Not to say that there isn't a possibility of bad batches giving bad results, but I've found with my Hanna checkers(both Alk and ULR Phos) that having a laboratory type regimen to the testing improves precision greatly. My process is probably overkill but I recently went on a two week vacation and had to write out my alk procedure for my tanksitter.
1. Flush seawater syringe in tank water
2. Fill cuvette on flat surface until meniscus on line
3. Cap and wipe down with soft microfiber rag, do not touch glass after wiping
4. Insert and face 10 ml mark on cuvette towards front with tester sitting on flat surface
5. Click to run C1
6. Remove by cap and hold bottom in microfiber to uncap
7. Check that reagent syringe tip is fully on and plunger is fully depressed
8. Draw from reagent until syringe is completely full(past 1ml mark)
9. Depress down to top of 1 ml mark
10. Fully depress reagent syringe into cuvette
11. Pick up glass using microfiber, cap, and invert 5 times
12. Insert, align 10ml mark, and click to run c2
I run the alk test daily within 15 mins of the same time. Make sure to avoid testing shortly after any two part additions as they take time to fully dissipate depending on flow rate of your return and powerheads and the amount dosed. I also rinse my cuvettes in RODI and dry on my baby bottle drying grass.
