Hanna ALK testers

tonyreef · 02/16/2018, 12:25 PM

Are there any good experiences using Hanna testers? $50 my LFS recommends it?

HBtank · 02/16/2018, 12:38 PM

Seems to be the most common electronic tester/checker; very easy to use, accurate, and not too expensive to get refills. Recommend.

Volcmreefer · 02/16/2018, 01:27 PM

+1. Quick and easy meter for testing Alk. Not so much Calcium though. I use Salifert for Ca.

pisanoal · 02/16/2018, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volcmreefer

+1. Quick and easy meter for testing Alk. Not so much Calcium though. I use Salifert for Ca.

Agreed. Calcium is a PITA and has a lot of inherent error due to using such a low sample volume.

Alk is great though in my experience.

outssider · 02/16/2018, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pisanoal

alk is great though in my experience.

+1

bertoni · 02/16/2018, 08:52 PM

The alkalinity meter seems to get generally good reviews. Every brand goes through problems, though.

tonyreef · 02/18/2018, 01:04 PM

Thank you!
The LFS says the same thing about Ca testing and recommended API or Salifert.

bertoni · 02/18/2018, 01:14 PM

I had good results with Salifert and IO kits for calcium, although the IO kit took a while to run. I haven't used the API kit. It's probably fine, though.

josephxsxn · 02/23/2018, 08:52 PM

I have all kinds of HANNA colorimeters, I think they are all great including the calcium (the kit with the 150 up piptette) I would recommend them to anyone. I prefer the 'number' over judging colors myself.

RobZilla04 · 02/26/2018, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephxsxn

i have all kinds of hanna colorimeters, i think they are all great including the calcium (the kit with the 150 up piptette) i would recommend them to anyone. I prefer the 'number' over judging colors myself.

+1

zachogden · 02/26/2018, 09:13 AM

the alk "egg" is great. i have the ca one as well but the problem with that is the sample size is so small that it's very easy to add too much or too little. for the alk test it's 10mL sample, press button, 1mL reagent via syringe, shake, press button.

BrettDS · 03/03/2018, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachogden

shake

No, don’t do that. The directions say “gently invert 5 times”. Shaking can introduce air into the sample and change its pH which can affect your reading. Additionally if there are air bubbles left in the sample at the time you take the reading it can be affected as well.

The Hanna calcium directions do tell you to “shake vigorously”. If they wanted you to shake the alk test they would have told you to do so.

zachogden · 03/03/2018, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrettDS

No, don’t do that. The directions say “gently invert 5 times”. Shaking can introduce air into the sample and change its pH which can affect your reading. Additionally if there are air bubbles left in the sample at the time you take the reading it can be affected as well.

The Hanna calcium directions do tell you to “shake vigorously”. If they wanted you to shake the alk test they would have told you to do so.

I wrote "shake" in the interest of brevity (quicker to type than "gently invert 5 times taking care to not introduce microbubbles into the sample which will interfere with the colorimeter"), but thanks.

BrettDS · 03/03/2018, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachogden

I wrote "shake" in the interest of brevity (quicker to type than "gently invert 5 times taking care to not introduce microbubbles into the sample which will interfere with the colorimeter"), but thanks.

Haha, fair enough. I can see how that doesn’t sound quite roll off the tongue

tonyreef · 03/03/2018, 08:09 PM

I got the unit yesterday and I think/hope it measures low my tank came up with 5.3dKh and freshly mixed IORC measured 11.3dKh?

bertoni · 03/03/2018, 08:44 PM

That number for Reef Crystals seems about right. 5.3 dKH is very low.

Dealseer · 03/03/2018, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyreef

Are there any good experiences using Hanna testers? $50 my LFS recommends it?

I don’t know if your LFS recommends it.

tonyreef · 03/03/2018, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

That number for Reef Crystals seems about right. 5.3 dKH is very low.

