Rate Hanna checkers from most important to ehhh maybe.

mike550

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 13, 2019
Messages
2,264
Reaction score
2,374
Location
Chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
@FastandCurious here’s my list

1. Hanna Salinity HI98319
2. Hanna Alkalinity HI772
3. Hanna Ultra Low Range Phosphorous HI73506 — added this one recently

I use Salifert for Calcium and Magnesium. Nyos for nitrate — very easy to read.

If you’re just starting out I generally like the Salifert titration tests. You could easily use the Salifert Alk test instead of the Hanna. The tests for Calcium, Magnesium, and Alk are all very easy and don’t take long.

One suggestion. You can find the directions for these tests on different websites. Read the directions to see which ones are the least painful for you. For example, to me the Hanna nitrate test is a huge pain compared to Nyos
 
OP
OP
FastandCurious

FastandCurious

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
223
Reaction score
368
Location
02151
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you are going to make management decisions about your phosphate levels, then the ULR Hanna checkers are the only hobby test kits that read phosphate in a low enough range to be useful.

I wouldn't bother using the checkers for anything else, because other kits are cheaper and work easier and arguably better than the Hanna ones.
Interesting. Which other tests do you use for everything else?
 

Weasel1960

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
2,139
Reaction score
9,995
Location
Monticello, WI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would suggest you also checkout the Bulk Reef Supply video. They recommend some others over Hannah.

Do this search on YouTube they did a video for each test...

bulk reef supply best of 2019 test kits
 

DWill

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2020
Messages
444
Reaction score
374
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This works very well for me.

Hanna for Phosphate, Alk, salinity, temp calibration and Nitrate. Nitrate is a pain at first but is easy after 3-4 tests. Nitrate also tracks Salifert nitrate tests accurately. I stopped double checking after maybe 7=8 tests.

Salifert for magnesium and calcium
 

1guydude

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 19, 2014
Messages
886
Reaction score
766
Location
WA state U.S.A
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Refractometer for salt
I used to use thr elos tests. Great but a little extensive and might have to do twice just to make sure u did it right. Lol!
I went to the redsea syringe style 1s. Much easier to do and read.
I like these kind of tests or a constant reading from a probe. Hths
D
 

ScottB

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
7,873
Reaction score
12,155
Location
Fairfield County, CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you are going to make management decisions about your phosphate levels, then the ULR Hanna checkers are the only hobby test kits that read phosphate in a low enough range to be useful.

I wouldn't bother using the checkers for anything else, because other kits are cheaper and work easier and arguably better than the Hanna ones.
Yup. Pretty much. For phosphorous/phosphates Hanna is undisputed. For me, that is where it ends though.
 

Rick Mathew

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
1,472
Reaction score
4,735
Location
North Central Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok the time has finally come where ive invested a few thousand into my tank and things are going pretty good but some of my tests are hot garbage. (Aka...API) Ya I'm calling you and your "phosphate" test out API. I wish I could just go online and order all the tests that I need tomrw but since they these tests cost more than some of my friggin corals, I'm gonna hafta go one at a time. So here is why I need your help. I'm going to start putting some cash aside and start buying a new Hanna Checker every 2 weeks until I have all the ones I need. They seem to be the most accurate and easy to use. I can't be over here like Mister Magoo trying to match up colors with color charts that all look the exact same color to me just to find out if my mag is low that day. Smh......API ;Rage. Sooo, which test checkers do you think I should go with first to last. Right now I have the Api Mater reef kit for my PH, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia and the individual Api and Rika tests for cal, mag and phos. My tank is almost 9 months old 70Gal and I've recently started dosing cal and mag and seen good results. I just need my tests to be exact so I can make accurate dosing and its impossible when my phos option are 0.0 or 0.25 and nothing in between. So which should should I start with first and are there any other options other than the Hanna ones that I maybe don't need to sell my first born child for?? Thanks guys

What you ask is no small question. You are quite right to get serious about testing...It is important to keep your pets happy and growing...This is especially true when you are dosing....This to me means keeping the water they live in the best it can be. In order to do that we need to measure "stuff" and if we measure "stuff" we need to be sure what we measure is both accurate and precise...if it is not, then at best we are wasting our time and at worst we are stressing or even killing or pets.

You asked about Hanna Checkers. I use 10 of them on a regular basis and get good results, both accurate and precise within what I would consider an acceptable "hobby" range. I also use other tests kits with equally good results. What I discovered was the issues with the test kits and meters was not the kits or the meter for the most part....It was my skill at doing the test...I spent a great deal of time exploring this and wrote 4 Articles documenting this learning experience...Below are the links if your brave enough to jump in :)

PART 1 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/getti...count-by-using-a-quality-system-approach.741/

PART 2 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/part-...tem-approach-colorimetric-visual-testing.744/

PART 3 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/part-...etric-visual-testing-methods-what-we-see.747/

PART 4 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/part-...ric-instrumental-testing-methods-digital.748/

Rick
 
OP
OP
FastandCurious

FastandCurious

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
223
Reaction score
368
Location
02151
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What you ask is no small question. You are quite right to get serious about testing...It is important to keep your pets happy and growing...This is especially true when you are dosing....This to me means keeping the water they live in the best it can be. In order to do that we need to measure "stuff" and if we measure "stuff" we need to be sure what we measure is both accurate and precise...if it is not, then at best we are wasting our time and at worst we are stressing or even killing or pets.

