Using Hanna checker

[Dom_P]

I found what my issue was with the Hanna calcium test.

I found that when using the pipette to draw the sample from my tank that I shouldn’t push the plunger fully down. There’s a resistant point to stop at. Then when transferring to the cuvette you depress the plunger fully down (past the resistance point) to get the full sample out of the pipette. That has made a major difference for me. I’m not sure if that is your issue or not, but figured I’d throw it out there

 

[rishma]

I gotcha! My tank is 90 gallons, and when taking into account the rockwork and sand, it probably has an actual volume of between 75 and 80 gallons.

Depending on your demand, we can figure out how long the 1000 mL premix would last, then you can decide if you want to try that first or buy the powder.

 

[mmorrison55]

I found what my issue was with with the Hanna calcium test.

I found that when using the pipette to draw the sample from my tank that I shouldn’t push the plunger fully down. There’s a resistant point to stop at. Then when transferring to the cuvette you depress the plunger fully down (past the resistance point) to get the full sample out of the pipette. That has made a major difference for me. I’m not sure if that is your issue or not, but figured I’d throw it out there

For sure, there’s a specific way you must test, but even with following the correct procedures, the sample of .1 ml is so small that any minute amount could sway your results.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I found what my issue was with with the Hanna calcium test.

I found that when using the pipette to draw the sample from my tank that I shouldn’t push the plunger fully down. There’s a resistant point to stop at. Then when transferring to the cuvette you depress the plunger fully down (past the resistance point) to get the full sample out of the pipette. That has made a major difference for me. I’m not sure if that is your issue or not, but figured I’d throw it out there

I appreciate all input on this. But yes, I watched a BRS video on it the first few times to make sure I was doing it right. So, yes, I stop at the first point when drawing the water, but when putting into the vile, I always go to the second point to make sure all water is out. Thank you for any and all help.

 

[BryanM]

Good morning everyone! So I have been using Hanna for awhile now, and I have a question. I got results from a couple last night that just don't seem realistic to me. So my question is when you guys here use them, do you just dump the packet in the vile when ready, or you dump, then tap on the packet to get any excess still in there? I ask this because I have done both, and of course get different readings. My calcium has been a little high ( 519 on June 21st) so I disconnected it from the doser to get it to come down. Checked again on Monday and it was down to 475. Great! So I checked it last night thinking I would be able to reconnect to the now adjusted doser. Well last nights reading was 533! How can this be? Doser was disconnected on June 21. I am thinking about just doing the initial shake of the packet and dumping in without trying to get any residual from the packet. I do have a Salifert test kit as well. I will try it against the Hanna tonight. I just wanted to see what others here are doing.

I get everything I can out of the packet.

When I get unrealistic results I always re-test to verify. You can always get a dud of a packet, or maybe miss a step during the testing process.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I get everything I can out of the packet.

When I get unrealistic results I always re-test to verify. You can always get a dud of a packet, or maybe miss a step during the testing process.

agree 100%

 

[rishma]

If you decide to switch, start a new thread so it doesn’t get lost in this one

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree the being off a tick with reagent consistency amounts does not affect the color. However I think for the calcium test I think alot of weight is put into the tank water draw of the 0.1ml pipette it’s important to draw it slow and not exceed the first stop.

Yes, that’s a flaw in the method, IMO. If they used 10 mL there would be no huge multiplier on tank water volume mismeasurement.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Yes, that’s a flaw in the method, IMO. If they used 10 mL there would be no huge multiplier on tank water volume mismeasurement.

Hey Randy, and thank you for the input! I couldn't agree more. That seems to me to be a very tiny amount of tank water for the testing!