Does anyone use a Hach Colorimeter for their reef testing?

[Tyler Sheley]

I work in industrial water treatment industry and have my own Hach DR900 colorimeter that I use frequently out in the field to test many of the same things (not all) that reefers are testing. I am wondering if anyone has experience using Hach meters for some of their reef testing or are they not very useful?

I don't currently have a reef tank yet but have recently become obsessed with learning about them and will be getting a system in the near future.

 

[BrianPoni]

Bump

 

[Silver14SS]

@Dana Riddle does I believe, I think they posted about it in the last week or so.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Yup. I've used a Hach DR890 for years.

 

[Tyler Sheley]

Yup. I've used a Hach DR890 for years.

Which tests do you perform with your DR890 and specific method?

I ask only because my DR900 has like 4 different methods for phosphate, a few for nitrite, nitrate and ammonia. Also, procedures for nitrate from hach website also say if testing sea water need to be recalibrated to be accurate. Did you have to do this with you DR890?

 

[Dana Riddle]

Which tests do you perform with your DR890 and specific method?

I ask only because my DR900 has like 4 different methods for phosphate, a few for nitrite, nitrate and ammonia. Also, procedures for nitrate from hach website also say if testing sea water need to be recalibrated to be accurate. Did you have to do this with you DR890?

These are the testing methods I use:
Ammonia: Salicylate Method.
Phosphorus: PhosVer 3 (Ascorbic Acid) Method
Nitrate: Cadmium-Reduction Method. This sensitive to chloride concentrations and results in seawater are low. At one time, I had spiked Hach's nitrate standard with salt and recorded absorption to find multiplier. Unfortunately, I have lost that file. I'll order that standard next time and repeat the procedure. Without correction, the nitrate in my tank is presently at 0.5 mg/L.
Color, True and Apparent: Requires filtration of sample to determine True Color.
Copper: CuVer Method.
Iron, Ferrous: 1,10 Phenanthroline Method.
Iron, Total. FerroVer Method: Total Iron minus Ferrous Iron = Ferric Iron.
Nitrite: Diazotization Method.
Fluoride: SPADNS Method.
I expect to receive a DRB 200 block heater today and plan to order TNT Total Nitrogen (requires sample dilution) and Total/Acid Hydrolyzable Phosphorus. These numbers can be used to determine organic/inorganic species.
For Alkalinity and Total Sequential Hardness (Calcium/Magnesium): Digital Titrator using sulfuric acid and EDTA titrants, respectively.
ORP, Dissolved Oxygen, and pH: Intellical probe and appropriate sensors coupled with a Hach HQ40d datalogger.
I have also tested spiked samples for Zinc.
These are testing I do off the top of my head.
The DR 890 is a fine instrument and has given me years of service. Eventually, I'll upgrade to a newer instrument capable of measuring TNT Plus reagents.

 

[BigHildy53]

I use a DR890 I received from my brother. He's in the water testing industry and had an extra one. I test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphorous and occationally iron, copper and silica.

 

[Tyler Sheley]

These are the testing methods I use:
Ammonia: Salicylate Method.
Phosphorus: PhosVer 3 (Ascorbic Acid) Method
Nitrate: Cadmium-Reduction Method. This sensitive to chloride concentrations and results in seawater are low. At one time, I had spiked Hach's nitrate standard with salt and recorded absorption to find multiplier. Unfortunately, I have lost that file. I'll order that standard next time and repeat the procedure. Without correction, the nitrate in my tank is presently at 0.5 mg/L.
Color, True and Apparent: Requires filtration of sample to determine True Color.
Copper: CuVer Method.
Iron, Ferrous: 1,10 Phenanthroline Method.
Iron, Total. FerroVer Method: Total Iron minus Ferrous Iron = Ferric Iron.
Nitrite: Diazotization Method.
Fluoride: SPADNS Method.
I expect to receive a DRB 200 block heater today and plan to order TNT Total Nitrogen (requires sample dilution) and Total/Acid Hydrolyzable Phosphorus. These numbers can be used to determine organic/inorganic species.
For Alkalinity and Total Sequential Hardness (Calcium/Magnesium): Digital Titrator using sulfuric acid and EDTA titrants, respectively.
ORP, Dissolved Oxygen, and pH: Intellical probe and appropriate sensors coupled with a Hach HQ40d datalogger.
I have also tested spiked samples for Zinc.
These are testing I do off the top of my head.
The DR 890 is a fine instrument and has given me years of service. Eventually, I'll upgrade to a newer instrument capable of measuring TNT Plus reagents.

Thank you! This is precisely what I was looking for.

For the NOx tests, I have the option for "chemical form" as "NO3-N" or "NO3". Is this sort of the same concept how hardness is often reported like "Ca as CaCO3" except this is "nitrate as nitrogen"? I'm sure its just a conversion factor to convert from one to the other, but if I were testing nitrate, I assume I would want to change the chemical form to just NO3 and not NO3-N, correct?

Also wondering what the TNT Plus reagents are you're speaking of. Many of the different test methods on the DR900 have the TNT method.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Thank you! This is precisely what I was looking for.

For the NOx tests, I have the option for "chemical form" as "NO3-N" or "NO3". Is this sort of the same concept how hardness is often reported like "Ca as CaCO3" except this is "nitrate as nitrogen"? I'm sure its just a conversion factor to convert from one to the other, but if I were testing nitrate, I assume I would want to change the chemical form to just NO3 and not NO3-N, correct?

Also wondering what the TNT Plus reagents are you're speaking of. Many of the different test methods on the DR900 have the TNT method.

