How many trust these meters?

[Usarmy227]

Does anyone trust these Hanna salinity and ph meters?

 

[bubbgee]

Ah the salinity is unreliable (from my experience). you need to calibrate-- BEFORE EVERY SINGLE USE-- to be effective. Best to use a refractometer and the TM hydrometer. Salinity is too critical to rely on digital tools with too many variables.

Digital pH meter is probably not that accurate either, I have an apex one, a milwaukee one and a Hannah one and none of them are the same value (off by 0.1 or 0.2 against each other).

 

[Usarmy227]

Wow that’s wild that these products are made and not able to be relied on. Good thing I got them on a trade.

 

[Usarmy227]

Ah the salinity is unreliable (from my experience). you need to calibrate-- BEFORE EVERY SINGLE USE-- to be effective. Best to use a refractometer and the TM hydrometer. Salinity is too critical to rely on digital tools with too many variables.

Digital pH meter is probably not that accurate either, I have an apex one, a milwaukee one and a Hannah one and none of them are the same value (off by 0.1 or 0.2 against each other).

If you notice the temperature is off 1.4 Celsius between the 2 lol

 

[jlitz]

Tried em and emphatically no.

 

[Fish Fan]

I don't know if this is good feedback or not, but I purchased one of the Hanna salinity testers like on the right in your pic. I did get mine second hand from someone here on R2R. I didn't like it, I didn't think it was working right even after calibrating with their solution. I sold it again here on R2R, the buyer contacted me immediately and said they thought it wasn't accurate, and I just refunded him his money and told him to throw out the tester. This could definitely been because I purchased a used meter, but this was my experience, and I'm hesitant to try another of those salinity pens, even brand new. I'll stick with my Milwaukee digital and my Tropic Marin hydrometer

 

[NanoSteam]

Hannah Salinity checker for me is consistently off by 0.003 no matter how many times I calibrate compared to my Refractometer and glass hydrometer. You can use it so long as the variance is consistent you can make the mental adjustment to get your SG.

 

[BryanM]

I have the milwakee salinity tester, and I don't trust it either.

 

[exnisstech]

Two salinity testers off by 0.002 when calibrated with Hanna solution. Results verified by TM hydrometer and 2 calibrated refractometers.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I love the hanna salinity checker. I have different tanks at different salinity and it reads them all perfectly. I don't test ph so I don't know about the ph tester.

 

[exnisstech]

told him to throw out the tester.

I would have smashed mine just for gratification but it was too cold out so I had to be happy with throwing it over the hill.

 

[Sean Clark]

I am just repeating what has already been said. I have the hanna salinity checker and it is terrible. Wast of time and money. I would trust a swing arm hydrometer before I would trust the pen.

 

[Dirtyshoez]

Does anyone trust these Hanna salinity and ph meters?

No experience with the ph but my salinity has been spot on.

I only trust pulling it from the tank, im sure that doesn't matter but it adjusts my temp really quickly so I just do it for piece of mind

 

[mook1178]

I have no issues with the Hanna salinity meter, but I also don't have other ways to test salinity. I'm measure in ppt, not SG. I just measure my tank before I mix new water and make she they match.

 

[KrisReef]

Does anyone trust these Hanna salinity and ph meters?

Of course people trust these electronic gadgets because they don’t know how to operate a hydrometer and these devices are high tech so they by definition are more reliable, right?

Perhaps a more useful question is “Should people trust these devices to work properly for normal users who don’t grasp the need for calibration?”

 

[Dirtyshoez]

Of course people trust these electronic gadgets because they don’t know how to operate a hydrometer and these devices are high tech so they by definition are more reliable, right?

Perhaps a more useful question is “Should people trust these devices to work properly for normal users who don’t grasp the need for calibration?”

I would agree with this. I would like to think this is a common sense factor but we never really know. Definitely calibrate and don't dive in trusting anything electronic because there is alot at stake.

 

[slingfox]

I have the Hanna. Replaced the first one since it was not reliable. The second one has same issues. I have it laying around but almost always use a VeeGee Refractometer which is best on the market and lines up with my periodic ICP tests.

 

[Dirtyshoez]

I have the Hanna. Replaced the first one since it was not reliable. The second one has same issues. I have it laying around but almost always use a VeeGee Refractometer which is best on the market and lines up with my periodic ICP tests.

How often do you ICP? do you just decide to give it a go, or is there something you do that says when it's time to get an ICP opinion?

 

[Biokabe]

I have the milwakee salinity tester, and I don't trust it either.

Which model do you have? My Milwaukee has always been pretty accurate. I wipe off the well after every measurement, and usually take 4-5 different measurements whenever I'm testing (each measurement takes about a second, so it's not like that's a hassle). Fill the pipette, drop in the well, measure, wipe it down, drop again to make sure I'm getting the same reading. Empty the pipette, draw in more water from a different part of the water, and test again. If it all matches then I'm golden. I've verified it against both a refractometer, and against controlled calculations (I use a scale to weigh out my salt) and it's never been meaningfully off.

 

[Dirtyshoez]

Which model do you have? My Milwaukee has always been pretty accurate. I wipe off the well after every measurement, and usually take 4-5 different measurements whenever I'm testing (each measurement takes about a second, so it's not like that's a hassle). Fill the pipette, drop in the well, measure, wipe it down, drop again to make sure I'm getting the same reading. Empty the pipette, draw in more water from a different part of the water, and test again. If it all matches then I'm golden. I've verified it against both a refractometer, and against controlled calculations (I use a scale to weigh out my salt) and it's never been meaningfully off.

Good point to bring up, my hanna is accurate but I do clean it after every use and it hasn't failed me. Could be a small but strong factor.