continuous test kits

I recently started seeing continuous test kits for salt water in LFS. they have a suction cup for sticking to the glass, and claim they will continuously read PH, ammonia, nitrites for 3-6months. has anyone tried these, i am curious if they work. their only like 12 bucks so ill probably get one anyway and just check it against my test kit, but curious of anyone else's experiences

the LFS guy says their great but hes trying to sell them so yea

 

I would think they would be like the test strips and not very accurate. Anything quick and easy in this hobby is usually that way. Unless it costs a ton like a probe.

 

I would be very skeptical of their accuracy and thus their worth.

Plus, ammonia and nitrites will never be an issue after the first month or so if you're cycling so except for pH it's worthless most of the time IMO. If you find it's accurate for pH then that might be good but make sure you test it against a calibrated pH probe, not test kits. Liquid pH test kits are barely worth it as well IMO.
Keep in mind though that getting a pH probe will probably be cheaper in the long run probably if you have to change this thing out every 3 months (worst case) that's $50 a year, in 2 years you could afford a basic level controller with pH probe almost and get a much more accurate system with lots of other benefits like temperature control and some nice timers etc.

 

well its official these things are horrid. they show my PH at 7.3, tested against a liquid test kit which says 8.3.

I did give in and order a PH meter with my Ro/DI unit from air water ice. It occured to me i have 300 dollars in live stock, and god know how much the other equipment that i don't even really need was. so a 70dollar meter for someting critical is propally worth it.

 

my liquid ph test solution is from 1998! lol still works. almost out though..