Hanna checkers- pick 4!

[User]

Hi guys

Got a budget for 4 Hanna checkers- this’ll be for a mixed reef tank.

Which 4 would you pick, and why?

Thinking -

Phosphorus ULR
Alkalinity dKh
pH/temp pen
Calcium

Thoughts?

Might add copper for the hospital tank. That’s a different tank so...[emoji57]

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Just got my phosphate checker and love it. Waaaaaay easier than a test kit.

I plan on getting the dkh checker now as well. I have read the cal checker is very difficult. I watched an Aaron's aquariums youtube vid with hannah yesterday and it seems like quite the process. I find my red sea cal test to be very easy so will probably stick with that.

 

[SPR1968]

Hi personally use the dKH alkalinity and the phosphate ULR and they are very simple to use especially the alkalinity it’s very quick and easy.

I did order the calcium but having seen the contents of the box sent it straight back for a refund as my Red Sea kit looked easier.

I use a Red Sea for calcium and everything else.

Maybe have a look on you tube at some of the reviews as well to help you decide

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I would go with Phosphorus ULR and Alkalinity. The rest I would buy elsewhere.

The Hanna Calcium Checker has some problems with accuracy because of how much the sample has to be diluted. It's likely accurate enough, but I would rather have a simple Salifert calcium test kit for that one. For pH, I'd rather have a traditional pH electrode with a BNC connector. That way, I'm not locked into Hanna's replacement parts and could buy pH probes from any source I wanted.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

+1 on the Phosphorus ULR and Alkalinity. I really like the ease of the Hanna testers and no longer have to play the color guessing game.

 

[JMetaxas]

I have the Phosphate ULR and Alkalinity. Both work great.

When I run out of reagent of my Red Sea test kits, I'll get the Hanna Calcium checker.

 

[roberthu526]

I would just get the alk and phosphate ones

 

[jporter17]

I use the Phosphate checkers, DKH, and CA testers. They all work great. The CA is not hard really. Getting the powder regents to the vial is much easier pouring them in a folded business card and then into the vial. JP

 

[Bigfudge]

I use Phosphorus ULR, Alkalinity dKH, Calcium and the Copper test.

The Alkalinity tester is super quick and easy. Makes testing a breeze.

Phosphorus ULR- Good and easy.

Calcium - has quite a few steps, but I like it.

I use the Copper frequently on my QT and love it. It's accurate, and reads all types of copper.

I know some people complain about having difficulty pouring the powder reagent into the vial but I've found if I fold it to make a "V", it's super easy. I also purchased some small perfume funnels on Amazon that work wonders too. Cheap and easy fix.

 

[Jet915]

I use the phosphate and alk and like them.

 

[User]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate the input.

I’m a research scientist used to weighing out micrograms of powders- I took a look at what’s required for the calcium test and it seems ok.

Good point on the pH meter. That would be for my water change station (apex in the sump) and QT, so the pen version appealed to me.

I’ll mull it over a little while more before I order them.

Cheers

 

[cracker]

I really like the Po4 &Alk tester. Also considering the Ca . Haven't watched any of the How to clips yet.

 

[User]

I really like the Po4 &Alk tester. Also considering the Ca . Haven't watched any of the How to clips yet.

Phosphate or phosphorus ULR?

 

[Reeferdood]

Phosphorus, Alk, Ca, and I have a copper but rarely use it, absolutely love them.

 

[KrisReef]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate the input.

I’m a research scientist used to weighing out micrograms of powders- I took a look at what’s required for the calcium test and it seems ok.

Good point on the pH meter. That would be for my water change station (apex in the sump) and QT, so the pen version appealed to me.

I’ll mull it over a little while more before I order them.

Cheers

I think you will appreciate this question; Do you think Hanna's scientist accounted for the left behind powder that gets stuck inside the reagent package when they developed and published the methods for the various checkers?

I suspect they did, but I've never asked them or heard it mentioned anywhere else. I do know that the vials need to be aligned inside the checker in the same position during each test trial to avoid introducing light scattering error from within the glass vial itself.

I Love my ULR meter, but it's highly susceptible to operator error - or at least difficult to get repeated measurements. I'll look forward to your review after you get one. I purchased their standards set, and I wish I would have bought extra vials because I've dropped more than one and I have never seen one survive the bounce test.

 

[Skep18]

Only 1 I have is Copper but its definitely useful. Dosing initial quantities turned out to be pretty accurate so Hanna wasn't much help there. But doing water changes, it allows me to ensure I am still in the right range afterwards. Worth it.

 

[cracker]

I have both the ulr & the regular?

 

[Skep18]

I have both the ulr & the regular?

I use chelated copper so I use the regular. If using ionic copper you need the ULR.

 

[tiggs]

The alk (dkh version) and ULR phosphorous checkers are two tools I couldn't live without.

 

[Nick30G]

I recently got a ULR phosphate checker and it is definitely great and i think is very accurate. Only thing is its very susceptible to operator error, Whether that be you dont get all the powder out of the packet, or there is debris in the vial, throwing the reading off or finger prints on the vial. But once you get it down its a nice tool