Hanna checkers

[waynel]

What in the heck did I just watch. Nah I'm good.... I'll stick with nyos

Are all hanna checkers this tedious? Lots of places for error in these steps.

 

[Glass Algae]

Amount of steps doesn't phase me on the nitrate checker, the calc one is way more annoying.

As long as you get into a habit and keep everything as consistent as possible you'll never have. A problem with Hannas. I enjoy the process than having wet water damaged cards and crappy plastic cracked cuvettes.

I will 100 percent agree they need to sell bottles of powders so I can scoop instead of using packets I hate the packets.

I do keep a range of saliferts on deck in case something seems off and the Hanna is giving a presumed false reading. Call me new fashioned but I enjoy the tedious nature of testing. So pressing buttons and getting results is super cathartic.

Everyone's different!

Tldr; I prefer Hanna but keep manual tests on deck for just in case (I like electronics but I'm not an idiot to rely on them fully! )

 

[Chlorinated]

Are all hanna checkers this tedious? Lots of places for error in these steps.

No Alk is very easy and quick

 

[ChrisNH]

Phosphate ULM is also easy other than some fussiness dumping the powder out of the packet.

I truly did not expect how complicated the nitrate was. Most tests are two regents and color comparison. I was expecting that with one of their eggs to do the comparison.

Edit - to be fair, the red sea nitrate has a bunch of floaties that make it harder to read. Maybe that is the reason for the filter, similar reagents.

 

[Rjmul]

Are all hanna checkers this tedious? Lots of places for error in these steps.

No. I use phosphate and alk Hanna. They're not bad at all. The calcium is rough as well

 

[Shirak]

I watched the Mr. Saltwater video unboxing and running a test. It doesn't seem quite so bad the second time around. Couple concerns though with regard to the costs for 2 powders, 1 filter, and a liquid to add. My other bigger concern is the 5ppm max unless you dilute. I typically run somewhere between 3 and 10ppm nitrate. I won't know if I should dilute the sample first until I run the test.. and then do I want to run it again and burn through more reagents and another 20 minutes? Or would I just always dilute the sample by half and then double the result no matter what?? Just seems much more complicated than it could have been ...

With regard to the powder packets since I use the ULR Phosphate checker and love it. I first thought they were a major pain trying to work with. Then I watched a video of someone folding the packet into a triangle first then clipping along one side where two edges line up. Unfold the triangle and push the sides in and it makes a nice little pointed chute to dump the powder into the vial.

 

[Rjmul]

I watched the Mr. Saltwater video unboxing and running a test. It doesn't seem quite so bad the second time around. Couple concerns though with regard to the costs for 2 powders, 1 filter, and a liquid to add. My other bigger concern is the 5ppm max unless you dilute. I typically run somewhere between 3 and 10ppm nitrate. I won't know if I should dilute the sample first until I run the test.. and then do I want to run it again and burn through more reagents and another 20 minutes? Or would I just always dilute the sample by half and then double the result no matter what?? Just seems much more complicated than it could have been ...

With regard to the powder packets since I use the ULR Phosphate checker and love it. I first thought they were a major pain trying to work with. Then I watched a video of someone folding the packet into a triangle first then clipping along one side where two edges line up. Unfold the triangle and push the sides in and it makes a nice little pointed chute to dump the powder into the vial.

Yeah I don't hate the packets either

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sealed packets greatly increase the shelf life of air sensitive reagents. The best companies making kits for professionals (such as Hach) use them.

 

[Glass Algae]

I watched the Mr. Saltwater video unboxing and running a test. It doesn't seem quite so bad the second time around. Couple concerns though with regard to the costs for 2 powders, 1 filter, and a liquid to add. My other bigger concern is the 5ppm max unless you dilute. I typically run somewhere between 3 and 10ppm nitrate. I won't know if I should dilute the sample first until I run the test.. and then do I want to run it again and burn through more reagents and another 20 minutes? Or would I just always dilute the sample by half and then double the result no matter what?? Just seems much more complicated than it could have been ...

With regard to the powder packets since I use the ULR Phosphate checker and love it. I first thought they were a major pain trying to work with. Then I watched a video of someone folding the packet into a triangle first then clipping along one side where two edges line up. Unfold the triangle and push the sides in and it makes a nice little pointed chute to dump the powder into the vial.

+100 this. I even cut non aquarium packets this way now. Even with this my ocd sees the residue in the packet and I'm a bit skeptical. I would love to be able to buy a bottle of reagent and just use a lil scoopy boi to get it in

 

[southerntnreefer]

I have ALK, ULR Phos and Salinity. Im toying with Nitrate, and i hear bad things on the Calcium one.

 

[Shirak]

I have ALK, ULR Phos and Salinity. Im toying with Nitrate, and i hear bad things on the Calcium one.

I just picked up the Salinity tester. I find a refractometer pretty quick and easy but think it's a good idea to have a fast and easy way to double check!

 

[southerntnreefer]

I just picked up the Salinity tester. I find a refractometer pretty quick and easy but think it's a good idea to have a fast and easy way to double check!

Same. I picked it up mostly for new mixes, as i hear its a bit weird direct in tank. I like that it has temp too. I can then better match tank temp and new water temp for WC. Plus i need to fill a new tank soon, and it will be far easier to do it with that. I might pick up the PH one eventually just to double check what my Tank Controller probe is telling me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just picked up the Salinity tester. I find a refractometer pretty quick and easy but think it's a good idea to have a fast and easy way to double check!

IMO, conductivity meters are better than refractometers in a number of ways, but the Hanna is just one of dozens of types available and I prefer others.

 

[Shirak]

IMO, conductivity meters are better than refractometers in a number of ways, but the Hanna is just one of dozens of types available and I prefer others.

Any tips or things to watch out for when using the refractometer or the conductivity meter Randy? I check the refractometer with your calibration solution to make sure it's reading correctly as well as keep the lens and plastic cover clean. Does the amount of water on the glass impact the reading even though you place the plastic cover down on it? Occasionally there may be a bit of 'foamy' blotch of air under the plastic too which I don't know if that is a big issue. When I see it I try to open the top and reseat it to the glass.

 

[infinite0180]

I own the dkh, the ultra low range po4, the copper, and the salinity tester. I love them all

 

[Sdot]

Check this out you may change your mind on the Nitrate checker

Shoot! Ordered it....;Brb

 

[Shirak]

Shoot! Ordered it....;Brb

I may just because I fancy myself a kitchen chemist lol

 

[southerntnreefer]

I own the dkh, the ultra low range po4, the copper, and the salinity tester. I love them all

you getting in on the New Nitrate one?

 

[Sdot]

I may just because I fancy myself a kitchen chemist lol

I currently use the nyos test; which is a great test...but its easier looking at numbers vs. trying to match colors.

 

[infinite0180]

you getting in on the New Nitrate one?

Im going to wait a bit and see what people think first. I use the Nyos for no3 currently and its really simple and easy to read...