Are Hanna checkers worth it?

[Thespammailaccount]

They are accurate but a pain in the procedure to set up test clean

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Once I got the hang of the ULR phosphorus meter, I now like it a lot.

 

[DancingWind]

Phosporus - my usage tip: use the scissors to spread apart the rounded edges (that you just cut away along the line) - do not touch the inside of the sachet with fingers.
spread rounded edges ALL the way and make pointy corners that were edges touch in the middle.
Now you have 2 neat funnels out of 2 rounded corners that were in them middle.
I stick one funnel inside the cuvette so when I pour powder, powder leaves the funnel inside the cuvette and there is no way to "spill" it.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Phosporus - my usage tip: use the scissors to spread apart the rounded edges (that you just cut away along the line) - do not touch the inside of the sachet with fingers.
spread rounded edges ALL the way and make pointy corners that were edges touch in the middle.
Now you have 2 neat funnels out of 2 rounded corners that were in them middle.
I stick one funnel inside the cuvette so when I pour powder, powder leaves the funnel inside the cuvette and there is no way to "spill" it.

I do this also. I also do this BEFORE starting the test so that I’m not losing time that I could be shaking the vial. A couple taps and most of the powder is out.

 

[saltyhog]

I might have to contact Hanna......I agree.....if you cut the little pouch filled with powder along the lines, it is easy to get it all into the vial. I don't think that is the issue. I keep the vials filled with RO/DI water until they are used to make sure they stay clean. I don't know........I compare using Red Sea and the Red Sea numbers never change since I am using my own eyes. The Hanna always changes lol. Very possible it is user error in some way.......it isn't rocket science though :-(

I agree with less consistency on the phosphate tester, I think it's because of the range we're testing in. I use the ULR phosphorous and it is measuring ppb.

I wonder if keeping RO/DI in the vials contributes some. I don't do that. I do rinse them (3-4 times) with RO/DI after use. Do you rinse them with tank water before use? If I see any remaining RO/DI in the vial I put 5-6 cc of tank water in, shake it a few times and poor it out in the sink. Then fill to the line with tank water. Try that first and see if that makes it any more consistent.

 

[b4tn]

What issue are you having with the syringe on the Salifert kit?

@nereefpat over time the syringe either gets sensitive or hard to push smoothly. I may hit a tough spot and accidently squirt to much reagent or I have also noticed the droplets come out different sizes as well. I have measured 3 times once and got 3 different results. I have also used two different syringes and gotten different but consistent results with each syringe.

 

[DancingWind]

@nereefpat over time the syringe either gets sensitive or hard to push smoothly. I may hit a tough spot and accidently squirt to much reagent or I have also noticed the droplets come out different sizes as well. I have measured 3 times once and got 3 different results. I have also used two different syringes and gotten different but consistent results with each syringe.

humm ... I wash my syringes so my only complaint (half of year reefing) is that syringe markings fade/rub off

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I use my Hanna Alk tester as the standard for calibrating my Alkatronic. Every time I send off an ICP test, I test and record results with all my my salifert, and hanna checkers at the same time and bump those numbers up with ICP results when they return. I'm always surprised that my hanna alk results are extremely close to the ICP test results.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Being in the hobby for close to 3 years and can’t believe that I was stingy though that all test kits are about the same. Nooooo, API phosphate was tested about .25 but my corals we’re dying then I got the Hanna and checked, it was .90!!!!!

 

[Terri Caton]

I love my Hanna checkers. Way easier to read a digital number than trust my eye.

Plus no cards with colors on them that get ruined with water!

 

[nereefpat]

OP is asking about the Alkalinity checker.

Bench chemistry alk tests are titrations.

 

[zalick]

100% worth it for us colorblind folks!

No more testing, taking a picture of the vial and color chart and texting to someone else asking what matches.

 

[Waters]

I agree with less consistency on the phosphate tester, I think it's because of the range we're testing in. I use the ULR phosphorous and it is measuring ppb.

