DIY Hanna Nitrate HR

[spsick]

Randy, any insight on how one could DIY the reagent for this? It has had a bunch of price increases in past couple years and is now knocking on $1/test so it seems to have gotten the niche hobby treatment.

Its powder/crystal form Malonic Acid. Can’t be more than a gram per packet.

I wonder if the Salifert test could be performed and then read by the Hanna. Seems to be the same process of color change to a certain shade of pink.

 

[EnterName]

It would require quite a few tests to reverse engineer the exact composition of the hanna reagent, so the arguably faster method might be to prepare multiple samples with fresh saltwater and sodium nitrate of different concentrations, and then use some regression to translate the hanna readings of these samples to actual nitrate levels.

This thread might be interesting: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-reagent-advice-malonic-acid-for-hanna-nitrate-hr.858262/

Another issue might be the accessibility of reagents if you wanted to re-create the original reagent.
https://www.documentation.hannainst.com/sds/preview/14773

 

[spsick]

It would require quite a few tests to reverse engineer the exact composition of the hanna reagent, so the arguably faster method might be to prepare multiple samples with fresh saltwater and sodium nitrate of different concentrations, and then use some regression to translate the hanna readings of these samples to actual nitrate levels.

This thread might be interesting: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-reagent-advice-malonic-acid-for-hanna-nitrate-hr.858262/

Another issue might be the accessibility of reagents if you wanted to re-create the original reagent.
https://www.documentation.hannainst.com/sds/preview/14773

Thanks good shout! Should have searched more.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The packet contains multiple ingredients to do an alk test. I do not know the exact composition, which is fairly important.

 

[EnterName]

Thanks good shout! Should have searched more.

Looks like someone already attempted to re-create the reagent, but didn't finish the project in the previously linked thread.

Salifert only uses a 1mL sample, but in order to make the HannaChecker work, you might need at least 5mL and then still need to lift up the vial a bit (Dan used this trick in his organic matter study). This would make the method x times more expensive than Salifert and it is questionable if this will yield good results.

I would definitely love to follow along if you decide to experiment with Salifert or separately sourced reagents. You could open a "Reef Hobbyist Experiments and Research Thread" if you are willing to invest the time :)

 

[jeremie]

I’ve been using Salifert reagent with Hanna HI736 to measure nitrate for quite a while now, and I’m quite satisfied with the method.

If you’re planning to use the HR nitrate checker for this purpose, you might want to check out Dan's method.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Or... You can wait for the sales and stock up.
But yes, alternatives could be cool if you have time for that sort of thing and you trust it/yourself...
When I was young, I had more time than money. Honestly, I wouldn’t have the skill set I have today if I didn't.
But today, time is a luxury, and I am still broke...

 

[spsick]

I’ve been using Salifert reagent with Hanna HI736 to measure nitrate for quite a while now, and I’m quite satisfied with the method.

If you’re planning to use the HR nitrate checker for this purpose, you might want to check out Dan's method.

Wow thanks great share!

 

[Dan_P]

Randy, any insight on how one could DIY the reagent for this? It has had a bunch of price increases in past couple years and is now knocking on $1/test so it seems to have gotten the niche hobby treatment.

Its powder/crystal form Malonic Acid. Can’t be more than a gram per packet.

I wonder if the Salifert test could be performed and then read by the Hanna. Seems to be the same process of color change to a certain shade of pink.

You can measure the color intensity of any nitrate kit with any Hanna Checker with a 725 nm LED. Salifert would be easy except to fill a vial you would need multiple tests worth of reagent, something you will have to figure how this increases the cost of Salifert. I have done this already.

 

[ThePicc]

You can measure the color intensity of any nitrate kit with any Hanna Checker with a 725 nm LED. Salifert would be easy except to fill a vial you would need multiple tests worth of reagent, something you will have to figure how this increases the cost of Salifert. I have done this already.

525nm?

 

[Dan_P]

525nm?

Oops! Yes, 525 nm

 

[EnterName]

You can measure the color intensity of any nitrate kit with any Hanna Checker with a 725 nm LED. Salifert would be easy except to fill a vial you would need multiple tests worth of reagent, something you will have to figure how this increases the cost of Salifert. I have done this already.

525nm?

And that's why I thought they were operating on different wavelengths :D