Hanna Digital Phosphate Checker - Do you like it?

[that Reef Guy]

I am looking into getting the Hanna Digital Phosphate Checker.

Here is the Link with a Video on how to use it.

Hanna Instruments Checker Colorimeter Kit (Phosphate, Calcium, Alkalinity & pH)

Marine Depot and Bulk Reef Supply just love this checker and say only good things about it.

It is cheap 49.99 compared to other digital checker probes which can cost upwards of 300.00 each.

I just Hate testing Phosphate.

Every Time you test API it says Zero.

Then Salifert tells me 2.0 PPM.

But Salifert is impossible to read.

I mean I can be as much as 4 squares off on the chart as someone else looking at it!

They all look the same to me except the first and last box.

I do not know why they only do one color.

API uses multiple colors making it much much easier than Salifert but that can be hard to read too.

So I want to get this very very easy to use Digital Phosphate Checker.

But I have heard both good things and bad things about it.

What do you guys think?

Do you like it over other tests like Salifert or not?

And why do you like it or not like it?

 

[Connie]

I like mine a lot. You just have to do a little math but it very accurate and takes the guesswork out of it. It was worth the investment to me.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I like mine a lot. You just have to do a little math but it very accurate and takes the guesswork out of it. It was worth the investment to me.

I am confused?

Why would you have to do Math?

It gives you a Digital Reading.

Once that number pops up you are done and have your result.

 

[feh]

I like mine a lot. Takes a little getting used to with getting the reagent mixed in the 2 minute window without a bunch of bubbles though. The bubbles will cause it to read high.

 

[Connie]

You are right...lol. I was thinking about the ALK checker. Sorry about that.

I am confused?

Why would you have to do Math?

It gives you a Digital Reading.

Once that number pops up you are done and have your result.

 

[dgrigor02]

Phosphate levels ideally should be .02 ppm. This unit say it's accurate +/- .04ppm. So if your phosphates are really bad and until you get them under control it can be okay but doesn't do much good at lower levels. IMO: Anyone who really needs to track phsophates levels should be getting the HI735 ULR Phosphorous kit and yes it will require a little bit of math to convert ppm phosphorous to ppm phosphate. Checker Reading * 3.066 / 1000 will get you to ppm.

 

[dgrigor02]

Correction HI736

 

[Shadow1]

Correction HI736

I've been using the HI736 for a year or so very simple once you figure out how to get all the reagent out of the packets. I think you need to check Grainger.com for them and reagents in 25 count box. They stock them.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Phosphate levels ideally should be .02 ppm. This unit say it's accurate +/- .04ppm. So if your phosphates are really bad and until you get them under control it can be okay but doesn't do much good at lower levels. IMO: Anyone who really needs to track phsophates levels should be getting the HI735 ULR Phosphorous kit and yes it will require a little bit of math to convert ppm phosphorous to ppm phosphate. Checker Reading * 3.066 / 1000 will get you to ppm.

Does the Checker read the same as Salifert or is it different?

I thought that they were both in PPM?

 

[that Reef Guy]

Does the Checker read the same as Salifert or is it different?

I thought that they were both in PPM?

I just got the Hanna and I got 0.99

With the Salifert Test I get over 2.

So I did what you said

0.99 X 3.066 / 1,000

I get 0.00303534

What does that mean?

I am confused.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I Tested 4 different Aquariums.

I get 0.99, 0.60, 0.46, 0.14, and 2.5 Flashing on the Hanna.

I get 2.0, 1.0, 0.25, 0.0, and 0.50 with the Salifert.

What is going on?

They do not match up.

 

[CoryC]

make sure you're conducting the test right, dissolved the reagant throughly and with clean tubes, doing the 3 min countdown, and testing water without debris.

 

[Shadow1]

There are 2 Hanna checkers one phosphate and one phosphorous(hi736) or low range. Low range is in PPB phosporous which you have to convert to PPM phosphate.

The curvetts have to be clean water with no debri no bubbles at all and make sure you get all the reagent out. I started using 1 curvetts for salt water sample 1 the other for reagent water sample 2 so the time limit can be delt with. If the reagent is not fully dissolved you will get a false reading.

If you are getting readings close to 1 the reagent should have a visible blue tint.

Once you get it down they are a very easy test to run.

 

[that Reef Guy]

There are 2 Hanna checkers one phosphate and one phosphorous(hi736) or low range. Low range is in PPB phosporous which you have to convert to PPM phosphate.

The curvetts have to be clean water with no debri no bubbles at all and make sure you get all the reagent out. I started using 1 curvetts for salt water sample 1 the other for reagent water sample 2 so the time limit can be delt with. If the reagent is not fully dissolved you will get a false reading.

If you are getting readings close to 1 the reagent should have a visible blue tint.

Once you get it down they are a very easy test to run.

