NEW HI98319 Hanna Waterproof Salinity and Temperature Tester

[leepink23]

That’s what I was doing before it malfunctioned, I was happy with it prior to that,

The new unit came in, so far it’s spot on.

 

[infinite0180]

The new unit came in, so far it’s spot on.

I ended up ordering one. So far its spot on vs my refractometer!

 

[destro]

I purchased one this weekend and I'm having the same issues as many had here. It was calibrated and measured tank water to be lower than my refractometer (1.022 vs 1.026). Took it to a local fish store to test on their water and to my surprise they were having the same issues. Their response was trust your eyes! ;Woot

Emailing Hanna Tech for advice. I want to trust Hanna, but have too many precious corals and fish at stake.

 

[bar|none]

Mine is way off, I bought extra calibration solution. I also have Neptune system probe which I now trust as it is reading well. Hanna being off made me get a 3rd source which is Milwaukie Refractometer. My Hanna is like 3 ppm lower than those and I've calibrated many times to no avail. I do use it though, knowing the offset, it's still handy for checking new salt water to tank differences.

I just sent in my first triton ICP test so hoping to get a data point there.

 

[shred5]

My tester has been pretty good. I do have to calibrate every couple weeks but that does not bother me, I figured I would.

Problem is people say it is off ? Compared to what a refractometer?

I switched because all the calibration fluid I bought was off from each other for my refractometer and I never knew which was right.

I own a lab grade refractormeter too and the Hanna seems very close.

Temperature can throw off refractometers too and seems to affect the Hanna far less.

 

[bar|none]

I just sent in a Triton ICP test and I will compare as I took salinity test from 3 sources at the moment I sampled the ICP. Hanna, Milwaulkie Digital Refractometer (temp calibrated), Neptune salinity probe (temp calibrated). My guess is my unit is somehow off but I will report back. It's just an assumption at the moment. The rest of you that are having accurate results, that's great. Skeptic on all these measurements, but I want some confidence. And obviously if you mess up calibration on any of the above, then you are guaranteed bad result.

Is the Hanna temp calibrated, it does take temp so I'm assuming it would be. I mean that is a simple calc if temp is avail.

Would the Triton ICP be considered accurate?

 

[bar|none]

Ok, so the above post made me try to calibrate more carefully, given that for the redsea probe, I put the calibration solution in my sump for 30 min to get to temp and even calibrated in the packet submerged in sump.

So I did the same just now with the hanna and the hanna cal solution.

Things improved by a lot.

Hanna was reading 31ppm and now reads 33ppm.

But red sea and milwaukee read 34,4 and 34.

So I'm good with that. Knowing whatI know, I would def buy the hanna as it is invaluable when mixing salt and acclimating fish / coral. Super portable, fast and valuable.

Calibrate it AT the TEMP you will use it. Maybe that will help others.

My intent is not to overthink this but to have a framework to understand what's happening with salinity.

 

[ccurnick]

This thing made me lose over $1,000 worth of coral in my tank, even after calling and questioning it with @Hanna Instruments. When it arrived and I calibrated it with the solution, it read my tank at 32ppt, while my freshly calibrated refractometer read 1.026sg, and my tank was just dandy. I contacted Hannah and they insured me that my refractometer was wrong, their probe was right, and my tanks salinity was low.

This is the moment where I made the mistake.

I began slowly rising my salinity to where it ready 35ppt over 6-8 weeks on the Hannah checker, against what my refractometer was saying. That’s when everything I had slowly started to STN. I was chasing every avenue with what could be wrong for weeks, everything tested normal and nothing in my tank had changed for a long time. I decided to send off my water for ICP testing and low and behold, my salinity came back at about 39ppt. I thought that the icp test must have been wrong and did not believe the results, but after eliminating every possible source of contamination, pulling and inspecting pumps, replacing heaters, running carbon and cuprisorb. I finally decided to try lowering my salinity to where my refractometer was correct, which was about 32.5-33ppt on the Hannah checker. Low and behold my tank bounced back very quickly.

