Testing the Big 3 Parameters

[jsker]

I’ve been waiting for Aquaforest tests for a long time, and I very excited that the new Aquaforest tests are out now.

One of the things I like about these tests is that they are laboratory certified. My confidence level with these tests are higher than most. I wanted to see how the Aquaforest tests compare to Hanna checkers, Red Sea, and ELOS. On a side note, I purchased all of these tests used.

Aquaforest has some classy videos along with Red Sea, Hanna, and ELOS. ELOS wins for music. I have provided links below for the videos from each of the companies tested. The reason for shooting videos, is that I wanted to show a hobbyist doing the tests. I do have some fancy stuff for testing but no lab coat.

AquaForest

ELOS

Hanna

Red Sea

The first test is the calcium test.
The second test is the magnesium test.
In the final test will be the alkalinity test.

My findings are that the Aquaforest, Hanna, and ELOS are very close and consistent in testing.

I messed around with the kits and found that Aquaforest and ELOS are right there with my Hanna checkers on Ca and alkalinity. I have a Red Sea Mg test kit and compared the test with the Aquaforest Mg. I kind of lost faith in the Red Sea kits because the alkalinity test has not been testing alkalinity consistently in the past 6 months even with new reagents. The Red Sea Mg has been a little weird too. The Red Sea Ca has been testing lower Than the Hanna and the Aquaforest test kit.

Here are the number as they were tested.
View attachment 608070


I also tested the Aquaforest test kit sample water using the other kits with what sample water I had. I did speed these videos up a tad. You will notice that some of the numbers are all over the place. Kind of the reason that I am a two test kit person with the big 3 going forward.

Sample water Ca
Sample water Mg
Sample water Alk

 

[TonapahNorth]

great info. thank you for that effort in putting this together!

 

[jsker]

great info. thank you for that effort in putting this together!

Thank you

 

[Fringe09]

Hanna has a Calcium tester! I never knew. I use their Alkalinity tester and love how fast and easy it is to use. I'm buying their Calcium tester now.

 

[CoralWealth]

very nice and good info!

what is the sample AF alk solution supposed to be? interesting how different the hanna and AF were on that.

 

[Fringe09]

@jsker What is that device that the vile is sitting on?

 

[XNavyDiver]

Awesome videos! Great info and I had no idea aquaforest was making test kits. I would be interested in seeing how salifert compares with mag and cal as those are I'm using currently for those.

I love your cuvette holder and magnetic stirrer. I need to up my water testing game it seems...

 

[jsker]

Hanna has a Calcium tester! I never knew. I use their Alkalinity tester and love how fast and easy it is to use. I'm buying their Calcium tester now.

It a great kit, and you get some lab toys to pay lab tester with.

 

[jsker]

very nice and good info!

what is the sample AF alk solution supposed to be? interesting how different the hanna and AF were on that.

I going for tester error on that one. I did not have enough solution to run another test

 

[jsker]

@jsker What is that device that the vile is sitting on?

The clear thing? That is the JSKER handy dandy vile/cuvette holder, so my sausage size finger do not knock them over

 

[DSC reef]

Great write up @jsker good info here, thank you.

 

[jsker]

Awesome videos! Great info and I had no idea aquaforest was making test kits. I would be interested in seeing how salifert compares with mag and cal as those are I'm using currently for those.

I love your cuvette holder and magnetic stirrer. I need to up my water testing game it seems...

I was thinking about using the sailfert Mg test add may add it in here very soon. As far as Ca tests all the test were pretty close, so in my opinion most calcium tests one has nothing to be concerned about accuracy.

 

[Fringe09]

@jsker What is the small white object you are putting in the vile?

 

[jsker]

Great write up @jsker good info here, thank you.

Thank you.

 

[jsker]

@jsker What is the small white object you are putting in the vile?

Stirrer bar. The one I used is a 5mm. link Remember lab coat is optional

 

[Fringe09]

Stirrer bar. The one I used is a 5mm. link Remember lab coat is optional

Thank you again. The link has 10 stirrer bars. Is this something that goes bad and needs to be replaced?

 

[jsker]

Thank you again. The link has 10 stirrer bars. Is this something that goes bad and needs to be replaced?

They are so tiny or can get lost, I keep extra on hand. You will need metal tweezers to get them out of the cuvettes

 

[chefjpaul]

Great write up.

I only have the MG, but it pretty consistent for me so far.

I just truly love my hannah CA & KH.


We must Always remember we are not needing to chase these numbers, but get a consistency with these kits to lead to stability.

 

[jsker]

Great write up.

I only have the MG, but it pretty consistent for me so far.

I just truly love my hannah CA & KH.


We must Always remember we are not needing to chase these numbers, but get a consistency with these kits to lead to stability.

Agree %100 there brother

 

[120reefkeeper]

Very nice article! Thank you for all of the time you spent. This really needed to be done. @jsker