The eXact iDip 570 Marine Starter Kit packages the eXact iDip photometer with marine aquarium specific tests in one convenient bundle. As we mentioned when we first stumbled on the iDip at MACNA a few years back, this handheld photometer takes all the guesswork out of reading parameter test reagent colors. Plus with “smart” technology, this iDip can send the results to your iOS or Android device via Bluetooth.
With the app and your iDip, you can get free tests for basic pH, free chlorine, total chlorine, total alkalinity, but even though you are buying the marine starter kit all the additional test parameters will need to be purchased in the app and downloaded for $4.99 each or as a bundle (570 Marine Bundle) for $23.99.
Although this isn’t too much of a big deal, you would think with the bundle it would include the app parameter tests as part of the package and pass it on in the total cost. Once you get this out of the way, you can leverage the test strips and reagents that come in the kit for 25 tests of the following: nitrate, ammonia, calcium hardness (ultra-high range), total hardness (ultra-high range), total alkalinity, phosphate, and pH with an extended range (5 – 9.6) ideal for saltwater.
One useful part of the app is the ability to change the unit of measurement. The example used in the video below is the default setting for calcium is ppm for calcium carbonate (CaCO3), you can set it to grains per gallon (gpg), degrees of hardness (dGH), ppm (Ca), etc.
The iDip was designed for professional users you set up a main user and then set up tanks as “customers” to allow you to keep track of different systems all from one app. To make sure you keep an accurate record, after each test you will need to save the data to a customer and tank.
For professional users, one nice feature is each test logs the date, time and GPS location of the test allowing you to track the when and where of each test. You can also share the data by email, text message, upload to Facebook or Twitter and even store it in the cloud.
Overall, considering how much we drop on other equipment in the aquarium, an accurate and easy to use photometer test kit is a pretty solid investment. The Marine Starter Kit will set you back $339.99 and the iDip alone runs $189.99.
Test kits start around $5 and up, with most around the $10-$20 range. Beyond whats in the kit you can also test for nitrite, ozone, iron, manganese, copper, and a few others. A refill box of the Marine test runs around $115 and gives you 100 tests for total alkalinity and 50 tests for nitrate, calcium hardness (ultra-high range), total hardness (ultra-high range), total alkalinity, phosphate, pH-BT ad and 25 for ammonia.
Looking at the total price, if you don’t mind not having the big plastic box, you could get the iDip and more reagents for less by getting the iDip alone and the marine refill kit.