I have this one

Hanna Checker Phosphate PO4 Colorimeter - Bulk Reef Supply

It was 49.99 not the expensive one over 200

It says on it that it tests for Phosphate and in PPM.

But the Testing Powder says Low Range Reagent.

Do I have to convert anything with this tester and do math like the other poster said?

 

[that Reef Guy]

Phosphate levels ideally should be .02 ppm. This unit say it's accurate +/- .04ppm. So if your phosphates are really bad and until you get them under control it can be okay but doesn't do much good at lower levels. IMO: Anyone who really needs to track phsophates levels should be getting the HI735 ULR Phosphorous kit and yes it will require a little bit of math to convert ppm phosphorous to ppm phosphate. Checker Reading * 3.066 / 1000 will get you to ppm.

OK I figured it out on the Hanna site.

Why do you recommend the Phosphorus Tester over the Phosphate Tester?

The only one sold on Marine Sites (Marine Depot, Bulk Reef Supply, etc. is the Phosphate one).

What is wrong with that tester?

If Phosphorus was important why do those sites not sell it?

From Hanna's site it looks like they make testers for all kinds of stuff not just for Saltwater Aquariums.

That is why I was confused because our sites don't sell the Phosphoros Tester.

They only sell the Basic Green One for 49.99 and the advanced one which is over 200.00

 

[Shadow1]

OK I figured it out on the Hanna site.

Why do you recommend the Phosphorus Tester over the Phosphate Tester?

The only one sold on Marine Sites (Marine Depot, Bulk Reef Supply, etc. is the Phosphate one).

What is wrong with that tester?

If Phosphorus was important why do those sites not sell it?

From Hanna's site it looks like they make testers for all kinds of stuff not just for Saltwater Aquariums.

That is why I was confused because our sites don't sell the Phosphoros Tester.

They only sell the Basic Green One for 49.99 and the advanced one which is over 200.00

The phosporous hi736 will test lower and have a little better accuracy.

Cost for them is about the same but the math seems to confuse folks.

If you only sell one and those reagents less chance for mistakes with your customers.
B
Nothing at all wrong with the phosphate tester just won't test accuratly as low. My water today is at.009 po4 your tester will just show 0, not a big deal but I know when my GFO is beginning to fail and I can act quicker to change it out. Does it make any difference if you show .01 to .02 and change GFO out probably not.

I have no clue what the SPS in my system is worth but 300 gallons full is a chunk of change. Knowing what is going on at low levels is Important for me as I try to keep ULN.

 

[sghera64]

I recommend the Hanna Ultra Low Range if you're aiming very low.

I just received my Hanna Checker Phosphorous Ultra Low Range. I bought it because I'm aiming for very, very low PO4 levels. It appears to work great. I was able to follow their instructions without any trouble. I wore surgical gloves to protect the cuvette surfaces from finger prints. I recommend reading their instructions 2-3 times before attempting to perform the assay. Then read and execute the instructions one step at a time.

Note: The Ultra Low Range measures very low levels. It is reading in Parts Per Billion and not Parts Per Million. Meaning, it is giving readings that are 1000 times lower than PPM. It is also measuring Phosphorous (P) and not Phosphate (PO4 ion). Not a problem. If you want to convert your readings from parts per billion (P) to parts per million (PO4), simply divide by 1000 and multiply by 3.066. My display tank water is currently running 2 PPB (P) or 6.13 PPB (PO4) or 0.00613 PPM (PO4). No wonder I could not get a reading on my Salifert test. I thought it was “broken†- - or the operator was too stupid.

I have been running ROWAphos for 3 weeks now to tackle an algae problem (velonia and hair). I’m going to use this ULR checker to tell me when my ROWAphose needs to be changed. Even with this low level of (PO4), I know I’m only able to assay orthophosphate. I obviously have a lot of organic phosphate in the system that I will have to adsorb out with the ROWA GFO over time. I should have started GFO years ago (Oooops).

Warning: I’ve heard that you have to be careful when opening the checker. Many reports in the past about the lid snapping off at the hinge. Also, there are claims that the unite only displays the final result for 10 seconds. Mine did not time out after 10 seconds. I had to hit the button to turn it off. Hanna must have modified the functionality due to voice of the customer. The assay took me about 7-8 minutes. A few seconds don gloves and to fill cuvette; 45 seconds to wipe off the glass and “zero†it; 30 seconds to get the powder into the cuvette; 2 minutes to dissolve the power; 3 minute assay time; 1 minute to clean up.

NOTE: this checker has an upper range limit of 250 PBB (P). So, if you phosphate level is greater than 0.766 PPM (PO4), you will not be able to get a reading. In that case, you are better off with the PPM checker (low range).

 

[glb]

I'm waiting to get mine!

 

[glb]

Got it today! I'll post after I use it for the first time.

 

[glb]

First test result: 0.00! Could it be?