To convert NO3 as N to NO3, multiply by 4.4. I prefer to report as NO3-N (since nitrogen is the nutrient, not the 3 oxygens attached.) I use the TNT tubes for Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus since these require vigorous digestion in the DRB 200 heat block. My DR890 colorimeter is not programmed and is therefore not capable of analyzing the newer TNT-Plus tests. But yes on the older TNT methods. I would like to see Hach make their colorimeters with a USB port in order to upgrade software. But that would prevent sales of newer spectrometers. Silly me.

 

[Tyler Sheley]

To convert NO3 as N to NO3, multiply by 4.4. I prefer to report as NO3-N (since nitrogen is the nutrient, not the 3 oxygens attached.) I use the TNT tubes for Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus since these require vigorous digestion in the DRB 200 heat block. My DR890 colorimeter is not programmed and is therefore not capable of analyzing the newer TNT-Plus tests. But yes on the older TNT methods. I would like to see Hach make their colorimeters with a USB port in order to upgrade software. But that would prevent sales of newer spectrometers. Silly me.

Thank you so much for your help.

The DR900 does have a usb port but I'm pretty sure its just for data logging.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Thank you so much for your help.

The DR900 does have a usb port but I'm pretty sure its just for data logging.

The Hach DRB 200 digester arrived today and it is just as advertised. Sometimes things too good to be true are actually true - just as this is at ~33% below Hach's advertised price. I ordered Total P and Total N reagents today as well as a Nitrate Standard.

 

[Tyler Sheley]

The Hach DRB 200 digester arrived today and it is just as advertised. Sometimes things too good to be true are actually true - just as this is at ~33% below Hach's advertised price. I ordered Total P and Total N reagents today as well as a Nitrate Standard.

Very nice! Do you work in water treatment as well or in a chemistry lab or something? Or just a testing junky?

 

[Dana Riddle]

Very nice! Do you work in water treatment as well or in a chemistry lab or something? Or just a testing junky?

I either worked in a wet lab or was responsible for their operation during my 35 years in the field. Biggest gig were the potable water/wastewater/irrigation systems at the Four Seasons and Kukio resorts in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Plus testing junky.

 

[Tyler Sheley]

These are the testing methods I use:
Ammonia: Salicylate Method.
Phosphorus: PhosVer 3 (Ascorbic Acid) Method
Nitrate: Cadmium-Reduction Method. This sensitive to chloride concentrations and results in seawater are low. At one time, I had spiked Hach's nitrate standard with salt and recorded absorption to find multiplier. Unfortunately, I have lost that file. I'll order that standard next time and repeat the procedure. Without correction, the nitrate in my tank is presently at 0.5 mg/L.
Color, True and Apparent: Requires filtration of sample to determine True Color.
Copper: CuVer Method.
Iron, Ferrous: 1,10 Phenanthroline Method.
Iron, Total. FerroVer Method: Total Iron minus Ferrous Iron = Ferric Iron.
Nitrite: Diazotization Method.
Fluoride: SPADNS Method.
I expect to receive a DRB 200 block heater today and plan to order TNT Total Nitrogen (requires sample dilution) and Total/Acid Hydrolyzable Phosphorus. These numbers can be used to determine organic/inorganic species.
For Alkalinity and Total Sequential Hardness (Calcium/Magnesium): Digital Titrator using sulfuric acid and EDTA titrants, respectively.
ORP, Dissolved Oxygen, and pH: Intellical probe and appropriate sensors coupled with a Hach HQ40d datalogger.
I have also tested spiked samples for Zinc.
These are testing I do off the top of my head.
The DR 890 is a fine instrument and has given me years of service. Eventually, I'll upgrade to a newer instrument capable of measuring TNT Plus reagents.

For alkalinity testing with your digital titrator, are you just testing m alk with the methyl green indicator?

 

[Dana Riddle]

For alkalinity testing with your digital titrator, are you just testing m alk with the methyl green indicator?

I measure bicarbonate alkalinity (total alkalinity in this case) via titration with 1.6N sulfuric acid and bromcrescol green/methyl red as the pH indicator. My pH probe won't calibrate but if it did, I would titrate to a pH endpoint of 4.2.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wow that was enlightening!!!

It was much more enlightening than your post. Now that they know, folks who want to can look to his many articles where he uses it.

 

[ReeferMadness01]

I have a dr820...it’s an older model...trying to figure out how to use it to test my samples also.

 

[Dana Riddle]

I have a dr820...it’s an older model...trying to figure out how to use it to test my samples also.

You're probably aware, but Hach has test protocols on their website. Try to buy their reagents through Amazon (or maybe eBay) first, as Hach wants to charge an arm and a leg for shipping.

 

[ReeferMadness01]

You're probably aware, but Hach has test protocols on their website. Try to buy their reagents through Amazon (or maybe eBay) first, as Hach wants to charge an arm and a leg for shipping.

Didn’t know that!! Thanks I’ll look into it now.

 

[Malcontent]

Another option is to buy non-Hach reagents. See if the Hach part number you want is listed here:

http://www.orbeco.com/download/Lovibond_VARIO_Cross_Reference.pdf

Then search for the corresponding Lovibond part number here:

Lab Equipment, Supplies, Instruments & Tools | Nova-Tech International

Nova-Tech International provides high quality lab equipment and general lab supplies. Metering Pumps, thermometers, hydrometers and much more.

www.novatech-usa.com

They don't charge sales tax or, to the best of my knowledge, $50 hazmat fees like Hach. Lovibond reagents are drop shipped from the manufacturer in FL.

For example, if you want the Hach ammonia test part # 2668000 the Lovibond part # is 535500.