Hanah vs Salifert calcium tests. Which one to trust!?

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Salty.Reefer

Salty.Reefer

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Hey everyone,
I have been trying to improve my calcium levels for the past few weeks. I have been dosing 2 little fishes calcium pronto every other day at 30mls for a 60 gallon tank. I have raised it from 340 to 370 using the salifert test kit. I got the hanah checker from brs Black Friday and I think it might be reading pretty high. Every time I have used the test kit it reads 490-520! Which test should I trust?
 
Tidal Gardens
Salty.Reefer said:
Hey everyone,
I have been trying to improve my calcium levels for the past few weeks. I have been dosing 2 little fishes calcium pronto every other day at 30mls for a 60 gallon tank. I have raised it from 340 to 370 using the salifert test kit. I got the hanah checker from brs Black Friday and I think it might be reading pretty high. Every time I have used the test kit it reads 490-520! Which test should I trust?
Click to expand...

Maybe not either one lol

That said, more folks report problems with the Hanna Calcium than the Salifert.
 
One seems quite low and the other quite high. In all honesty, I'd try to get a third opinion. I suspect that your Salifert kit has was off and that you've now raised the calcium pretty high, but investigating that will require using a third test.

I would also make sure to take your time with the tests as I get comparable results from Salifert and Red Sea kits if I take my time and wait the prescribed time for mixing reagents. If I try to speed up the process, I see notable variations.

BTW, I love San Clemente and got my last bike from SC Cyclery. A piece of my soul is stuck there. I should post my pics of the area as I might have a shot of your house.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
Breadman03 said:
One seems quite low and the other quite high. In all honesty, I'd try to get a third opinion. I suspect that your Salifert kit has was off and that you've now raised the calcium pretty high, but investigating that will require using a third test.

I would also make sure to take your time with the tests as I get comparable results from Salifert and Red Sea kits if I take my time and wait the prescribed time for mixing reagents. If I try to speed up the process, I see notable variations.

BTW, I love San Clemente and got my last bike from SC Cyclery. A piece of my soul is stuck there. I should post my pics of the area as I might have a shot of your house.
Click to expand...
I agree on the high low. That's what making me nervous haha. I have been being as patient as possible because the difference is scary. Haha who knows if I'm high or low!

I love SC too. I got a bike from there a long time ago when I was in middle school. Great place!
 
Anyone else have an opinion?

Later today I am going to mix up some instant ocean which they claim should be exactly 400. Hopefully that gives me a better idea!
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
Test Results!
This test relies upon the confidence in Instant Ocean's claim that 1.026 of their salt will have a concentration of 400ppm and my refractometer is correct. I say both are likely but not for certain.
Salifert: 410ppm
Hanna: 520:mad:!
Well this is kind of frustrating haha. Still not confident to dose calcium but I totally love the growth I have been getting recently.
 
And the Ca test is maybe the hardest/most complicated of the Checkers to run. You should be able to get more or less matching results between the Salifert and Hanna kits if you're doing it right.

(Unless your kit or reagents are out of date.)
 
Tidal Gardens
I too was having the same problem. Hanna was always about 50 ppm higher than salifert. I then bought the red sea and it was on par with salifert. Still being unsure I sent a triton test out and it matched the salifert/red sea numbers. I have since sent a few more water tests out always checking with all 3 tests(all other parameters as well for that matter) and the salifert seems to be the most consistently accurate for me so I am sticking with that one. I also converted to triton for dosing and everything in my tank seems to be staying way more stable than 2 part ever did.
 
mcarroll said:
And the Ca test is maybe the hardest/most complicated of the Checkers to run. You should be able to get more or less matching results between the Salifert and Hanna kits if you're doing it right.

(Unless your kit or reagents are out of date.)
Click to expand...
Huh seems like some other people are getting the same results I did. Are you able to duplicate results with the two test kits? All my kits are with in the acceptable dates.
 
Avast
Salty.Reefer said:
Are you able to duplicate results with the two test kits?
Click to expand...

Yes. It took some practice though! I ran parallel tests on both kits (Hach too, actually) simultaneously for a few months. (Testing weekly-ish.)

Remember that every step is crucial, including labware cleanup. Watch any and all related YouTube videos if you haven't already.

Take more time during the tests if you're rushing at all. Etc.

You'll get it!! :)
 
mcarroll said:
Yes. It took some practice though! I ran parallel tests on both kits (Hach too, actually) simultaneously for a few months. (Testing weekly-ish.)

Remember that every step is crucial, including labware cleanup. Watch any and all related YouTube videos if you haven't already.

Take more time during the tests if you're rushing at all. Etc.

You'll get it!! :)
Click to expand...

Nice! I am very new to the Hanna test. Hopefully I will get it right soon.
 
Deltec
If you get the Hanna PO4, get the Phosphorous ULR checker and use the conversion equation to convert to phosphate. I find the Phosphorous ULR checker to be more accurate than the Hanna Low Range Phosphate checker.
 
Nutramar Foods
Water Dog said:
If you get the Hanna PO4, get the Phosphorous ULR checker and use the conversion equation to convert to phosphate. I find the Phosphorous ULR checker to be more accurate than the Hanna Low Range Phosphate checker.
Click to expand...

Agree completely! PPB x 3.066/1000 (or PPB x 0.003066)
 
Salty.Reefer said:
Haha bummer. How do you test calcium?
Click to expand...

I haven't measured it for years (except via Triton) since it is always OK, but Salifert is a fine kit for it and that's the last one I used.
 

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