I am shopping for a magnesium test kit and i know that salifert is good, but also someone in some other thread here said something about red sea? even salifert says accurate to 30 ppm and red sea says accurate to 20 ppm. lol i dont really know what that means, but i would think the lower the better. but i know that companies may make things up too for advertisement. but yeah any experience with these test kits or anything would help a lot!..thanks

i have not used the read sea, but i have been happy with my salifert Mg test.
i have never done a technical comparison, so i cant support the accuracy claims

ohh okay thanks rob, cause the red sea one is half the price

I am often frustrated that while everyone says Salifert kits are more accurate I've never read any proof. In a lab it would be fairly easy to measure the accuracy of test kits. This is a bit like everyone says that plastic hydrometers are not accurate. Then this article (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i4/hydrometers/Impressions.htm) by Steven Pro showed that they are indeed accurate.

well i use a hydrometer, its one of those things that my mom really wont let me get. or i guess i could get it, but id rather not go through all that just for the refractometer .

those are great points carmie..
i do have a slight rebuttal regarding hydrometers

hydrometers only maintain there accuracy after proper seasoning and through proper care and cleaning, something a lot of people neglect. so yes, whiles it's not the fault of device, they are easier to screw up. refractometers, you just wipe it off, and your done.. :)

well what care do hydrometers need? i just rinse

yes, once properly seasoned a good rinse with fresh water is all they need, but many people don't even do that...

They must be rinsed each and every time you use them. The other problem is that people don't make sure that all the bubbles are off of the swing arm and that gives a false high reading. Once again a case of operator error. I won't dispute the fact that refractometers are potentially easier to use but I would also venture to guess that if you don't take care of your hydrometer you may not take care of your refractometer either.

yep, you are very right Carmie..
refractometers are easier to care for in general, but are more sensitive.. as in they can take a drop like a plastic hydrometer can.. :)

ok good.. loooks like i take okay care of my hydrometer then. hahahah andyes rob, i have dropped mine more than enough times. carmie which one do you use? i use the deep six one. lol yeah i guess i might try out the red sea test kit later when i can order

I have the Deep Six and an old IO. They both read the same.