Accuracy
To evaluate properly the accuracy of Seachem ReefStatus Calcium we helped with two professional services, Triton and Fauna Marin, thanks to the Hobby Acquari collaboration for the Triton test and Acquatic Life for the Fauna Marin. Indeed, we measured a sample of water of my aquarium, and then we sent the water to analyze it with both systems.
The results were the following:
- Seachem ReefStatus Calcium: 450 mg/l
- Triton: 460,4 mg/l
- Fauna Marin: 488 mg/l
As you can see the difference with Triton is just 2%, instead with Fauna Marin is just under 8%. After all I think the precision on the threshold of perfection.
Below I attach the test instructions in Italian as issued by Seachem and enclosed in the test:
In our package we didn’t find an expiration value, and all reagents are numbered with the lot number which they come from.
I would like to remind that the tests, although they have a high number of measurements, should be used not more than 6 months from their first use, to prevent incorrect storage can offset the tests. I recommend you always use your eye to evaluate the aquarium, do not rely only to test, and if testing were to detect a patently incorrect value, before making any solution would be desirable to do it again with other brands believed to be reliable.
Given the 6 months of reference and the 150 measurements we would have the ability to perform almost one test per day, for a measurement cost about 47 cents. Obviously, given the validated solution it will be possible to use the test for longer period while make a water validated rating is also a must. Potentially even after more than a year, the test could be perfectly usable. Of course if you are going to run a water reading validation and an aquarium test, in addition to the extra time needed will mean that the single test will cost twice as much as before seen, and then about one euro.
Conclusions
The test is not cheap as it costs 69,90 EUR, but the price is justified by the overall accuracy, as Fauna Marin and Triton measured as well. The biggest problem is probably the test complexity and the need to have distilled water or high purity osmosis. It is very great to have in the package a certified solution that can validate our measurements even after many months from opening, making the ReefStatus used almost until the end of the reagents, and making useless, let’s say, an expiration date on the package, but it would be useful see a date though packaging.
For this reason, considering the precise tests, which is what matters mostly, we can only give nearly maximum value to the quality and lower it a bit in the final evaluation because of price. But considering the test extremely good!
PROS
Precise
Solution validated in the package for a particularly long-lived use of tester
High number of measurement
Care about packaging denoting higher quality than average
AGAINST
High price
Hardworking
Seachem ReefStatus Calcio
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| Quality | |
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