Your Hanna vial cleaning/care process

[starypotter]

Hi everyone,

What do you find needs to be done to clean the vials? What does it take, how long does it take, all of that good stuff. What's your process and experience like?

I'm considering getting a Hanna tester for PO4 or ALK, maybe both if the budget eventually allows but I know myself and I am incredibly lazy and will willfully admit that. I've heard some extremes on both sides of the coin here on how intensely the vials need to be cleaned and how careful you need to be so I want to have more people's thoughts on the matter. I barely even manage to get around to cleaning my API vials because I'm that lazy so even if it is the superior test, if I never do it because cleaning it is too much work it's not as good as something actually being tested with a 'lesser' kit.

 

[ndrwater]

If you rinse them after each use, it's not a big deal.. use RO and it's even easier.
You DO have work wipe any finger prints or smudges off the vials before each use, but thats about 5 seconds.
They are worth the investment IMO

 

[starypotter]

If you rinse them after each use, it's not a big deal.. use RO and it's even easier.
You DO have work wipe any finger prints or smudges off the vials before each use, but thats about 5 seconds.
They are worth the investment IMO

Thanks! I've been tallying all of the results from the recent test kit threads and Hanna wins in a landslide for PO4- 12/12 as of now, and the alk has 9/10 but one of the comments frightened me a bit so want to dot all my Ts and all that.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

quick rinse in RO after each use, quick rinse with tank water before use, and I use a lint free chem wipe to get smudges and fingerprints off the vials before C1 of the procedure.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Thanks! I've been tallying all of the results from the recent test kit threads and Hanna wins in a landslide for PO4- 12/12 as of now, and the alk has 9/10 but one of the comments frightened me a bit so want to dot all my Ts and all that.

The hanna dkh alk is the best investment, literally takes 2 minuts and very repeatable.

 

[starypotter]

The hanna dkh alk is the best investment, literally takes 2 minuts and very repeatable.

Oh I've got a whole spreadsheet going haha Not the cheapest option per test for Alk, coming in about $.20-.14 more expensive than Red Sea and Salifert so maybe I'll save up on that one, but it is actually cheaper per test than the other brands for PO4 once you cross out the initial investment by .06 and .032 cents so hey only 816+ tests to break even

 

[Firemanreefkeeper]

I rinse it after each use then before I start the test again in tank water. Keep prints off of it like everyone says. The only one I do anything extra for is the calcium test. I use distilled water to clean that one.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Oh I've got a whole spreadsheet going haha Not the cheapest option per test for Alk, coming in about $.20-.14 more expensive than Red Sea and Salifert so maybe I'll save up on that one, but it is actually cheaper per test than the other brands for PO4 once you cross out the initial investment by .06 and .032 cents so hey only 816+ tests to break even

I mostly meant time and headache wise! haha.

 

[KrisReef]

Thanks! I've been tallying all of the results from the recent test kit threads and Hanna wins in a landslide for PO4- 12/12 as of now, and the alk has 9/10 but one of the comments frightened me a bit so want to dot all my Ts and all that.

Hanna Checker ULR Phosphorus?

 

[rsumner]

I rinse my cuvettes in tap water immediately after use filling and completely emptying the vial about 3 to 4 times. I then wrap it in a paper towel, dry the outside, and then shake it vigorously to get as much water out of the vial as possible.

I use a microfiber cloth that I got with a pair of sunglasses or an iPhone to clean the cuvette of any fingerprints before I insert it into the reader. I do this religiously!

There are a few things that I started doing that really helped produce more consistent readings:

* clean those cuvettes. I just started using Hanna Cuvette Cleaning Solution (HI93703-50) applying it to my micro cloth when I wipe it of smudges. It helps make it crystal clear.
* place the cuvette in the reader in same position during blank and reagent readings. I usually line the 10ml reading to the front and centered where I can see it going into the reader to keep it aligned.
* pay attention to the curvature on the sample when you’re filling the cuvette. Make sure the bottom of the arch is touching the top of the line.
* use the plastic tips that come with the syringe and make sure the bottom of the plunger is on the top of the 1mL line on the syringe when you’re extracting reagent.
* use high quality distilled fresh water for your Hanna calcium test. I was using water from my 5 stage RODI, and switched to using Hanna’s Deionized Water (HI70436)
* get some cheap 10ml syringes off Amazon to use to fill the cuvettes. It’s so much easier than dipping and dumping from the display or sump. Just make sure you clean them and dry them after use.

So, all of this might be a bit much, but I like to dose and mitigate water quality issues with as much accuracy as possible. If I wasn’t worried about my wife kicking me out on the streets, I would graduate from the handheld checkers from Hanna to their higher end desktop multi tester models.

 

[zack801]

I use nitrile gloves when I handle the vials so no need to wipe prints. Then rinse after each use of course. Using Hanna alk and ULR checkers.