BRS is now telling customers that this will only work on freshly mixed saltwater, and not on your tank as other contaminates will cause the readings to be off. I have pretty much every Hannah checker, but this one missed the mark really bad for me and resulted in the loss of the majority’s of my prized acros, including a homewrecker and a Walt Disney colony.

 

[infinite0180]

This thing made me lose over $1,000 worth of coral in my tank, even after calling and questioning it with @Hanna Instruments. When it arrived and I calibrated it with the solution, it read my tank at 32ppt, while my freshly calibrated refractometer read 1.026sg, and my tank was just dandy. I contacted Hannah and they insured me that my refractometer was wrong, their probe was right, and my tanks salinity was low.

This is the moment where I made the mistake.

I began slowly rising my salinity to where it ready 35ppt over 6-8 weeks on the Hannah checker, against what my refractometer was saying. That’s when everything I had slowly started to STN. I was chasing every avenue with what could be wrong for weeks, everything tested normal and nothing in my tank had changed for a long time. I decided to send off my water for ICP testing and low and behold, my salinity came back at about 39ppt. I thought that the icp test must have been wrong and did not believe the results, but after eliminating every possible source of contamination, pulling and inspecting pumps, replacing heaters, running carbon and cuprisorb. I finally decided to try lowering my salinity to where my refractometer was correct, which was about 32.5-33ppt on the Hannah checker. Low and behold my tank bounced back very quickly.

BRS is now telling customers that this will only work on freshly mixed saltwater, and not on your tank as other contaminates will cause the readings to be off. I have pretty much every Hannah checker, but this one missed the mark really bad for me and resulted in the loss of the majority’s of my prized acros, including a homewrecker and a Walt Disney colony.

Thats pretty strange man. Mine matched my refractometer from day 1, it reads as expected in my tank and in new saltwater, and when my ATI ICP test came back it matched it almost exactly :x I do have a grounding probe in my tank though. Im wondering if people are having issues from stray voltage throwing the reading off. My question to you is didnt you notice changes in your alk as your salinity kept rising? I feel like raising salinity that high would impact alk, cal, and mag to the point id start to wonder what the heck was going on...

 

[ccurnick]

Thats pretty strange man. Mine matched my refractometer from day 1, it reads as expected in my tank and in new saltwater, and when my ATI ICP test came back it matched it almost exactly :x I do have a grounding probe in my tank though. Im wondering if people are having issues from stray voltage throwing the reading off. My question to you is didnt you notice changes in your alk as your salinity kept rising? I feel like raising salinity that high would impact alk, cal, and mag to the point id start to wonder what the heck was going on...

Not particularly. I did reduce my dosing during the increase in salinity, but an alk rise is expected when you raise your salinity. I use tropic Marin pro, the salt mix has an alk around 7 or so.

 

[bar|none]

Im up for trading instruments for a short period. Or @infinite0180 i can send you mine. It is not reading like yours.

 

[ccurnick]

Im up for trading instruments for a short period. Or @infinite0180 i can send you mine. It is not reading like yours.

I appreciate that, but I’ve just gone back to my refractometer, and for the time I’m recording both my refractometer and the Hanna checker. The checker has been fairly consistent at 33ppt or so with my refractometer at 1.026sg.

The fact that BRS is warning people to only use these on freshly mixed water is telling.

I’m still a fan of Hanna, but I think they missed the mark on this one and wanted to share my opinion, which seems to not be uncommon.

 

[infinite0180]

Not particularly. I did reduce my dosing during the increase in salinity, but an alk rise is expected when you raise your salinity. I use tropic Marin pro, the salt mix has an alk around 7 or so.

True, i didnt think about that. You were expecting an increase in alk because you thought you were low in salinity to begin with... thats a bummer man. Sorry to hear about this. Do you have a grounding probe in your tank anywhere?

