Hanna checker madness

[Scdell]

Well, just ordered two more checkers. ALK and Ulr phosphate.
Too many wide range of readings with the Alk reagents. That sort of straightened out by buying the reagents from elsewhere, but still not matching my Red Sea test.
Now the phosphate checker starts with low/high light errors. I'll test with one vial and get a 200ppm reading. The other vial will read 10ppm. These are about a year and a half old. When and if I ever get my ION Director these checkers will no longer be part of my testing. Except the phosphate as I see nothing else worth anything either.
I really expected to get better service out of these for the price one pays for them. But what the heck? It's reefing! Someplace to throw money at.

 

[homer1475]

With regards to the ALK checker.....

Are you only using the stated 25tests, or using up the reagent?

I only ask because when I started marking my bottles, and only using the stated 25 tests, my test results are much more consistent.

 

[Scdell]

With regards to the ALK checker.....

Are you only using the stated 25tests, or using up the reagent?

I only ask because when I started marking my bottles, and only using the stated 25 tests, my test results are much more consistent.

Thanks, but I've been through all that in a separate thread about the Alk checker.
This will be the third set of checkers I purchased in 3 years. The first set I bought used off f2f. Insoon figured out why he sold them. I was going through batteries like crazy. The calcium checker would come on by itself and everytime I used it I had to put a battery in it. This set I bought new.
Like someone posted in the other thread. These are Hanna's hobby grade checkers. Not laboratory grade checkers. They don't care, they sell them. There's obviously quality control issues with them and that's not something I care to invest in every year. I wish someone would come out with something comparable and eat Hanna's lunch.

 

[Zach B]

Great, just ordered the alk one...lol

 

[Adamantium]

Great, just ordered the alk one...lol

It's reliable. Ask pretty much anyone but OP haha Mine is rock solid stable between tests. The only criticism I have is that it can vary between refills, but test to test it's very reliable.

Sorry you're having so much trouble, OP. This does sound like the exception, though. Most people love their Hanna Alk and PO4 checkers, myself included.

Wish I had some advice for you, OP. All I can think is that you may need to examine your testing procedure. I've found both checkers to be reliable if you are consistent with how you test. I imagine you've thought of this, it's just the only thing I can think.

 

[Scdell]

It's reliable. Ask pretty much anyone but OP haha Mine is rock solid stable between tests. The only criticism I have is that it can vary between refills, but test to test it's very reliable.

Sorry you're having so much trouble, OP. This does sound like the exception, though. Most people love their Hanna Alk and PO4 checkers, myself included.

Wish I had some advice for you, OP. All I can think is that you may need to examine your testing procedure. I've found both checkers to be reliable if you are consistent with how you test. I imagine you've thought of this, it's just the only thing I can think.

Testing procedure has nothing to do with low/high light error constantly. I've been testing the same way for years. The Alk tester has gotten better,but I don't trust it anymore after a year and a half. Too much at stake!

 

[Orbela]

Procedure is what makes the test accurate, doesn’t hurt to look more into it. Just to ensure accuracy

 

[Scdell]

Procedure is what makes the test accurate, doesn’t hurt to look more into it. Just to ensure accuracy

This just amazes me! God forbid it's a Hanna issue??????

 

[Sabellafella]

This just amazes me! God forbid it's a Hanna issue??????

I actually use two hannah checkers at once LOL both the ppm and dkh just to make sure. Takes no effort to 0 out both and test. Ive taken down atleast 40 diffetent hobbiest tanks by now and inherited their used checkers, But what I've notice, if the checker battery is going quick chuck it. There was just a couple that were compromised and they all had that battery issue. Could be you just got a really bad hand! But I'm super great full of my hannah stuff as it works for me.

Btw I collect test kits, every test kid I've used against others always gave me a different result. The two closes readings I had was my salifert and hannah alkalinity. But then again its important to always cross check with other test kits for the piece of mind. Came to the conclusion to just follow the trends and not too much worry about it.

 

[Sabellafella]

Also those test kits in my cabinet i use because I like the results they give me LOL. Not because of ease of use but because I get completely different readings with others

 

[Reef.]

