hanna checker

jelly · Oct 5, 2011

who uses a hanna check and what are your thought about it. are they accurate?

swannyson7 · Oct 5, 2011

I have the PO4 and Alk checkers, and I've been happy with their results. When the alk checker used the powder reagent, my readings were all over the place, but now I get a steady reading for alk that's close to my results from my Elos & Salifert test kits. IMO, it's hard to say with any certainty that the Phosphate checker is accurate, but I'm confident that it's more accurate than several test kits on the market.

montethemoster · Oct 5, 2011

Advanced Aquarist reviewed the phosphate and alkalinity hanna meters.

Product Review: Inexpensive Analytical Devices: Hanna Instruments' Checkers: Alkalinity and Phosphate — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

Dowtish · Oct 5, 2011

Happy with the alk and phos checkers. But not happy with the Cal checker.

Dave3112 · Oct 5, 2011

Dowtish said:
Happy with the alk and phos checkers. But not happy with the Cal checker.

Why not the CA checker? Is it a powdered reagent?

Dowtish · Oct 5, 2011

It is a powdered reagent, and there is a liquid one as well. but that's not my issue. btw, if you cut the dotted line on those packets and cut another edge off, they are super easy to make a nice little funnel and you dont spill any and get all of it out. I don't know why they dont put another dotted line on the package, because it was a hanna video that suggested it. anyways, they only require you to use 1ml of tank water and the rest is using RO/DI. So if there is calcium in your RO/DI there will be issues on the results. and hanna actually admitted that they did not include an accurate syringe to add the 1ml of saltwater, and they suggest going to a pharmacy and picking up the diabetic syringes for better measurement. I have had readings all over the place, and I was so looking forward to this checker...before it came out. after all the problems with it, I was happy to pull out the API and Salifert again.

here is a link to my initial thread
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/middle-tennessee-reef-club/67211-hanna-calcium-checker-review.html

Dave3112 · Oct 5, 2011

Thanks for the heads up! Hopefully they (Hanna) will get these issues worked out in the near future. I really like the Alk checker and plan on buying the PO4 one next. I was going to get the CA one too but I think I will wait a while and see it they fix those issues! Thanks again!

Dowtish · Oct 5, 2011

Yeah, I would definitely wait on the calcium checker. There has been a huge response to it's inaccuracy, so I believe they will upgrade it soon. And the phos checker is IMO a great ball park reader. If mine reads above 0.03 then I need to address something.

The more and more research I do on testing and test kits, the more I lose sleep. The truth is, what we are provided in the "hobby" is not top of the line. And unless you want to spend ungodly amounts of money, and then somehow figure out how to convert the readings, you will just have to have go by how your coral and fish look and act with the combo of what we are provided. All that said, hanna is doing a great job for us hobbyist, and I will continue to support them.

Tab28 · Oct 5, 2011

I have the Phos and Alk. I also with hard to read syringe that the Alk had. I now use the one that came with my Salifert Alk test kit. That was was easy to read. The numbers matched the Salifert kit. Just use a calculater to get the number. I also like the phos but sometimes I wonder about my reading. Not that it was way off charts but I hate the power. I worry that there may be portions left in the creases of the packet. I can see some in the seams and try my best to shake it out. I wish they would change that to a liguid as well. I will wait on the calcium. I would love it but it seems like alot a problems. The current test I use for calcium may be off but I don't think an exact calcium number is as important as Phos and Alk.