Mini Labor Test Kits by Glare

[Cookiemunster]

Recently I had the privilege to do a review for Glare on some new test kits he brought in, namely the Mini Labor brand. I compared the results with Salifert and here are my test analysis and conclusions.

Using the Mini Labor test kits was relatively simple. It was just a matter of understanding the dutch translations to english but usage wise is similar to salifert.

The kits come with clearly labeled bottles stored in a big plastic container instead of flimsy paper boxes. So there is no worry of lost syringes or spoons dropping out of the boxes.

First the tests results done using Salifert:

KH=4.5dkh

Nitrate = 0.5 - 1.0 (ppm)

Cal = 380ppm

PH = 8.0 - 8.3

And the results of Mini Labor:

KH=4 dkh

Nitrate= <5 undetectable

Cal=310ppm

PH 8.2 - 8.3

From the above results, we can see that overall, the values analyzed by both test kits are quite similar, except for calcium which the Mini Labor reported lower values (I confirmed this 3 times).

These tests were conducted simultaneously to avoid discrepancies due to temperature and ph fluctuations.

Conclusion:

Salifert scale of values is wider (more steps between whole numbers....eg, 4.2, 4.4, 4.7 compared to 4, 5, 6) and more defined for the kh and nitrate tests. But the Mini Labor has its advantages in the ph test by providing a much wider scale for the ph compared with salifert. As for the calcium test, the scale is the same.

Price wise, Mini Labor definitely has the obvious attraction and if you are not looking for precise decimal place values for the test results, its a test kit to consider.

But if you are the Laboratory assistant who wants perfection in numbers and where money is not the issue, I would strongly recommend getting Salifert's KH, Nitrate and calcium test kits. And Mini Labor's PH test kits.

But if budget is a concern, then stick to Mini Labor kits because they give the same results to the whole number.

PS. On a side note, I know my calcium and dkh levels are dangerously low and thats because I have a problem keeping up with my 20 clams, SPS and tremendous coralline algae growth because I disconnected my calcium reactor 3 months ago. If not for my Kalk Reactor, my levels would have been much worse. My PH is also fluctuating like crazy because of this. Reefers dun try this at home.

Finally for those who are interested, please contact Glare for purchases of this great test kit.

[ervine]

Great!! At last affordable and accurate (relatively) test kits...

[Achilles Tang]

IMO, all hobbyists should only get test kits that are accurate, if not, what is the point.

Hmmm... if the accuracy is still quite close to the best rated brand of test kits, its a viable option for the less fussy hobbyist/budget-constrained ones.

I see a good alternative to the very ex Salifert for the KH, PH & nitrate test kits.

Too bad I don't have a sample to verify against my salifert calcium & dkh testkits and Pinpoint PH monitor.

[Cookiemunster]

Too bad I don't have a sample to verify against my salifert calcium & dkh testkits and Pinpoint PH monitor.

hahaha Glare AT hinting at something. hahaha

Well I compared it with my salifert and pinpoint ph probe. My probe was reading 8.32 ph

[Fireclown]

Is it available at any LFS?

[woonming]

Is it available at any LFS?

FireClown it should be out within this week i heard,

At petmart, marine life, bio ocean, reborn,ocean planet (all i know)

My test on Glare Lab Test Kits.

I was given a chance to put it for a test with salifert test kits

Salifert Tests results :

Calcium Level = 380ppm

Ph Level = 8.0 - 8.2

Glare Lab Test Kits results:

Calcium Level = 390ppm

Ph Level = 8.2 - 8.3

Thus i would say itis a fairly price (cheap) and accurate test kit in comparing with salifert which on the other hand, pricing is so much more higher..

[damsel-in-distress]

I just happened to purchase a box of the Mini Labor Nitrat-Test ... my first impression of it is that the obviously English-translated instructions are pretty horrendous!

For eg. the 1st step it begins:

"Add 20ml water from your aquarium into the semi transparent cup with 50ml and add 20 droops of Ni 1 as well as one full spoon top of Ni2".

My question is: ... with 50ml of what ... is it 1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon ... The kit is labelled for 50 tests ... & there is probably only about 3-4 full tespoonful of Ni2??