Well, just ordered two more checkers. ALK and Ulr phosphate.
Too many wide range of readings with the Alk reagents. That sort of straightened out by buying the reagents from elsewhere, but still not matching my Red Sea test.
Now the phosphate checker starts with low/high light errors. I'll test with one vial and get a 200ppm reading. The other vial will read 10ppm. These are about a year and a half old. When and if I ever get my ION Director these checkers will no longer be part of my testing. Except the phosphate as I see nothing else worth anything either.
I really expected to get better service out of these for the price one pays for them. But what the heck? It's reefing! Someplace to throw money at.

I’m a little confused...have you just bought the checkers or have you had them for a year and a half?

 

[Scdell]

I’m a little confused...have you just bought the checkers or have you had them for a year and a half?

I just ordered two to replace the ones I've had for a year and a half.

 

[Reef.]

I just ordered two to replace the ones I've had for a year and a half.

Right I think I’m with you now...so they were ok for a while then started giving bad readings/error massages, so you have ordered some replacements.

I’m looking at buying the ulr phosphate Hanna checker, then see posts like this that put me off!

 

[Scdell]

Right I think I’m with you now...so they were ok for a whilst then started giving bad readings/error massages, so you have ordered some replacements.

I’m looking at buying the ulr phosphate Hanna checker, then see posts like this that put me off!

Don't get me wrong on this. When they work they are great. But they go bad out of the blue. I can't get a consistent reading out of either one right now. I test three times a week. My numbers don't stray that much in my tank. It's at the point with the phosphate checker I only get the low/high light error. Can't even take a test.

 

[Robert Ranciato]

Anyone know why Hannah doesn't make a Magnesium checker?

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Don't get me wrong on this. When they work they are great. But they go bad out of the blue. I can't get a consistent reading out of either one right now. I test three times a week. My numbers don't stray that much in my tank. It's at the point with the phosphate checker I only get the low/high light error. Can't even take a test.

That is weird. I remember your thread about the alk reagents. You can expect to get different numbers from different test kits. My trident reads 1dkh higher than my Hanna checker. The only way to find out which one is right would be an icp test.

Did you contact Hanna? They might send you out a new one.

 

[Reef.]

Anyone know why Hannah doesn't make a Magnesium checker?

took them a while to make the nitrate checker as I believe it wasn’t straight forward and I guess the expensive didn’t warrant the projected return and that was for a test people were crying out for...magnesium probably the same issues but less crying.

 

[Scdell]

That is weird. I remember your thread about the alk reagents. You can expect to get different numbers from different test kits. My trident reads 1dkh higher than my Hanna checker. The only way to find out which one is right would be an icp test.

Did you contact Hanna? They might send you out a new one.

I bought new ones. I really doubt they would honor a year and a half old tester. I can't trust the ones I have right now. It's not like they're $200 a piece. Three sets in three years tho. I won't keep that up!

 

[Orbela]

Like I said it doesn't hurt. I could care less its not my aquarium. Just if you really care then double check your procedures. The odds of three sets going bad to the same person is incredibly high that is what makes people doubt its Hanna checkers. Hence why people are saying to double check your procedures.

 

[Scdell]

Like I said it doesn't hurt. I could care less its not my aquarium. Just if you really care then double check your procedures. The odds of three sets going bad to the same person is incredibly high that is what makes people doubt its Hanna checkers. Hence why people are saying to double check your procedures.

No need. Like I said in the other thread about the Alk reagents. If you test the same way all the time and get consistent #'s for years and then start getting different crazy #'s then it's not the procedure. It's the instrument. Please explain how procedure will give me nothing but high/low light errors on a consistent basis? I'm kind of tired of listening to know it alls tell me my procedure is bad.
I'm not some newbie that can't figure things out. I've been a boat mechanic for over 40 years. I have my own business doing that. I can and do know the procedures for checking complicated electrical systems and diagnosis of todays complicated outboards. I can tell when my meters and such are giving me wrong information. Can you?????? I seriously doubt it.