 

[Alfrareef]

Oh I've got a whole spreadsheet going haha Not the cheapest option per test for Alk, coming in about $.20-.14 more expensive than Red Sea and Salifert so maybe I'll save up on that one, but it is actually cheaper per test than the other brands for PO4 once you cross out the initial investment by .06 and .032 cents so hey only 816+ tests to break even

You should try it and forget the business case. I bet that after that you’ll buy the checkers!
I just rinse it with tap water and clean the fingerprints.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Hannah checkers were a great investment for me.

The alk is a life saver. I always had a tough time with the red sea alk test. Still use red sea for mag and cal but the hannah for alk is so fast and easy. I am definitely tracking and testing more frequently.

Po4 is great as well once you get the hang of the process.

I rinse my cuvettes with tap after use because I am to lazy to do it with RO. I twist a paper towel and dry the inside

I wipe the exterior for testing with the cloth that came with my refracto

 

[NemHost]

I rinse my cuvettes in tap water immediately after use filling and completely emptying the vial about 3 to 4 times. I then wrap it in a paper towel, dry the outside, and then shake it vigorously to get as much water out of the vial as possible.

I use a microfiber cloth that I got with a pair of sunglasses or an iPhone to clean the cuvette of any fingerprints before I insert it into the reader. I do this religiously!

There are a few things that I started doing that really helped produce more consistent readings:

* clean those cuvettes. I just started using Hanna Cuvette Cleaning Solution (HI93703-50) applying it to my micro cloth when I wipe it of smudges. It helps make it crystal clear.
* place the cuvette in the reader in same position during blank and reagent readings. I usually line the 10ml reading to the front and centered where I can see it going into the reader to keep it aligned.
* pay attention to the curvature on the sample when you’re filling the cuvette. Make sure the bottom of the arch is touching the top of the line.
* use the plastic tips that come with the syringe and make sure the bottom of the plunger is on the top of the 1mL line on the syringe when you’re extracting reagent.
* use high quality distilled fresh water for your Hanna calcium test. I was using water from my 5 stage RODI, and switched to using Hanna’s Deionized Water (HI70436)
* get some cheap 10ml syringes off Amazon to use to fill the cuvettes. It’s so much easier than dipping and dumping from the display or sump. Just make sure you clean them and dry them after use.

So, all of this might be a bit much, but I like to dose and mitigate water quality issues with as much accuracy as possible. If I wasn’t worried about my wife kicking me out on the streets, I would graduate from the handheld checkers from Hanna to their higher end desktop multi tester models.

I do exactly the same thing as stated above.
If you were to purchase one checker, go for alk. It’s a lot more important than checking phosphate.
Having said that, salifert alk test kit is cheap, easy to use and gives reliable results. phosphate test kits are a bit more difficult to interpret so Hanna phosphate checker has a greater appeal to many people.

 

[starypotter]

I'm considering the both but I'm leaning towards getting the phosphate checker as a Hanna purchase and all as RedSea/Salifert since I'm having trouble with my phosphates, they were once at 5.0 ppm (API) and are still fairly high with nitrate reading 0 so that's a balance I need to find over alk I feel at this point. Plus the RedSea phosphate kit is nearly as much as the Hanna to start up so might as well just go with the more highly recommended one.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Using Hanna since coming out with Colorimeter for reef tanks. After done with tester, dump colored fluid in sink, rinse with tap water thoroughly , then I rinse with distilled water, thoroughly. Shake vial alittle. Dry outer part of vial. In carry case put upside down so drains when stored away. Gotta keep clean.

 

[jonneyb]

Hannah checkers were a great investment for me.

The alk is a life saver. I always had a tough time with the red sea alk test. Still use red sea for mag and cal but the hannah for alk is so fast and easy. I am definitely tracking and testing more frequently.

Po4 is great as well once you get the hang of the process.

I rinse my cuvettes with tap after use because I am to lazy to do it with RO. I twist a paper towel and dry the inside

I wipe the exterior for testing with the cloth that came with my refracto

Same as what I do,no problems, great investment.

 

[scuzy]

I use a dab of dish washing soap and a tube cleaner brush.

 

[jsker]

Rinse and in to the dish washer. I clean with the heat dry cycle, then store the cuvettes. Before using I rinse with ro/di and test.

I was thinking phosphate checker and met Kevin from Hanna at RAP he it was suggested that I would be better with the ultra low phosphorus checker. I am glad I went with Kevin's recommendation.

Tip: use new syringes and tips for each test with the checkers, I am have next to no errors with the tests now.
Tip2: Get the maple syrup cuvettes link to replace or have extra cuvettes

 

[TMC1313]

I rinse, then take a couple of Q-tips and wipe the inside and rinse again.