Who to trust?

blkhawk10 · Feb 24, 2016

I just measured my alk and calc with both salifert test kits and hanna checkers and of course I got different readings on both...my alk with salifert was 8.3 dkh and hanna 8.7 dkh...my calc with salifert was 390 and hanna 370...what tester should I follow as far as most accurate readings go?

jason2459 · Feb 24, 2016

Looks like close enough results that both are right. I would just average them out and call it good.

redfishbluefish · Feb 24, 2016

I agree with @jason2459 ......pick one test method, average them, either one.....it doesn't matter. They both put you in the ballpark and are close enough for what we are doing.

blkhawk10 · Feb 24, 2016

that's a good idea...thanks guys!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 24, 2016

Consider yourself lucky they were not so different that your response to the result would depend on which was correct.

JimWelsh · Feb 24, 2016

However, to answer the question as asked: Salifert.

Cory · Feb 24, 2016

1.135 grams of baking soda in 1 gallon of distilled water = 10dkh

Id trust the one closest to that

jason2459 · Feb 25, 2016

Cory said:
1.135 grams of baking soda in 1 gallon of distilled water = 10dkh

Id trust the one closest to that

How many attempts would you allow?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 25, 2016

FWIW, any alkalinity titration should give the proper 10 dKH reading for that baking soda standard, but I'd be wary of assuming the Hanna Marine Alk Checker will read it correctly since its method may make assumptions that require some aspects of seawater (it even suggests that in its name "Marine Alkalinity Checker") and they actually sell a different checker for freshwater. So unless Hanna states it is OK in fresh water, I might not rely on that value.