Nitrate Checker vs Dip Strips

[tbrown]

Now I know everyone says you can't rely on the dip strips for accurate readings, and I'm to here to agree! I recently received a Hanna NO3 HR Checker (thanks @RiptideAquaculture !!!) and ran my nitrates. I had been using some Amazon dip strips to give me a basic ball park and they were just showing a hint of pink so we're good there. Hanna? She says I'm at 39.4! That should have been bright pink on the strips. I'm definitely going to verify the Hanna number - going to take a sample to my local pool company and Petco for comparisons. I know neither of them use good equipment but at least I'll have something. The crazy thing about the dip strips is that I have used probably 40 out of the bottle and NONE of them have ever even registered at 10!

Make sure you have trustworthy tests and always double check your reads.

 

[RiptideAquaculture]

very true! good luck and let us now how this goes!

 

[Gtinnel]

This may sound obvious but make sure you follow the procedures for the Hanna checker perfectly. Also, for the Hanna checkers it’s important to make sure the cuvette stays clean. I wipe mine off with a micro fiber towel every time I put it in the checker. Then when I’m done I rinse and fill mine up with rodi water to prevent any kind of residue from forming on the inside.

Lets us know what you find out.

 

[Gtinnel]

Also, wow they got that checker to you quick.

 

[tbrown]

This may sound obvious but make sure you follow the procedures for the Hanna checker perfectly. Also, for the Hanna checkers it’s important to make sure the cuvette stays clean. I wipe mine off with a micro fiber towel every time I put it in the checker. Then when I’m done I rinse and fill mine up with rodi water to prevent any kind of residue from forming on the inside.

Lets us know what you find out.

I use Hanna Checkers at work along with Hach so I am aware but thanks for the reminder!

When the two minutes of mixing was complete, it was definitely red so I trust the Hanna read way more than the test strips.

 

[tbrown]

Also, wow they got that checker to you quick.

They dropped it in the mail that same day!

 

[tbrown]

Also: if you're heading to Reef A Palooza Orlando, check out booth 609!!!!

 

[Gtinnel]

I use Hanna Checkers at work along with Hach so I am aware but thanks for the reminder!

When the two minutes of mixing was complete, it was definitely red so I trust the Hanna read way more than the test strips.

Yeah sorry I forgot that you said you’ve used them before. If you can’t get a definite answer from a local store then I personally like Saliferts nitrate test as a backup.
I agree though that I would trust the Hanna over a strip also.

 

[tbrown]

Yeah sorry I forgot that you said you’ve used them before. If you can’t get a definite answer from a local store then I personally like Saliferts nitrate test as a backup.
I agree though that I would trust the Hanna over a strip also.

Even if I have used them before it's always a good reminder! I've got guys working for me that have been in the industry for 30+ years that I just found out don't know that there is a different procedure for total and free chlorine... They thought all samples are: add water, zero, add regent, swirl, read.

 

[Gtinnel]

Even if I have used them before it's always a good reminder! I've got guys working for me that have been in the industry for 30+ years that I just found out don't know that there is a different procedure for total and free chlorine... They thought all samples are: add water, zero, add regent, swirl, read.

I’m almost embarrassed to admit when I first started using my Hanna checker for phosphate I didn’t realize you have to hold the button to start a timer on the phosphate checker.
For a long time I just zeroes the checker added the reagent and agitated it for 2 minutes, then put it in the checker and pressed the button to immediately get the reading.
It wasn’t until I accidentally watched a YouTube video of someone using it that I found out I was using it wrong.

I also, not long ago, was getting very inconsistent reading because I would get a cup of water from my tank for the samples, but it was the same cup I would thaw frozen food in. You’d be amazed how much phosphates can increase in the sample from a small amount of old food in the bottom of the cup.

 

[tbrown]

I’m almost embarrassed to admit when I first started using my Hanna checker for phosphate I didn’t realize you have to hold the button to start a timer on the phosphate checker.
For a long time I just zeroes the checker added the reagent and agitated it for 2 minutes, then put it in the checker and pressed the button to immediately get the reading.
It wasn’t until I accidentally watched a YouTube video of someone using it that I found out I was using it wrong.

I also, not long ago, was getting very inconsistent reading because I would get a cup of water from my tank for the samples, but it was the same cup I would thaw frozen food in. You’d be amazed how much phosphates can increase in the sample from a small amount of old food in the bottom of the cup.

Yep. Especially since food is a large part of our phosphates!

 

[Gtinnel]

Yep. Especially since food is a large part of our phosphates!

It was just a lapse in judgement on my part. It took me a while to figure out why on a test from one day to the next my phosphates would sometimes go from .5 to .02.