Water testing stuff recommendations?

[goby1kenobi]

I'm getting back into the hobby after a lot of years, and am wondering what the best stuff is for testing these days.

I know I'm going to want to test for specific stuff.

• nitrate
• phosphate
• calcium
• alkalinity

I have a pH meter and a refractometer already. I'm thinking I'm not gonna bother with ammonia or nitrite if I don't have to. I understand the nitrogen cycle and am okay with taking a month to cycle, unless there have been some "oooh cool instacycle actually works now" developments aside from live rock.

Would appreciate y'all's thoughts: What's my best option here?

I'm seeing these Hanna eggs for a few things. Are they really as great as people make them sound?

Phosphate, in particular, is a question. The last place I lived in, we had phosphates in the tap water. I have no idea if that's true in this house. Do I start with a test kit? Go straight to an egg? Low? Ultra-Low?

 

[tinman]

i use

nitrate -- salifert
phosphate -- PHOSPHORUS ULTRA LOW RANGE COLORIMETER HI736
calcium - API
alkalinity - Hanna Instruments Checker Marine Alkalinity Colorimeter (dKH)

 

[GugsJr]

I use Triton So I send out a water sample every 6 months and these are the test kits I find most accurate to the ICP.

CA and Mag - Sailfert

Nitrates - Red Sea

dKH and PO4 - Hanna, ULR for PO4

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[rockhead]

Red Sea and Hanna very consistent