Hanna a reagents are horrible

[DWill]

Have to say I’ve had zero issues with the Alk test. Calcium that’s another story. That Just doesn’t work well.

 

[Waynerock]

Here's the deal. As I use the test kit and the reagent gets older my alk climbs. I test at least three times a week.
This am I tested and got a 9.0 result. I opened a new reagent and re tested. 7.6. That's a huge difference!!!!
If I need a tester to check my tester, then what good is having it????

I always take the last bit of reagent when I’m changing to a new one and test and then test the first bit on the new bottle so I know my discrepancies going forward. For a $50 test kit it is what it is but mine is usually rocksolid and I’ve never seen more than a .3 variance switching to a new bottle of reagent. I test every single day

 

[adromero]

Only had problems with Hanna calcium testing instrument. Alk and phosphate checkers are always consistent, and I use them on two separate tanks.

 

[Joshua Mummery]

Whats the half life of the reagent once opened? Could this come into play?

 

[Scdell]

Do y'all listen? If it was a vial contamination issue then I'd get the same reading with the new reagent. No Ifs, ands or buts. It happens EVERY time I get to the end of the reagent. I've been using this for two years. It's only in the last six months or so this issue has popped up. About the same time I noticed the reagent starting to get things floating in the reagent at the end also.

 

[X-37B]

I test daily.
I store the viles with ro/di.
Fill and empty twice then fill to the line.
I like hanna because its fast.
I have salifert and elos as a cross reference.
A variance of .3 is nothing to worry about IMO.
I run a carx and hardly aver use the salifert or elos unless I get a weird reading.

 

[Miller535]

@Scdell I had a similar problem a little while back, here is my thread. It may help you.

is there a solution that i can make to verify alk reagent?

so I have been using the hannah checker for alk for i dont know, maybe 7 months. And have went through a few bottles of reagent. On fish of hex, he says when you are almost out of one bottle of reagent to test your alk, then right away test your alk again with the new bottle. So i did this today...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Albertan22]

Do y'all listen? If it was a vial contamination issue then I'd get the same reading with the new reagent. No Ifs, ands or buts. It happens EVERY time I get to the end of the reagent. I've been using this for two years. It's only in the last six months or so this issue has popped up. About the same time I noticed the reagent starting to get things floating in the reagent at the end also.

How long does it take you to get the bottom of the reagent? Is it ageing? Also, when I was talking to Hanna about my reagent issues they pointed out that the bottles have 25 tests in them, but are 30ml in size. You’re supposed to discard the bottom 5ml in the bottle. For what it is worth, I have seen the same creep. I have started switching bottles earlier as they recommended but only just the last two bottles so haven’t done it long enough to see if it makes a difference.

 

[Scdell]

How long does it take you to get the bottom of the reagent? Is it ageing? Also, when I was talking to Hanna about my reagent issues they pointed out that the bottles have 25 tests in them, but are 30ml in size. You’re supposed to discard the bottom 5ml in the bottle. For what it is worth, I have seen the same creep. I have started switching bottles earlier as they recommended but only just the last two bottles so haven’t done it long enough to see if it makes a difference.

I use it 3-4 times a week. Never leave the cap off. Why put 30 ml in bottle and say to dump the last 5 ml? Doesn't make sense. I guess I'll muddle through with this Hanna checker until my ION Director gets here. An alk test shouldn't be sooooo complicated with how important it is.
It's nice to know others are experiencing the same thing. I was beginning to think I was nuts.Lol

 

[Scdell]

@Scdell I had a similar problem a little while back, here is my thread. It may help you.

is there a solution that i can make to verify alk reagent?

so I have been using the hannah checker for alk for i dont know, maybe 7 months. And have went through a few bottles of reagent. On fish of hex, he says when you are almost out of one bottle of reagent to test your alk, then right away test your alk again with the new bottle. So i did this today...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you I'll read through it.

 

[Cmooreinor]

Also a good tip is to always store your cuvettes filled with RODI....

 

[Robertellis30]

I have noticed when you get to the bottom of the alk there’s sometimes slimy strings. That will throw off the reading. But after some vigorous shaking it usually goes away.

 

[Miller535]

Thank you I'll read through it.

People are often quick to throw out the "operator error" as the problem when it comes to testing. When there are some issues with the hannah reagents like the ones discussed in my thread. That hannah should do a better job of documenting and making known to the user.

 

[Scdell]

I have noticed when you get to the bottom of the alk there’s sometimes slimy strings. That will throw off the reading. But after some vigorous shaking it usually goes away.

Yeah it goes away, but then you have an aerated reagent. Of which I'm not fond of taking a measurement with.

 

[Scdell]

People are often quick to throw out the "operator error" as the problem when it comes to testing. When there are some issues with the hannah reagents like the ones discussed in my thread. That hannah should do a better job of documenting and making known to the user.

I agree. That's the point of my post. One pays good money for "top of the line" yet we get so so reagents. Or no documentation on how to use it properly. I'm not really comfortable with the stringy things.

 

[reefiniteasy]

I use my Hanna Alk checker 8-10 times per week. I haven’t really had any issues other than when I mess something up. However I do three things that help me get consistent results. I rinse the inside of the cuvettes with RODI water, I wipe the outside of the cuvettes with a microfiber wet with the Hanna Cuvetter cleaner, and I use a 10ml syringe to fill the cuvettes. I do not use the line as the lines are not always at the same height on the cuvettes.
I won’t say it’s user error as I’ve had reagent for my Salifert pH kit go bad before expiration. It changed color from being exposed to CO2

 

[vetteguy53081]

Assure vial is clean when testing

 

[Scdell]

I use my Hanna Alk checker 8-10 times per week. I haven’t really had any issues other than when I mess something up. However I do three things that help me get consistent results. I rinse the inside of the cuvettes with RODI water, I wipe the outside of the cuvettes with a microfiber wet with the Hanna Cuvetter cleaner, and I use a 10ml syringe to fill the cuvettes. I do not use the line as the lines are not always at the same height on the cuvettes.
I won’t say it’s user error as I’ve had reagent for my Salifert pH kit go bad before expiration. It changed color from being exposed to CO2

I do not use the line as the lines are not always at the same height on the cuvettes.

Well, doesn't that just verify discrepancies in their testers???

 

[Kfactor]

I just changed to new bottle last. Night and was only .2 off . I always keep the old bottle do a test with new and one with the old to find out we’re the new bottle is reading

 

[reefiniteasy]

Well, doesn't that just verify discrepancies in their testers???

Not necessarily. It would depend on how different the two test and if the little difference in water makes an impact. I don’t know. Also how many times did you use the new reagent when you first noticed the discrepancy.