uscstaylor
Community Member
Just bought the 736 off eBay, thanks guys
Phosphate Meter for SPS
- Thread starter Hampton
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Hampton
Active Member
Price? How about a link, too, please.
kuyatwo
Well-Known Member
for our purpose they are equal
if your test kits test for phospourous then you will need to do the conversion
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nature786
Well-Known Member
Question: If I bought a used one here and it didn't come with a box or anything just the checker. How do I know which one I got and What reagents should I order?
I was under the assumption they made only one when I purchased it.
Thanks in Advance.
I was under the assumption they made only one when I purchased it.
Thanks in Advance.
I respectfully disagree with you, and agree with JServedio completely. Having used both for an SPS system and having used the more expensive Merck Kit (as well as the D&D Kit), the Hanna ULR Phosphorus meter is the one to get.
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Hampton
Active Member
Currently, they seem to be different colors: 713 - Ultra Light Green, 736 (Ultra Low) Light Green
Either way, over the display window, the 713 shows ppm (parts per million); the 736 show ppb (parts per billion)
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Hampton
Active Member
Just got the 736. Did the test. Got 5.
X 3 = 15.5.
15.5ppb, or , .0155ppm.
I'm very surprised it was this low. I feed a lot, but I also use Phosban and the drops (drops the day after feeding the corals which is about 2-3 times a week). I use 40% of the max allowed drops.
X 3 = 15.5.
15.5ppb, or , .0155ppm.
I'm very surprised it was this low. I feed a lot, but I also use Phosban and the drops (drops the day after feeding the corals which is about 2-3 times a week). I use 40% of the max allowed drops.
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Chameleon
Valuable Member
to each their own and I can understand this view completely. I like reading a number and not having to convert since arithmetic is not my strong suit. others may feel like me and to say the ULN Hanna meter is the only way to know where you are at phosphate wise may be a bit of an overstatement as the lesser accurate version gets you in the ball park as well. in my experience, whether my phosphates are .00 or .04 I do not see much difference in growth or coloration and I have been fine with the less accurate version.
Jimbo
Well-Known Member
The 736 ULR is better for the purposes of an SPS tank. If you dont like to do the math here's a nice easy chart http://www.beananimal.com/other/hanna-hi-736-checker-hc-opinion.aspx I printed it out and keep it in the box
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Hampton
Active Member
Jimbo,
That link is SPOT ON! That guy accurately depicts the deficiencies. My advice (as a Chemistry Major, though not current):
1) Shake the packet to get reagent down to bottom. Open packet. Empty contents into dry, empty cuvette. Take your time and use a knife to pry open foil packet and get all of the reagent out of the packet's corners (ridiculous, but necessary).
2) Fill 2nd cuvette (mine came with 2) with 10ml of aquarium water from your own syringe and put the cap on the cuvette.
3) Then, fill original cuvette (already has dry reagent) with 10ml of aquarium water from your own syringe. Cap the cuvette and begin tipping it upside down and back.
4) While tipping back and forth, push button on tester. When C1 comes up, place cuvette #2 (plain aquar. water) into the tester, shut the top, and push the button again. Take your time doing this. Once it comes up with C2, you only have 2 minutes before it turns itself off and you have to start over. The key is to time it so that the reagent gets dissolved at about the same C2 comes up. It should take about 2 minutes for the reagent to dissolve, but only a couple of seconds for C2 to show up.
5) When C2 comes up and the reagent is dissolved and before 2 minutes goes by after C2 comes up, place the cuvette with reagent into the tester, shut the top, and push and hold the button until the 3 minutes timer comes up. If you push and release, you have to start over. After 3 minutes with the reagent cuvette in the tester with the top shut, briefly push the button and wait a few seconds for your results.
As previously mentioned, multiply by 3.055 (3.1ish), then divide by 1000 to get PPM. .030 PPM is a max for SPS. On the meter, 9 is fine, 10 is a little high... (correct my math if required).
My first test showed 5. The second one showed 3. Both were done on the first evening.