 

[infinite0180]

Im up for trading instruments for a short period. Or @infinite0180 i can send you mine. It is not reading like yours.

Im too dependent on mine at this point to not have it haha! If you really want to send it to me i can compare it to mine. Do you have a grounding probe in your tank?

 

[bar|none]

What is a grounding probe? I have no idea. Not being cheeky.

 

[ccurnick]

Im too dependent on mine at this point to not have it haha! If you really want to send it to me i can compare it to mine. Do you have a grounding probe in your tank?

No grounding probe, but that’s a good theory. I might put it to the test.


The losses were devastating for sure, especially with not knowing what was wrong for so long.

 

[infinite0180]

What is a grounding probe? I have no idea. Not being cheeky.

Give this a read...
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/using-ground-probes-in-aquariums.555682/

 

[infinite0180]

No grounding probe, but that’s a good theory. I might put it to the test.


The losses were devastating for sure, especially with not knowing what was wrong for so long.

$10 on amazon. You might find that it fixes the problem. I know for a fact it fixed issues with my apex jr temp probe. I had temp readings all over the place till i added the ground. Now its perfect. Granted, the apex jr is more sensitive than the regular apex to electrical interference. I believe my tank has benefitted from it and will always run one...

 

[Adamantium]

This thing made me lose over $1,000 worth of coral in my tank, even after calling and questioning it with @Hanna Instruments. When it arrived and I calibrated it with the solution, it read my tank at 32ppt, while my freshly calibrated refractometer read 1.026sg, and my tank was just dandy. I contacted Hannah and they insured me that my refractometer was wrong, their probe was right, and my tanks salinity was low.

This is the moment where I made the mistake.

I began slowly rising my salinity to where it ready 35ppt over 6-8 weeks on the Hannah checker, against what my refractometer was saying. That’s when everything I had slowly started to STN. I was chasing every avenue with what could be wrong for weeks, everything tested normal and nothing in my tank had changed for a long time. I decided to send off my water for ICP testing and low and behold, my salinity came back at about 39ppt. I thought that the icp test must have been wrong and did not believe the results, but after eliminating every possible source of contamination, pulling and inspecting pumps, replacing heaters, running carbon and cuprisorb. I finally decided to try lowering my salinity to where my refractometer was correct, which was about 32.5-33ppt on the Hannah checker. Low and behold my tank bounced back very quickly.

BRS is now telling customers that this will only work on freshly mixed saltwater, and not on your tank as other contaminates will cause the readings to be off. I have pretty much every Hannah checker, but this one missed the mark really bad for me and resulted in the loss of the majority’s of my prized acros, including a homewrecker and a Walt Disney colony.

So sorry to hear this, man. Mine is working great, but it did drift after 2-3 months without calibration. I just recalibrated, and we're back in business.

I would suggest getting some 35PPT calibration solution for your refractometer, if you don't have any already. That way you can cross check it with a known standard, and know which device is accurate. Though, I can't imagine you'll keep using the Hanna...

 

[ccurnick]

So sorry to hear this, man. Mine is working great, but it did drift after 2-3 months without calibration. I just recalibrated, and we're back in business.

I would suggest getting some 35PPT calibration solution for your refractometer, if you don't have any already. That way you can cross check it with a known standard, and know which device is accurate. Though, I can't imagine you'll keep using the Hanna...

Interestingly, today I took some advice from this thread and put the calibration solution in my sump for a bit before calibrating. I tested my tank with it, and it came out to 32.7. I tested the solution before I started the calibration and it came out a few points lower around 32 or so. I then calibrated it with the warmer solution, and tested my tank, and it came to just over 35 at 35.4. I verified all readings against my refractometer (except the solution of course). It read 1.025/6 for every reading.

I will keep verifying the Hanna checker calibrated with warm solution against my refractometer, but I think that this has solved it.

It is pretty disappointing that this was what appeared to be the issue, when warming the solution is not a step in the instructions, and led to thousands of dollars of loss for me.