and time. At the end of the day no one test is perfect and if you take multiple test kits and a compare them you will get a wide range of results at least I have found. So you stick with one that works for you.

 

[Tamberav]

I understand that. I do. I am about to be taking care of 3 tanks and I hate hate hate hate testing the parameters individually and waiting. I tried Hanna checkers and I kept spilling the reagent and I personally couldn’t get an accurate number on it. And for me the same thing happened with Red Sea and Salifert. So I personally wanted it for ease of use and time.

Fair enough, I don’t really test my tanks. Mostly just Alk. Ca and Mg don’t drift much with water changes and regular esv 2 part.

If you find phosphate important, you will still need to test that and I find that the most annoying hanna of all.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Fair enough, I don’t really test my tanks. Mostly just Alk. Ca and Mg don’t drift much with water changes and regular esv 2 part.

If you find phosphate important, you will still need to test that and I find that the most annoying hanna of all.

Okay so I’m not the only one haha. I should mention that I stopped testing my water as a whole in the past few weeks/months. Other than getting it tested at the fish store. I think part of it is general curiosity for me. I don’t dose anything in my reef tank as I stopped when I almost crashed my tank with NOPOX. But for the macroalgae tank I do occasionally dose nutrients. Other than that I know you get to know your tank and coral growth. But I’m not trying to chase numbers either I tried that and it didn’t end well.

 

[AydenLincoln]

As always, I completely agree with you.

I wouldn’t buy this kit. There are SOO many better and cheaper tests you can spend your money on.

To each their own though.

Heck, you can even do over a year of ICPs I think. I wouldn‘t spend this on hobby grade level kits.

I feel bad to be a Debby Downer, but I just feel like this is a mistake.

I understand see my comments above.

 

[Tamberav]

Okay so I’m not the only one haha. I should mention that I stopped testing my water as a whole in the past few weeks/months. Other than getting it tested at the fish store. I think part of it is general curiosity for me. I don’t dose anything in my reef tank as I stopped when I almost crashed my tank with NOPOX. But for the macroalgae tank I do occasionally dose nutrients. Other than that I know you get to know your tank and coral growth. But I’m not trying to chase numbers either I tried that and it didn’t end well.

Ya see to me that is the problem with this expensive tool. Phosphate can be a really important parameter if you dose carbon or if you need to dose it up and this kit won’t do that for you.

I think if the phosphate worked, it would be worth it to me but I see no point to drop 1500 big one and still have to do a separate phosphate test. Maybe they discontinued it to fix that part of it.. idk. Would be nice so I can stop having beginners post their parameters of these from the LFS then other beginners comment omg your po4 is 0 or or your po4 is 0.1!! No, we literally have no idea what their po4 is actually.

 

[Tamberav]

If you find your mg and calcium don’t ever change around much and stay within the test kit margins then just don’t test them or don’t test them often anyways. Problem solved. Lol

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I'm with everyone else, your burning money on this one.

This is the cost for 50 tests...

I'm with @Tamberav on this, that's a waste on something that's discontinued.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I'm with everyone else, your burning money on this one.

This is the cost for 50 tests...

I'm with @Tamberav on this, that's a waste on something that's discontinued.

I know.

 

[Tamberav]

Imagine if you spend 1500 and 3 months later, no more supply of the tests.


Think how many starfish 1500 is lol

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I know.

Then why waste your money? Seriously that's not a good investment. Mastertronic would of been more worth your time. At least reagent is based 'off the rack', so to speak.

 

[Tamberav]

Might be cheaper to just pay a company to come do the tests for ya and they can do your water change while they at it! It’s $30 a visit here. Every two weeks.. roughly two years of me not having to do tests or water changes.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Might be cheaper to just pay a company to come do the tests for ya and they can do your water change while they at it! It’s $30 a visit here. Every two weeks.. roughly two years of me not having to do tests or water changes.

It’s a minimum of $100 for me lol! My selection of fish stores includes one.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Might be cheaper to just pay a company to come do the tests for ya and they can do your water change while they at it! It’s $30 a visit here. Every two weeks.. roughly two years of me not having to do tests or water changes.

Truth, may as well have a LFS service your tanks outright. Our prices here in So. Cal are high, but the 1,500 bucks cover a year of basic service for sure.

 

[Tamberav]

It was probably cheap cuz the person that told me about it worked at a LFS but did maintenance on the side so cash under the table I suppose. Probably didn’t report is as income on taxes :$