Yea I read the RC mixes around 13dKh so +- 1 I'm still low I just did 10% WC and am up to 6.2dKh I'll check it again in the morning and start a new batch for another 10%
My PH is steady at 8.2 and my Ca is 460ppm with these measurements is it still possible for my Alk to be that low?

bertoni · 03/03/2018, 10:32 PM

That alkalinity is within the expected range for a tank that isn't getting any dosing. Water changes might be enough to keep the level up, but often not. My soft coral tanks went through 2-3 dKH per day.

tonyreef · 03/04/2018, 11:46 AM

So I was able to get a bump of 1dKh with the first WC & probably less on the next at 10% per. The tank cycled last September & I have been stocking for the last 2 months with a few Acans a hammer 2 acros a couple zoas a favia 2 mushrooms & 2 chalices.
Now that I'm counting there is more coral than I thought?
I thought I would see the Ca go first?
Jonathan Thank you I really appreciate the help!

bertoni · 03/04/2018, 02:44 PM

You're welcome!

Corals consume 2.8 dKH per 20 ppm of calcium to create calcium carbonate, so the alkalinity always drop such more than the calcium, proportionately. Your numbers are quite normal.

outssider · 03/04/2018, 05:49 PM

I just tested a new box of I.O.R.C. with hanna meter and got 11.25 dkh

02/16/2018, 12:25 PM	#1
tonyreef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 106	Hanna ALK testers Are there any good experiences using Hanna testers? $50 my LFS recommends it?

02/16/2018, 12:38 PM	#2
HBtank Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 2,957	Seems to be the most common electronic tester/checker; very easy to use, accurate, and not too expensive to get refills. Recommend. __________________ 80g Aiptasia dominated reef tank.. with fish and now a bunch of berghia! Current Tank Info: 80g tank, re-starting a reef after a zoanthid nudibranch plauge, followed by months of steady and unstoppable STN/RTN, crashed; stayed FOWLR for a couple years, currently an aiptasia dominated reef tank with fishies and BERGHIA

02/16/2018, 08:52 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The alkalinity meter seems to get generally good reviews. Every brand goes through problems, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/18/2018, 01:14 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I had good results with Salifert and IO kits for calcium, although the IO kit took a while to run. I haven't used the API kit. It's probably fine, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/03/2018, 08:44 PM	#16
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That number for Reef Crystals seems about right. 5.3 dKH is very low. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/16/2018, 01:27 PM	#3
Volcmreefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, FL Posts: 346	+1. Quick and easy meter for testing Alk. Not so much Calcium though. I use Salifert for Ca.

02/18/2018, 01:04 PM	#7
tonyreef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 106	Thank you! The LFS says the same thing about Ca testing and recommended API or Salifert.

02/23/2018, 08:52 PM	#9
josephxsxn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: DTW, Michigan Posts: 122	I have all kinds of HANNA colorimeters, I think they are all great including the calcium (the kit with the 150 up piptette) I would recommend them to anyone. I prefer the 'number' over judging colors myself.

02/26/2018, 09:13 AM	#11
zachogden Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 88	the alk "egg" is great. i have the ca one as well but the problem with that is the sample size is so small that it's very easy to add too much or too little. for the alk test it's 10mL sample, press button, 1mL reagent via syringe, shake, press button.

03/03/2018, 08:09 PM	#15
tonyreef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 106	I got the unit yesterday and I think/hope it measures low my tank came up with 5.3dKh and freshly mixed IORC measured 11.3dKh?

03/03/2018, 10:32 PM	#19
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That alkalinity is within the expected range for a tank that isn't getting any dosing. Water changes might be enough to keep the level up, but often not. My soft coral tanks went through 2-3 dKH per day. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/04/2018, 11:46 AM	#20
tonyreef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 106	So I was able to get a bump of 1dKh with the first WC & probably less on the next at 10% per. The tank cycled last September & I have been stocking for the last 2 months with a few Acans a hammer 2 acros a couple zoas a favia 2 mushrooms & 2 chalices. Now that I'm counting there is more coral than I thought? I thought I would see the Ca go first? Jonathan Thank you I really appreciate the help!

03/04/2018, 02:44 PM	#21
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome! Corals consume 2.8 dKH per 20 ppm of calcium to create calcium carbonate, so the alkalinity always drop such more than the calcium, proportionately. Your numbers are quite normal. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/04/2018, 05:49 PM	#22
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	I just tested a new box of I.O.R.C. with hanna meter and got 11.25 dkh