is hanna salinity tester accuate?

[Reef.]

Dang that bites, I wish I could return it. Could have been worse I guess. What refractometers do you recommend? Ill compare it with my Hanna and see what the discrepency is if any (lets hope not :))

why can’t you return it? If it’s not working correctly and you have just bought it, you can return it.

 

[Krixic]

why can’t you return it? If it’s not working correctly and you have just bought it, you can return it.

My LPS doesn't accept returns smh
I intended on buying a refractometer to begin with but they recommended the hanna. And out my ignorance and naiveness (is that word?) I trusted their judgment and bought it. Oh well. Honesly I'm not super upset, ill just have to try and compare it to the refractometer I'm waiting to arrive. I picked up a hydrometer and it says my sg is 1.0028 whereas my hanna says 1.0025/6. I got rid of all microbubbled and tested several times. Although is my tank water so maybe thats why the hanna is not matching up?

 

[Krixic]

There is/was a huge thread in @Hanna Instruments sponsor forum about the checker.

Basically it boils down to, you either get one that works out of the box, or it doesn't. I fortunately got one that is spot on with my refractometer, and milwaukee(which I know reads 2ppt low anyways).

Hanna also debunked the idea that this tester should only be used on freshly mixed water. No idea where that started anyways? I've had mine since about 2 months after they came out, and use it every day to spot check my tank's and QT tanks.

If it doesn't works properly call/email @Hanna Instruments and they will replace it. Least thats what they were doing.

I see. I appreciate that information! I'll check it out and see if my checker happens to be one of the lucky ones. If not, fingers crossed the next one I get will :D

 

[Krixic]

I see. I appreciate that information! I'll check it out and see if my checker happens to be one of the lucky ones. If not, fingers crossed the next one I get will :D

Could you link the forum? I'm having trouble locating it. Thanks!

 

[Thespammailaccount]

One thing I did to eliminate the uncertainty and keep the salinity stable regardless of what an instrument says is I use the same amount of salt per five gallons of water (four scoops per 5 gallons) and if you really want to get precise you can get a digital scale

 

[swiss1939]

I tried clearing the calibration on my tester and it is closer to the refractometer now at 38.3ppt but still quite a ways off from the 40ppt of the calibrated refractometer. I've messaged hanna on here to see if they can do anything, ie replace it.

 

[Super Fly]

Dang, just bought a Hanna salinity checker too bc I got tired of using a refractometer!...:(

 

[Yates273]

I have one and it saved me. My refractometer was actually off. Has stayed consistent just make sure when your done using it you clean it off in RODI water.

 

[swiss1939]

I just pulled mine out of the cabinet for the first time in months and tried to calibrate it again. Same issues after using all 5 calibration packets i had. So i contacted hanna support from their website and requested a replacement. I sent mine back and received a replacement 3 days after sending it back. Granted I'm close to their headquarters, but it was impressively fast.

New one works fine. Can't really tell exactly how close to my refractometer because the refractometer isn't as precise visual reading but they seem within margin of error finally!

Fwiw, my original inaccurate hanna salinity tester had black plastic in the holes in the base of the two probe arms.. the new working replacement has blue plastic in the same holes. I'm thinking there might have been quality control issues with assembly at the factory or they found a problem with a specific batch from the factory and fixed it. Either that, or that sensor is color changing based on lifespan, and I'm thinking mine might have been returned previously used from the store i bought it from because i had 5 calibration packets in the case instead of 4 listed in the manual.

I'm just guessing based on the one visual difference i could find, but either way if you have a problem and are still within warranty, contact them!

 

[intricate_reefer]

What's the best way to get an accurate and exact reading of my saltwater?

Refractometer calibrated with 35ppt fluid with each use because they drift very easily. Or you could buy a VeeGee stx-3, I own one and it holds calibration and is very accurate. Really I hear the big floating hydrometer would be the most accurate but to me would be a pain to use. Personally I wouldn’t trust anything electronic.

 

[Reef.]

Refractometer calibrated with 35ppt fluid with each use because they drift very easily.

some may do, mine is a D-D Refractometer and it is rock solid.

