Hanna Salinity VS Refractometer

[Hallowhead]

Howdy,

Happy Sunday all... I am having an anxiety attack over here... I was about to do a water change and decided to do my monthly calibration with my hanna tester. After calibrating my salinity of the tank was 1.023 and before it was reading 1.026 / 1.025. I panicked and grabbed my refractometer which reads 1.025 on the tank so I was like weird... I than tested my RO water which read zero salinity. I than decided to try the 35ppt calibration fluid from hanna to calibrate my refractometer which than shows my tank all sorts of wacked out.... I used another calibration packet and got the same results & than tried another packet from a different lot to find the same results... I don't know what to use and I am freaking out that my tank is completely the incorrect salinity.

 

[Daniel92481]

Chill pill! Seriously though, as long as you’re within range, keeping it stable, it will be fine. Stability is more important than chasing a specific number.

 

[Hallowhead]

I don't know if it's even in range.. should I just trust Hanna checker ?

I just grabbed my backup refractometer checker which was calibrated to RO water and it reads closer to what the hanna checker is however, it doesn't read 35ppt when using the calibration fluid

 

[tstar]

I struggle with the same mess... Red Sea refractometer constantly shifting/needing calibrated. I'm switching to the milwaukee digital!!

Tim

 

[Hallowhead]

I have just read you can't use digital calibration fluid on a refractometer

 

[tstar]

What sense does that make??

 

[Crabby48]

Howdy,

Happy Sunday all... I am having an anxiety attack over here... I was about to do a water change and decided to do my monthly calibration with my hanna tester. After calibrating my salinity of the tank was 1.023 and before it was reading 1.026 / 1.025. I panicked and grabbed my refractometer which reads 1.025 on the tank so I was like weird... I than tested my RO water which read zero salinity. I than decided to try the 35ppt calibration fluid from hanna to calibrate my refractometer which than shows my tank all sorts of wacked out.... I used another calibration packet and got the same results & than tried another packet from a different lot to find the same results... I don't know what to use and I am freaking out that my tank is completely the incorrect salinity.

I’m assuming you are talking about Hanna hand held.
My Hanna and 2 others read exactly the same.They always are .002 lower then any Refractometer weather digital or not. My apex splits the Difference between Hanna and refractometers.
I target 34ptt apex, 33ppt Hanna, 35ppt Refractometer

 

[Hallowhead]

What sense does that make??

Not much but If I calibrate my salinity probe to my 35 ppt calibration fluid my refractometer reads my salt tank at like 1.06

 

[Hallowhead]

I’m assuming you are talking about Hanna hand held.
My Hanna and 2 others read exactly the same.They always are .002 lower then any Refractometer weather digital or not. My apex splits the Difference between Hanna and refractometers.
I target 34ptt apex, 33ppt Hanna, 35ppt Refractometer

Yes the handheld I'm finding it to be ~.001 to .002 off

 

[Crabby48]

Yes the handheld I'm finding it to be ~.001 to .002 off

When I mixed a fresh batch of tropic Marin pro calcium and mag was way high when mixed to .35 Hanna. when mixed to 33ptt calcium and mag tested to spec.
I use my Hanna but subtract the difference

 

[dadnjesse]

I don't think you can use the Hanna calibration fluid to calibrate your refractometer.

 

[legrunt]

Please note that calibration fluid for Refractometers and Electrical Conductivity meters are very different.
EC calibration fluid is tuned for conductivity, whereas Refractometer calibration fluid is tuned for refractivity. They are not just 35ppt salt water.

 

[Hallowhead]

Please note that calibration fluid for Refractometers and Electrical Conductivity meters are very different.
EC calibration fluid is tuned for conductivity, whereas Refractometer calibration fluid is tuned for refractivity. They are not just 35ppt salt water.

That is what I read!

 

[mike550]

I only use the Hanna. Calibrate it every month using their calibration packets. As everyone points out Hanna is calibrated based on conductivity.

 

[Hallowhead]

I only use the Hanna. Calibrate it every month using their calibration packets. As everyone points out Hanna is calibrated based on conductivity.

do you find it off ~.001?

 

[mike550]

do you find it off ~.001?

Relative to what? The problem is if you have two testing methods and they don’t agree (let’s say a difference of 0.001) then which one is off or are they both off by 0.0005? So then you bring in a third test? Preferably that uses a different method.

Personally, I just strive for consistency. So if my reading is always 1.025 then I’m not too concerned if it’s really 1.024 or 1.026

FWIW a friend of mine tested using his hands and his kit. We got same reading.

 

[Hallowhead]

Relative to what? The problem is if you have two testing methods and they don’t agree (let’s say a difference of 0.001) then which one is off or are they both off by 0.0005? So then you bring in a third test? Preferably that uses a different method.

Personally, I just strive for consistency. So if my reading is always 1.025 then I’m not too concerned if it’s really 1.024 or 1.026

FWIW a friend of mine tested using his hands and his kit. We got same reading.

I will strive for consistency, however, knowing what the truth is, is helpful to keep parameters where they're supposed to... if your hanna says it's 1.025 but really 1.020 and you add new corals.. odds are they're going to die.

 

[mike550]

I will strive for consistency, however, knowing what the truth is, is helpful to keep parameters where they're supposed to... if your hanna says it's 1.025 but really 1.020 and you add new corals.. odds are they're going to die.

Completely agree! The Hanna checker states resolution as +/- 0.001. The Milwaukee is +/- 0.002.

So I’m hoping that it’s not off by 0.005!

 

[Butuz]

I had the same issue. my ICP test refereed this one. It came in favor of Hanna, so I have been relying on Hanna ever since. Either my BRS refr or their calibrating solution was off, doesn’t matter anymore anyway, Hanna is way easier to use, which is a bonus. Agree in general, you are within range no matter what, as long as stable.

 

[danieyella]

When you calibrate your hanna do you get the calibration fluid to the same temp as your tank? Or do you use it at room temp? I'm seeing a pretty big discrepancy between my hanna and refractometer after calibrating both with their respective fluids.... Hanna is reading at 1.021 and refractometer at 1.026 and I'm not sure which to trust....