Hanna high range nitrate checker

[Oregon Grown Reef]

I posted in the other thread posted here, but this has been much more accurate for me. I don't get different readings like that. I follow the instructions to the T. First I make sure the vial is facing the same way the whole time. I shake the vial for 2 minutes exactly, inverting it slowly the last 10-15 seconds to get microbubbles out. It's important to wipe off the vial and to also rinse/store with water inside. If you don't, the glass gets stained. The checker won't be able to tell if the glass is stained with the c1, just that light passes through properly. It just knows that, if "x" color, then this.

I'm not saying you're not doing these things, but you won't get consistent results if you don't.

 

[BoxKing]

Even if the vials were slightly imperfect from one another, there is no way you can get two separate results like the ones you listed without one of your testing variables being skewed.

When testing Phos/Nitrate, I always pull from the sump, after the filter chamber to lower the chances of contaminating the sample with DT water

Are you filling the vial the same every test?
How diligent are you at making sure all of the powder is removed from the pack?

9/10 times the impact on results are user defined, not the kit itself.

 

[IKD]

I posted in the other thread posted here, but this has been much more accurate for me. I don't get different readings like that. I follow the instructions to the T. First I make sure the vial is facing the same way the whole time. I shake the vial for 2 minutes exactly, inverting it slowly the last 10-15 seconds to get microbubbles out. It's important to wipe off the vial and to also rinse/store with water inside. If you don't, the glass gets stained. The checker won't be able to tell if the glass is stained with the c1, just that light passes through properly. It just knows that, if "x" color, then this.

I'm not saying you're not doing these things, but you won't get consistent results if you don't.

I’m curious about leaving water inside for storage. I get the idea but couldn’t that also cause bacterial/algae growth in the glass over time? Hanna recommends rinsing with DI water and air drying

“The cuvettes should also be completely air-dried after rinsing to prevent any unwanted dilution of the sample when performing your next test.

Always empty and rinse cuvettes with distilled or DI (deionized) water after testing. When placing the cuvettes back in the case, leave the caps off.”

8 Best Practices for Using Your Hanna Marine Checker

There are many things that can negatively impact results when testing your aquarium. Find out how to prevent bad readings with these best practices.

blog.hannainst.com

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

I’m curious about leaving water inside for storage. I get the idea but couldn’t that also cause bacterial/algae growth in the glass over time? Hanna recommends rinsing with DI water and air drying

“The cuvettes should also be completely air-dried after rinsing to prevent any unwanted dilution of the sample when performing your next test.

Always empty and rinse cuvettes with distilled or DI (deionized) water after testing. When placing the cuvettes back in the case, leave the caps off.”

8 Best Practices for Using Your Hanna Marine Checker

There are many things that can negatively impact results when testing your aquarium. Find out how to prevent bad readings with these best practices.

blog.hannainst.com

Their stated reasons are for dilution purposes. I rinse my vials prior to testing regardless and use a syringe to draw 10ml. I don't want there to be water stains, so I leave water in mine and rinse accordingly with tank water.

 

[Reef.]

If true then test C1 would be unnecessary I would think.

C1 is checking the colour of the starting tank water, it isn’t trying to guess what the colour of that tank water is through a foggy vial!

Do you really think that a C1 check can make up for any knackered old foggy vial you put in the checker...just press the button and the checker can see past all that!

 

[Patman]

It's worked well, just put no3 and po4 on a doser thanks to being able to easily and accurately test, even if mine was off 1-2ppm it would still work for what I need it too.

 

[SMSREEF]

I like mine.
it’s so much easier that trying to read shades of pink.

 

[jrill]

C1 is checking the colour of the starting tank water, it isn’t trying to guess what the colour of that tank water is through a foggy vial!

Do you really think that a C1 check can make up for any knackered old foggy vial you put in the checker...just press the button and the checker can see past all that!

Yes

 

[Saltyreef]

Someone already said it.

Vial clarity is key.
Store your vials completely full of DI water with no air.
Drying with a non scratching microfiber cloth.

I have a special turner chemical checker from nalco that uses a plastic cuvette and it has to be replaced every few months due to the water hardness of my testing loop and wiping dry with a paper towel.

 

[Reef.]

Yes

Now you know different.

 

[jrill]

Now you know different.

Then riddle me this? Why is C1 done.?
So I ran a little test. I covered a vial with scotch tape to duplicate a worn dirty vial and ran the test. Result was 8.4.
Removed the tape and cleaned the vial. Reran the test and got 8.4.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Then riddle me this? Why is C1 done.?
So I ran a little test. I covered a vial with scotch tape to duplicate a worn dirty vial and ran the test. Result was 8.4.
Removed the tape and cleaned the vial. Reran the test and got 8.4.

C1 is done to zero in the test (set point) the C2 is measured by calculating the difference from the set point to the end point.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Then riddle me this? Why is C1 done.?
So I ran a little test. I covered a vial with scotch tape to duplicate a worn dirty vial and ran the test. Result was 8.4.
Removed the tape and cleaned the vial. Reran the test and got 8.4.

Did you cover the bottom as well? the light shines through the bottom to take a reading

 

[jrill]

I did

Did you cover the bottom as well? the light shines through the bottom to take a reading

Yes I did.

 

[jrill]

C1 is done to zero in the test (set point) the C2 is measured by calculating the difference from the set point to the end point.

Exactly. That was what I had stated earlier and was told that was wrong

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Exactly. That was what I had stayed earlier and was told that was wrong.

Yea I’m not sure how the heads started to buck here. But hanna states that a dirty vial or even bubbles, will impair the machine and skew results. so I relay the same advice.

 

[jrill]

Yea I’m not sure how the heads started to buck here. But hanna states that a dirty vial or even bubbles, will impair the machine and skew results. so I relay the same advice.

Me too. I always do my best to make sure the vial is clean

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Me too. I always do my best to make sure the vial is clean

Same but I swear my shirts are leaving swirl marks. I use a microfiber when I’m done rinsing but always find myself using a shirt during the test procedure hah.

 

[ceaver]

Then riddle me this? Why is C1 done.?
So I ran a little test. I covered a vial with scotch tape to duplicate a worn dirty vial and ran the test. Result was 8.4.
Removed the tape and cleaned the vial. Reran the test and got 8.4.

Reviving a terribly old thread here, on account of seeing what folks think about the no3 HR checker. About to pull the trigger on one...

As an aside, regarding this riddle, I recently sold my Hanna pH checker because not long after opening the liquid reagent bottle it seems to "spoil" and starts giving you a reading of 8.6 no matter what you do or test. There's a thread on here about it. It seems the Hanna alk checker, which also uses liquid reagent, suffers from similar issues (also threads on here about that one, too). Could be the culprit in this riddle, or not, but definitely something for all checker users to be aware of...

Glad to see this one uses the sachets like the phosphate and phosphorous do!