 

[Jeffcb]

Maybe

 

[intricate_reefer]

some may do, mine is a D-D Refractometer and it is rock solid.

That’s great if it’s holding. It’s really rare to find one that doesn’t drift. Mine holds but I still check pretty frequently. Only takes a couples seconds. I can’t tell you how many people I have talked to that were having issues and I ask them if they calibrated recently. They said they didn’t know you had to do it often and their salinity In their tank was off. Fixed salinity and things looked better.

 

[joshwaggs]

I just bought a Hanna Salinity. It came used, but the vendor sent a new one (came today). That said, before I sent the old one back, I decided to test them side by side. That was a dumb idea. I have zero faith in those things, now. One was a point higher than the other. I recalibrated them both (again) and they both read different numbers from the first tests and they were still at least half a point different from each other. Hell, even the temperature between the two devices was different.
I tried the tank water (first test was new saltwater) and same thing. Two different readings from two different devices AND neither device matched its counterpart. Im just sending them both back. Ill stick with the refractometer. I really wanted to like the Hanna. I was excited. Now Im annoyed @Hanna Instruments.

 

[K7BMG]

I just bought a Hanna Salinity. It came used, but the vendor sent a new one (came today). That said, before I sent the old one back, I decided to test them side by side. That was a dumb idea. I have zero faith in those things, now. One was a point higher than the other. I recalibrated them both (again) and they both read different numbers from the first tests and they were still at least half a point different from each other. Hell, even the temperature between the two devices was different.
I tried the tank water (first test was new saltwater) and same thing. Two different readings from two different devices AND neither device matched its counterpart. Im just sending them both back. Ill stick with the refractometer. I really wanted to like the Hanna. I was excited. Now Im annoyed @Hanna Instruments.

I do not think that any manufacturers equipment will ever match exactly.
The margin of error on even the most precision high end lab equipment will not be the same.
I have had two Hanna's and the both read .002 low.
I did not have them at the same time to compare to each other like you did though.
I would be more upset that I recieved a used unit over the variances.

 

[Reef.]

I do not think that any manufacturers equipment will ever match exactly.
The margin of error on even the most precision high end lab equipment will not be the same.
I have had two Hanna's and the both read .002 low.
I did not have them at the same time to compare to each other like you did though.
I would be more upset that I recieved a used unit over the variances.

I think that is being a little too generous, they were both calibrated, surely you can expect them to read very similar results.

There seems to a few people claiming getting used readers, and some may very well have done, but I know Hanna has addressed a likely reason why some think theirs is used, as some come with black carbon marks on the device, they say this is caused by a cleaning process they use in manufacturing and can be simply wiped away, not sure why Hanna doesn’t do this before shipping then. Not saying this is the issue with @joshwaggs device.

 

[92Miata]

Thats odd. I wonder why that is.....

Because it measures conductivity - not salinity - and an awful lot of things in a running fishtank can alter conductivity.

 

[Reef.]

Because it measures conductivity - not salinity - and an awful lot of things in a running fishtank can alter conductivity.

this has been stated previously, @Randy Holmes-Farley posted this...

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hanna-salinity-tester-first-impressions.539986/page-4

 

[Reef.]

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That’s great if it’s holding. It’s really rare to find one that doesn’t drift. Mine holds but I still check pretty frequently. Only takes a couples seconds. I can’t tell you how many people I have talked to that were having issues and I ask them if they calibrated recently. They said they didn’t know you had to do it often and their salinity In their tank was off. Fixed salinity and things looked better.

I do find you have to be very OCD cleaning the glass and plastic lid and using a contaminated free pipette or the results will be off, I do believe a lot of devices will need checking regularly but a lot of bad readings will also come from user error.

 

[intricate_reefer]

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I do find you have to be very OCD cleaning the glass and plastic lid and using a contaminated free pipette or the results will be off, I do believe a lot of devices will need checking regularly but a lot of bad readings will also come from user error.

Really, I’ve never experienced that. It’s probably good practice.