I wonder if keeping RO/DI in the vials contributes some. I don't do that. I do rinse them (3-4 times) with RO/DI after use. Do you rinse them with tank water before use? If I see any remaining RO/DI in the vial I put 5-6 cc of tank water in, shake it a few times and poor it out in the sink. Then fill to the line with tank water. Try that first and see if that makes it any more consistent.

Yeah, I fill and rinse with aquarium water after dumping out the RO/DI water. I figured storing with RO/DI water would keep any type of film from developing in the vials. One thing I do though, which is probably incorrect....is use both vials when testing phosphorous. There doesn't seem to be enough time to only use one. I do make sure they are both facing the same direction and that they are both clean.

 

[SoggyNW]

I started with the salifert ALK test and then went to the Hanna checker.

Pros.

The Hanna checker gives you a firm number every time. No guessing at when the water has changed to the correct color.

Cons.

It's not nearly as fast as was hyped. Between pre cleaning, testing and post cleaning it's a 10 minute process. I can do the salifert test in half the time.

 

[William Norman]

I like the alkalinity tester but I am not a fan of the phosphate tester. Phosphate checker has little pouches of powder for you to spill everywhere and constantly question if you got it all in the vial. The alkalinity checker was the best thing since sliced bread... until I got a magnetic stirrer. I test with titration (Red Sea) if I need a quick result and hanna about once a week. For the alkalinity checker I would say it is pretty simple but there needs to be a strict methodology.

I found some variance was fairly heavily swayed by a few things: Any smudges on the vials, lighting and testing in the same location, keeping the reagent container open for any amount of time and my inability to read a dosing syringe correctly for... 3 years. If you hate titration, go for it.

Here is my trick for the Phosphate tester. I have a small piece of cardboard folded into a V. I pour the pouches into the cardboard then I pour it into the vial. I find I have less issues this way.

 

[Pdash]

You will get a lot of different answers, but in my experience the Hanna ALK tester is definitely easier to use, but no more accurate (I am starting to think even less) than the Red Sea or Salifert tests. I have tried back to back tests with both the Hanna ALK and phosphorous tests...I rarely get the same results twice.....often falling outside of their margin for error.

Yeah, I fill and rinse with aquarium water after dumping out the RO/DI water. I figured storing with RO/DI water would keep any type of film from developing in the vials. One thing I do though, which is probably incorrect....is use both vials when testing phosphorous. There doesn't seem to be enough time to only use one. I do make sure they are both facing the same direction and that they are both clean.

You aren't using the test kit properly. problem solved

 

[C. Eymann]

I like their Phosphate checkers, I dont trust their Alk checkers though, different results with different lot#s of reagent, undissoved bits floating in reagent throwing off results etc etc

I have never had problems with inconsistency with Salifert or redsea alk tests like I have with hanna.

 

[Mtb_reefer]

I use a few of the Hanna checkers and have had no problems with any of them. As long as you read and follow the instructions they are fool proof, even the Ca checker has been a breeze, if you follow the instructions.

 

[Pdash]

I like their Phosphate checkers, I dont trust their Alk checkers though, different results with different lot#s of reagent, undissoved bits floating in reagent throwing off results etc etc

I have never had problems with inconsistency with Salifert or redsea alk tests like I have with hanna.

I usually test twice when switching reagent one from old one from new. I have also found that keeping the syringe well off the bottom of the bottle prevents the issue with the floating bits accuracy of +/- .1 generally. If you don't mind the color reading associated with the other kits it makes sense you wouldn't find it worth it though.

 

[C. Eymann]

I usually test twice when switching reagent one from old one from new. I have also found that keeping the syringe well off the bottom of the bottle prevents the issue with the floating bits accuracy of +/- .1 generally. If you don't mind the color reading associated with the other kits it makes sense you wouldn't find it worth it though.

I typically go through a bottle of hanna reagent every 3-4 days at work, I use Salifert to confirm if a reading seems off, typically perform 8-9 tests a day with a hanna alk checker.

I still trust Salifert more