The next day, I worked really hard to get all of the reagent out of the packet and used the steps above to ensure correct timing. I got 12 (too high). I then treated with 12 drops of the magic phosphate eraser.
Bean Animal (supposed to have been Be An Animal) wrote a great article about building up phosphate over time (link to site above). I'm convinced that this phenomenum caused the ruin of my 90 gallon reef tank prior to the electricution of all of the inhabitants by a bad pump. KEEP YOUR PHOSPHATES DOWN FROM DAY ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They will build up in the LR and the substrate and continuously leech out into your water column, even with significant water changes. That is what he learned. It fits my tank to a T.
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Velodog2
Well-Known Member
Great write-up Hampton! I've become fond of my 736 because it does seem so precise and presumably accurate. It's bizarre quirks that require the kind of gyrations you recommend with using both cuvettes, like automatically shutting off after 3 minutes of non-use while requiring about 3 minutes and 10 seconds to prepare the second cuvette if following their instructions, are just cute annoyances now.
You also reiterate the need for phosphates to be under .03 ppm as I'd read elsewhere for sps. If true then the high level checker is simply inadequate as it's precision is only advertised as +/- .04 ppm phosphate. I am getting a reading of 13 ppb phosphorous which converts to .04 ppm phosphate with the 736. It's precision is advertised as +/- 5 ppb phosphorous which converts to +/- .015 ppm phosphate. So even with the higher precision of the 736 my actual phosphate level could be .025 to .055 ppm. So I probably need to work to bring this down a bit more. I simply would not know this with the 713 checker.
You also reiterate the need for phosphates to be under .03 ppm as I'd read elsewhere for sps. If true then the high level checker is simply inadequate as it's precision is only advertised as +/- .04 ppm phosphate. I am getting a reading of 13 ppb phosphorous which converts to .04 ppm phosphate with the 736. It's precision is advertised as +/- 5 ppb phosphorous which converts to +/- .015 ppm phosphate. So even with the higher precision of the 736 my actual phosphate level could be .025 to .055 ppm. So I probably need to work to bring this down a bit more. I simply would not know this with the 713 checker.
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Velodog2
Well-Known Member
My editing period timed out so I will post this separately - what I was going to replace the first paragraph with after reading the linked article ...
The article you link to points out all of my complaints and more. I wasn't aware of the issues with reagent quality control. The lack of responsiveness from Hanna is annoying. I assume a couple of things, both of which could be wrong.. First, although unnecessarily and annoyingly flawed, the phosphorous checker has no real competition in the hobbyist marketplace. Second, Hanna makes a LOT or maybe even most of its money on reagents. All of the problems encountered and the customer service responses resulted in simply the use of MORE reagent.
The article you link to points out all of my complaints and more. I wasn't aware of the issues with reagent quality control. The lack of responsiveness from Hanna is annoying. I assume a couple of things, both of which could be wrong.. First, although unnecessarily and annoyingly flawed, the phosphorous checker has no real competition in the hobbyist marketplace. Second, Hanna makes a LOT or maybe even most of its money on reagents. All of the problems encountered and the customer service responses resulted in simply the use of MORE reagent.
kuyatwo
Well-Known Member
I have used the Hanna phosphate meter for couple years and will not go back to salifert test kit
1. If you can't get your reagent to mix in the alloyed time. Use your 2nd cuvette in the testing. Cuvette 1 mix reagent first, then I fill cuvette 2 with tank water and do my first test and hit the two min timer. That is more than enough time for reagent to mix
2. In my opinion the +/- variance is due to amount of reagent and left over reagent left in the packets. I doubt Hanna will ever do tablet reagents as that would take longer to mix and dissolve compared to powder
1. If you can't get your reagent to mix in the alloyed time. Use your 2nd cuvette in the testing. Cuvette 1 mix reagent first, then I fill cuvette 2 with tank water and do my first test and hit the two min timer. That is more than enough time for reagent to mix
2. In my opinion the +/- variance is due to amount of reagent and left over reagent left in the packets. I doubt Hanna will ever do tablet reagents as that would take longer to mix and dissolve compared to powder
