Testing the Big 3 Parameters

jsker · Nov 7, 2017

120reefkeeper said:
Very nice article! Thank you for all of the time you spent. This really needed to be done. @jsker

Thank you, I sure with suggestions there will be some additions.

GoVols · Nov 7, 2017

jsker said:
I’ve been waiting for Aquaforest tests for a long time, and I very excited that the new Aquaforest tests are out now.

One of the things I like about these tests is that they are laboratory certified. My confidence level with these tests are higher than most. I wanted to see how the Aquaforest tests compare to Hanna checkers, Red Sea, and ELOS. On a side note, I purchased all of these tests used.

Aquaforest has some classy videos along with Red Sea, Hanna, and ELOS. ELOS wins for music. I have provided links below for the videos from each of the companies tested. The reason for shooting videos, is that I wanted to show a hobbyist doing the tests. I do have some fancy stuff for testing but no lab coat.

AquaForest

ELOS

Hanna

Red Sea

The first test is the calcium test.
The second test is the magnesium test.
In the final test will be the alkalinity test.

My findings are that the Aquaforest, Hanna, and ELOS are very close and consistent in testing.

I messed around with the kits and found that Aquaforest and ELOS are right there with my Hanna checkers on Ca and alkalinity. I have a Red Sea Mg test kit and compared the test with the Aquaforest Mg. I kind of lost faith in the Red Sea kits because the alkalinity test has not been testing alkalinity consistently in the past 6 months even with new reagents. The Red Sea Mg has been a little weird too. The Red Sea Ca has been testing lower Than the Hanna and the Aquaforest test kit.

Here are the number as they were tested.

I also tested the Aquaforest test kit sample water using the other kits with what sample water I had. I did speed these videos up a tad. You will notice that some of the numbers are all over the place. Kind of the reason that I am a two test kit person with the big 3 going forward.

Sample water Ca
Sample water Mg
Sample water Alk

Jsker,
Great job as usual and thanks for taking the time.

Freddie

Cristy17 · Nov 7, 2017

Thank you Jsker! I always wondered which test kits were the most accurate. Do you have a link for the platform machine to shake the vials? Thanks again!

TonapahNorth · Nov 7, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Hanna has a Calcium tester! I never knew. I use their Alkalinity tester and love how fast and easy it is to use. I'm buying their Calcium tester now.

I initially had a little trouble with the precision required of the Hannah CA tests. So much so that despite my growing proficiency, I don’t trust it too much.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hannah-checker-too-much-calcium.327158/#post-4062733

KIRBLIT · Nov 7, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Hanna has a Calcium tester! I never knew. I use their Alkalinity tester and love how fast and easy it is to use. I'm buying their Calcium tester now.

It's pretty cumbersome and exacting, much easier to use a titration kit. Watch some videos and read reviews before you buy it. I have only used mine a couple times because my salifert kit is much easier imo.

jsker · Nov 8, 2017

TonapahNorth said:
I initially had a little trouble with the precision required of the Hannah CA tests. So much so that despite my growing proficiency, I don’t trust it too much.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hannah-checker-too-much-calcium.327158/#post-4062733

My issue was, I wash my cuvettes in the dishwasher and would test high all of the time. Now I started rinse the cuvettes with Ro/DI before I test were they should be.

It is always good to keep another quality test kit around incase one is not sure on the test number in case of human error or just plain old if the number is off.

jsker · Nov 8, 2017

TonapahNorth said:
I initially had a little trouble with the precision required of the Hannah CA tests. So much so that despite my growing proficiency, I don’t trust it too much.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hannah-checker-too-much-calcium.327158/#post-4062733

I was just over on your thread. Kind of sounds like what I was going through when I first started using the test.

revhtree · Nov 8, 2017

Very nice info and vids! Thanks for taking the time!

Fringe09 · Nov 8, 2017

KIRBLIT said:
It's pretty cumbersome and exacting, much easier to use a titration kit. Watch some videos and read reviews before you buy it. I have only used mine a couple times because my salifert kit is much easier imo.

Videos on YouTube are more positive than the ones from forums. Negative reviews seems to be attributed to the 0.1L dispensing of sample which Hanna resolved by including pipette that does exactly 01L.

KIRBLIT · Nov 8, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Videos on YouTube are more positive than the ones from forums. Negative reviews seems to be attributed to the 0.1L dispensing of sample which Hanna resolved by including pipette that does exactly 01.L.

That's good to know, they didn't have that when I bought mine. That would make a world of difference I'll have to hit them up and see if I can get one of those.

Fringe09 · Nov 8, 2017

KIRBLIT said:
That's good to know, they didn't have that when I bought mine. That would make a world of difference I'll have to hit them up and see if I can get one of those.

Another complaint was the recommendation to use deionized water. I just ordered the Calcium checker from @Bulk Reef Supply and included the Hanna Deionized Water HI70436 3.78 L.

KIRBLIT · Nov 8, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Another complaint was the recommendation to use deionized water. I just ordered the Calcium checker from @Bulk Reef Supply and included the Hanna Deionized Water HI70436 3.78 L.

Yea most people don't the access to that. I'm fortunate enough to have a water purification unit at work that produces 18megOhm water so I used that. I just find the titration kits so much faster that I kind of gave up on it for the most part. They are more than adequate for our needs really.

TonapahNorth · Nov 8, 2017

jsker said:
I was just over on your thread. Kind of sounds like what I was going through when I first started using the test.

I can say that it was simply a learning curve and user error.

mwilk19 · Nov 8, 2017

KIRBLIT said:
It's pretty cumbersome and exacting, much easier to use a titration kit. Watch some videos and read reviews before you buy it. I have only used mine a couple times because my salifert kit is much easier imo.

The problem with the Hanna Ca checker is that the tank sample size is very small. If you had the older kit, the syringe it used was difficult to get an accurate sample. Hanna finally figured this out and now add a micro pipette for the tank sample which makes it much more accurate. The last 4 ICP tests I've had done show the Hanna checker to be very accurate as opposed to my Red Sea kit which always tested low.

AcanthurusRex · Nov 8, 2017

I used the Hanna Ca kit for a while. Always very precise in my methodology. Very inconsistent readings. Bought a Red Sea kit and always get consistent readings plus it's quicker.
When doing titration I use the last value that did not result in a color change. This is why I wanted the Hanna to work as a colorimeter does not have an opinion. The "good" reading from the Hanna were higher than the Red Sea but I don't have much confidence in these kits absolute accuracy.

Salty1962 · Nov 8, 2017

Thx for the great info! Appreciate the effort in putting it together.

JimWelsh · Nov 8, 2017

The word is "vial". "Vile" means something entirely different.

chefjpaul · Nov 8, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Another complaint was the recommendation to use deionized water. I just ordered the Calcium checker from @Bulk Reef Supply and included the Hanna Deionized Water HI70436 3.78 L.

I spoke to Hannah about the deionized at RAP, they said that RODI water, no matter the low TDS, can still sway the results, as CA etc.. can still pass through.

I keep a gallon Of D. Water just for the checker.

Since they came out with the new pipette, (I quit using years ago because of), I now find it to be pretty accurate consistently.