You asked about Hanna Checkers. I use 10 of them on a regular basis and get good results, both accurate and precise within what I would consider an acceptable "hobby" range. I also use other tests kits with equally good results. What I discovered was the issues with the test kits and meters was not the kits or the meter for the most part....It was my skill at doing the test...I spent a great deal of time exploring this and wrote 4 Articles documenting this learning experience...Below are the links if your brave enough to jump in :)

PART 1 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/getti...count-by-using-a-quality-system-approach.741/

PART 2 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/part-...tem-approach-colorimetric-visual-testing.744/

PART 3 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/part-...etric-visual-testing-methods-what-we-see.747/

PART 4 https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/part-4-getting
Very nice! Thank you
 

sam2110

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 6, 2020
Messages
357
Reaction score
404
Location
England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I brought, hanna nitrate, phosphorus, alkalinity, calcium and salinity checkers got a good deal in my LFS for buying them all at the same time.

5# Nitrate takes ages to do because of this I still pull the Salifert nitrate test kit out first.

4# Calcium needs lab grade RODI water with 0.00000 ppm of calcium or you will get wierd results also the accuracy of +/- 6% can make a difference so again my first go to is Salifert.

3# Phosphorus is great, only issue is if you shake to hard it fills with air bubbles and you will get strange readings.

2# alkalinity is simple and takes a minute or so to do. Again don't shake or you will get air bubbles

1# Salinity is by far the most useful of all. Only down side is it needs calibrating more than hanna recommend, I do mine every 2 weeks.
 
Last edited:

Jman76

Keeper of Greens
View Badges
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
600
Reaction score
1,322
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No joke with the Hanna Calcium...very sensitive test. I don't touch that thing anymore lol. I think #1 ULR phosphate and #2 alkalinity are must haves as far as Hanna goes...Salifert works pretty solid for the rest. I recently switched to Nyos for nitrate...good test too.
 

Rick Mathew

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
1,472
Reaction score
4,735
Location
North Central Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No joke with the Hanna Calcium...very sensitive test. I don't touch that thing anymore lol. I think #1 ULR phosphate and #2 alkalinity are must haves as far as Hanna goes...Salifert works pretty solid for the rest. I recently switched to Nyos for nitrate...good test too.

For sure the Calcium checker is a bit sensitive...mainly because of the small amount of the test sample used... .1mL That presents a good opportunity for error. When you think about a 10% error would be .01mL that is a small amount. I got the Hanna Pipette and it helped but there was still some error so I found a Pipette from Four E's that worked very well.... Here is the link



Also here is a link to a discussion around this same issue...Go to post #163 and you can see some results of using this Pipette in conjunction with the Calcium Checker


 

Rmckoy

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
8,369
Reaction score
11,239
Location
Ontario Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hanna salinity checker , and refractometer to confirm both are the same .
Hanna URL phosphorus ppb , Hanna alk
The rest I am using salifert .
considering trying the Hanna calcium ( but haven’t read anything about it yet )
 

fade2black

Is this thing on?
View Badges
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
472
Reaction score
513
Location
Mentor, OH
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Alk, Phosphate, Calcium, and Salinity for me. There is a good video on YouTube about the best way to use the calcium test and I have found it to be pretty accurate when compared to other tests if I follow those steps.

I like the Hanna checkers because they are fast for me and accurate enough as a hobbiest. Combine the test results with my visual observation and it's "good enough".
 
OP
OP
FastandCurious

FastandCurious

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
223
Reaction score
368
Location
02151
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thank you everyone for your responses. So I think I'll probably be purchasing the Hanna phos tester first seeing as I kno my phos levels are a little high already. Then prob the Alk one and then salinity and followed from there. This was very helpful!
 

Mr Mumblez

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2020
Messages
106
Reaction score
86
Location
Framingham
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I use Hanna checker for alkalinity, ulr phosphorous, and TDS. These seem to be the things I care about the most right now. And Hanna is spot on cuz I keep my vials clean.

I use Salifert fir all other testing. It’s hard to tell where the color matches but I’ve come to a reality of what color is acceptable for each test.

I use milwalkie refractoneter for salinity!
 

Pistondog

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
5,264
Reaction score
9,405
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok the time has finally come where ive invested a few thousand into my tank and things are going pretty good but some of my tests are hot garbage. (Aka...API) Ya I'm calling you and your "phosphate" test out API. I wish I could just go online and order all the tests that I need tomrw but since they these tests cost more than some of my friggin corals, I'm gonna hafta go one at a time. So here is why I need your help. I'm going to start putting some cash aside and start buying a new Hanna Checker every 2 weeks until I have all the ones I need. They seem to be the most accurate and easy to use. I can't be over here like Mister Magoo trying to match up colors with color charts that all look the exact same color to me just to find out if my mag is low that day. Smh......API ;Rage. Sooo, which test checkers do you think I should go with first to last. Right now I have the Api Mater reef kit for my PH, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia and the individual Api and Rika tests for cal, mag and phos. My tank is almost 9 months old 70Gal and I've recently started dosing cal and mag and seen good results. I just need my tests to be exact so I can make accurate dosing and its impossible when my phos option are 0.0 or 0.25 and nothing in between. So which should should I start with first and are there any other options other than the Hanna ones that I maybe don't need to sell my first born child for?? Thanks guys
1. Dkh
2. PO4
3. Calcium
4. Copper for qt tank
5. Nitrate- hard to use, nyos preferred
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 38 49.4%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 41 53.2%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 16 20.8%
  • None.

    Votes: 19 24.7%
  • Other.

    Votes: 7 9.1%
Back
Top