Review on 🌊 Aquarium Water Test Kit - API Carbonate Hardness Test Kit by Jennifer Roberts

I first purchased the API Freshwater Master Kit and used it for many years before transitioning to the marine side of the hobby. I then bought a saltwater master kit (which I don't think was any different from the freshwater kit except for the results chart) and used it for over a year, testing my settings whenever I saw fit. Once you have an aquarium set up, the need for parameter checking is greatly reduced. Luckily. However, once I started adding corals to my aquarium, I started reading online about alkalinity and calcium and how important they are to coral growth and health. I didn't attach much importance to that at the time and continued to service my tank as before. In the first year of owning my aquarium I have encountered new situations such as algae growth and coral closure. The latter was quite a problem because I figured it meant my corals weren't "happy". I started looking for reasons why they might be closing. I decided to buy calcium and carbonate hardness (alkalinity) kits to test my water. I was surprised when my tank was right where it was supposed to be. In fact, EVERY time I checked my calcium and alkalinity levels, they were fine. Eventually I will find the real reasons why my corals were closing (one of which is that sometimes they only close for a day or two to "recharge"), aside from calcium and alkalinity imbalances. While these API products are great, I would recommend there is no real need to purchase additional calcium and alkalinity tests unless you have a massive aquarium full of corals or a large batch of SPS corals. If you want all your parameters to be perfect these are good products but for small aquariums and hobbyists keeping soft and LPS corals along with regular water changes will save you money and time on maintenance!