Cameron
02-07-2008, 6:24 PM
Product: Calcium Test Kit
Manufactorer: Elos (www.elosusa.com) (http://www.elosusa.com)/)
Price: $29.99
Review Type: Initial Report
Overall Rating: 7
Pros:
Easy to use. Test can be performed quickly.
Cons:
Relatively expensive and color change not as obvious as I would like. Packing problem caused vial to break.
In Depth:
If you have ever used a Salifert kit, this kit is very similar. It does have a couple more steps, but those mostly include a couple extra vial shakes. This product could have gotten an 8 or 9 had I not run into a problem before I really got started. Upon opening the package the second reagent bottle was placed inside the test vial. Trying to remove this slightly larger reagent from the vial caused me to break the glass vial and get a nasty nip. The Mg test had a similar setup, but I did not have this problem with the Mg test so I am guessing this was a fluke but still a negative.
Like the KH and Mg test, two types of directions were included. One is very detailed in multiple languages and the other is simply a set of pictures showing the test kit user what to do. The second option is a nice plus since after most of us use a kit a time or two we have it down, but it is nice to have a quick guide.
To use the test was easy and similar to the Salifert. Suck up 5ml in the provided syringe then put that in a vial. Add in the first reagent, shake, then add in the second reagent, shake then add a drop at a time until the color changes from pink to blue. The number of drops times 25 is your Ca.
As mentioned in the Cons section the item is more expensive than the cheaper tests, but worth it from an ease of use perspective and like the other Elos test kits color change isn't as obvious as I like. I will get used to it, but compared to the Salifert tests the change is much more subtle. Still very usable however. Assuming the next kit doesn't have a vial breakage, I will probably rate this item at least an 8 and will probably be my default Ca test kit until I find a better one.
Specs:
NA
Similar Products Used:
Salifert, Seachem
Aquarium Information:
135g - DAS EX2 Skimmer, IceCap Retro T5 Lighting, Heavy Bioload, Schuran JetStream 1 Calcium Reactor, MRC Nilsen Reactor, AquaMedic UV, Neptune AquaController 3 (AquaSurf, LunarSim), 4 Tunze 6055s, Rena Filstar Canister as a media reactor (PhosBan, Black Diamond Carbon, Seachem Purigen), 2 Visitherm Stealth 250w Heaters
Manufactorer: Elos (www.elosusa.com) (http://www.elosusa.com)/)
Price: $29.99
Review Type: Initial Report
Overall Rating: 7
Pros:
Easy to use. Test can be performed quickly.
Cons:
Relatively expensive and color change not as obvious as I would like. Packing problem caused vial to break.
In Depth:
If you have ever used a Salifert kit, this kit is very similar. It does have a couple more steps, but those mostly include a couple extra vial shakes. This product could have gotten an 8 or 9 had I not run into a problem before I really got started. Upon opening the package the second reagent bottle was placed inside the test vial. Trying to remove this slightly larger reagent from the vial caused me to break the glass vial and get a nasty nip. The Mg test had a similar setup, but I did not have this problem with the Mg test so I am guessing this was a fluke but still a negative.
Like the KH and Mg test, two types of directions were included. One is very detailed in multiple languages and the other is simply a set of pictures showing the test kit user what to do. The second option is a nice plus since after most of us use a kit a time or two we have it down, but it is nice to have a quick guide.
To use the test was easy and similar to the Salifert. Suck up 5ml in the provided syringe then put that in a vial. Add in the first reagent, shake, then add in the second reagent, shake then add a drop at a time until the color changes from pink to blue. The number of drops times 25 is your Ca.
As mentioned in the Cons section the item is more expensive than the cheaper tests, but worth it from an ease of use perspective and like the other Elos test kits color change isn't as obvious as I like. I will get used to it, but compared to the Salifert tests the change is much more subtle. Still very usable however. Assuming the next kit doesn't have a vial breakage, I will probably rate this item at least an 8 and will probably be my default Ca test kit until I find a better one.
Specs:
NA
Similar Products Used:
Salifert, Seachem
Aquarium Information:
135g - DAS EX2 Skimmer, IceCap Retro T5 Lighting, Heavy Bioload, Schuran JetStream 1 Calcium Reactor, MRC Nilsen Reactor, AquaMedic UV, Neptune AquaController 3 (AquaSurf, LunarSim), 4 Tunze 6055s, Rena Filstar Canister as a media reactor (PhosBan, Black Diamond Carbon, Seachem Purigen), 2 Visitherm Stealth 250w Heaters