Myka
Valuable Member
The calcium checker I believe is a waste of money. It uses 0.1 mL of tank water to test, which means if your measuring is off by 10% (0.11 or 0.09 by accident), then your reading will be off by 10%. So if the actual level is 420 ppm you can easily get a user error reading of anywhere between 378 ppm to 462 ppm. Plus you need to get every last grain of powder out of that stupid little packet (and into the tiny tube opening) because the calcium in the water reacts in relation to a given volume of powder. Then add to all that the device accuracy of +/- 6%. So even if you measure the water exactly perfect, and get every grain of that powder out of that stupid little packet your reading could still vary between 395 ppm to 445 ppm. I have the Calcium checker, and it sits in a closet. I don't even have the heart to sell it to someone else.
Neither Elos nor Salifert list their accuracy - if anyone knows, please post!
The alkalinity checker is great. No stupid packet, and you fill the whole 10 mL test tube with tank water. This one is super easy, and I can match readings between it and the Elos test kit.
Both the low range and the ultra low range phosphate/phosphorus checkers are awesome. You fill the whole 10 mL test tube with tank water for testing. You do have a stupid little packet you have to empty into the tiny little test tube opening, and it does take some practice to get it all (mostly) in there. However, this test does not rely on you getting every grain in there. Unless you're testing at the very top range of the checker's ability, you don't need all the powder in the test tube. Simply put, the powder reacts with the phosphate/phosphorus at a certain ratio (which the checker is looking for) and as long as there is more powder than P the checker will read it fine. The upper limit of the checker is partially due to the amount of powder in each test packet. I can match readings between the low range checker and the D-D test kit.
Don't worry about pH. pH is a result of many factors, and as long as your other factors are in line the pH will be fine. If you test pH you're more likely to try to mess with it, and that will cause you more grief than anything. IMO, pH testing is for more advanced hobbyists who understand it.
Don't worry about nitrite either. It's not toxic in saltwater at any concentration that you're likely to see in your tank. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php
For ammonia, I like to use the API kit. I find the accuracy of these kits becomes questionable after about a year after opening it, so I write the date on it and buy a new one yearly. They are super cheap. The reason I like the API kit is because it is compatible with ammonia detoxifiers because it is a Nessler-type kit. Both Elos and Salifert are salicylate kits and are not compatible with ammonia detoxifiers. After your tank has cycled you probably won't even use an ammonia kit anyway unless you do a tank transfer or if you have a quarantine tank. SeaChem puts out a product called an Ammonia Alert which is a little tag that you put right into the tank. I love these things. I don't find they are accurate as far as the numerical value they suggest, but they do work very well as an alert - they change color when ammonia is present. You can add an ammonia detoxifier and the color will return to "0". These need to be replaced yearly as well, and are also cheap. I keep one in the sump of each system, and in each quarantine tank.
Really there is nothing wrong with hanna.
if there was they would be out of business.
people just don't know how to properly use them
[...]
So the calcium checker is hit or miss?
do you know that if someone even a business interprets the instructions wrong it is EXACTLY 100 PPM high
I know where the flaw is in the directions
That right there is a huge pitfall. The P checkers and Alk checker are super easy to use. The calcium one needs work imo. Instead of being so vague, you could post up the flaw so everyone can learn (and maybe email Hanna like I did lol).
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