The 2nd step: "After 7 mins put 10ml of the water from the first semi transparent cup in the second transparent cup with 30-50ml. Take care that you do not get something from the chemical Ni2 in the transparent"

Can someone shed some light of what the hell the second step instructions are trying to convey?

Cookie, U seemed to hv understood what the instructions mean since U did the product review. Pls. help with this.

[DragonGoby]

damsel, I had that problem too with a batch of Salifert Ca kit ... what it means is to add 20ml of water into the container that has a max capacity of 50ml.

[zodiac]

I just purchase a calcium/magnesium test from Reb**n. I must say that this is really a bad experience, maybe it's my fault (human error) or packaging error. Maybe someone that has purchase this similar kit, can advise.

Before performing this test, i did a test using salifert just to know what's the value i will be expecting.

The instruction reads (in the 3rd step of calcium test):

"Simply remove the cup from the bottle Ca3 and put 1ml syringe in the bottle to get the liquid."

First, there isn't any cup on the bottle Ca3, i assume that it's referring to cap. So i remove the cap of Ca3. To my surprise, under the cap it's a dripper. Left with no choice, i remove the dripper. With this action portion of the solution was wasted, because the bottle is quite full.

Next i dip the syringe in to get the 1ml solution and perform the test. My salifert test reading was 430. For Mini-Labor, i need to pump in about 1.45ml to get a reading of 430. To my surprise, the colour changed to blue before i have even finish pumping the whole 1ml. This gives me a reading of less than 300. Maybe it's a human error, the colur change is too gradual. I don't even know when it change to blue or is it purple. By pumping a total a 2ml, the colour didn't change, so i suppose it's blue and that's the colur i should be looking for. I perform my salifert test 2 more times to confirm my reading again. Then i perform the mini-labor test, i did this for more than 5 times. After the five test i still don't know at which point it change to blue, the colour change is really too gradual. But one thing for sure is that it changed to blue before i finish the whole of 1ml (<300).

Maybe it's a packaging error, the Ca3 solution is not the correct one. It looks fishy.

Has anyone used this kit before. Can advise more on the procedure?

My conslusion is that.......the gradual colour change really makes me confused. Even if i can get an accurate result, the solution required for Ca3 is difinitely more than 1ml. More steps, more soluition required.

The purpose of buying this is that my Ca test is running out and my Mg test has run out. Without getting an exact Ca result, you can never get the Mg result. They are both tied together.

After meddling for so long, wasting so much solution (both salifert and mini-labor), i still can't get my Mg test result!

It looks more like a complain.......I think i better copy this to Glare as well.

[roidan]

i agree with AT,

if u want accuracy, i think salifert is pretty reliable and precise.

but at least, i am pretty sure this mini-labor brand should be better than the Sera brand of testkits...

unless this mini-labor is half the price of salifert...otherwise, i would just pay a little more for the salifert range, coz we dun really test the parameters everyday, even paying a little more for salifert can still last quite a while

[junyong84]

how much is tis mini lab test kits?

[Glare]

Hi,

With regards to the instructions, I agree that it is a little difficult to understand and therefore I have been replacing the instructions from the current batch with instructions that are translated better. Future batches will no longer have this problems as I have instructed my supplier to change all instructions with the better translated ones.

Please be assured that the test kits are accurate and most problems with readings and titration color changes stem from the fact that the instructions are difficult to understand and therefore followed wrongly causing inaccurate results rather than the kits being inaccurate.

Those reefers who have bought the kits and have problems or have wasted a lot of solution in the bottles trying to figure it out, please do not hesitate to contact me at 98715759 or PM me regarding replacements.

I have PM zodiac and damsel-in-distress. Please know that my first priority is to take care of the customer no matter how big or small .

Thank you all for your support

[Vinoth]

Just a suggestion. May be you can post the latest instruction set so that previous batch users will be benefitted.

[Glare]

Just a suggestion. May be you can post the latest instruction set so that previous batch users will be benefitted.

Hi,

thanks for the suggestion, I have posted the current, up to date instruction in my sponsors forum already.

Click here