Seachem MultiTest Marine Basic

Seachem MultiTest Marine Basic bundles the five core water tests every saltwater tank needs into one kit: pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. With 75 tests in the box, it is the workhorse kit for cycling a new marine tank and for the routine checks that keep an established one healthy. It pairs naturally with the rest of our water testing gear and saltwater supplies.

What It Tests

• pH. The overall acidity of your water. Marine tanks are typically held around 8.1 to 8.4, and a stable pH keeps fish and corals comfortable.
• Alkalinity. Your water's buffering capacity, which is what actually holds pH steady. It also feeds coral skeletons, so most reef keepers watch it closely.
• Ammonia. Highly toxic and the first thing to spike in a new or overfed tank. You want to see zero once a tank is cycled.
• Nitrite. The toxic middle step of the nitrogen cycle. It should also read zero in a cycled tank.
• Nitrate. The end product that builds up over time and fuels nuisance algae if it climbs. Testing tells you when it is time for a water change.

Perfect for Cycling and Routine Care

These five parameters are the ones that tell you whether a marine tank is safe to stock and stable enough to thrive. Watching ammonia and nitrite fall to zero while nitrate appears is exactly how you confirm a tank has cycled, and keeping an eye on pH, alkalinity, and nitrate afterward is the backbone of good routine maintenance. One kit covers all of it instead of five separate bottles.

Specifications

Recommended Pairings

• Seachem Prime, detoxify ammonia and nitrite instantly if your test shows a spike.
• Seachem Stability, build and hold the biofilter that keeps ammonia and nitrite at zero.
• Seachem Reef Buffer, raise and hold pH and alkalinity when the test reads low.
• Seachem MultiTest Reef Special, add phosphate, silicate, and iodide testing once your basics are dialed in.
• Seachem Reef Status Calcium, add precise calcium testing for a full reef panel.

FAQ

Is this kit for reef tanks or fish-only?
Both. pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate matter in every saltwater tank, so this kit works whether you keep a fish-only setup or a full reef.

Is it good for cycling a new tank?
Yes. Watching ammonia and nitrite rise and then fall to zero while nitrate appears is the clearest way to confirm your tank has finished cycling.

Does it test calcium or phosphate?
No, this kit covers the five basics. For calcium add our Reef Status Calcium kit, and for phosphate, silicate, and iodide add the MultiTest Reef Special.

How many of each test do I get?
The kit provides 75 tests spread across the five parameters, plenty for months of regular testing.