? about hanna cal,alk,mag tester

timi hendrix · 02/12/2019, 02:54 PM

I was thinking about getting some or all of these, Are they reliable units or should I just stick with my salifert test kits.

hkgar · 02/12/2019, 03:23 PM

I use Hanna for Phosphorus and alkalinity. They are grear. I tried the Calcium but found it very inconsistent, because of the very low sample size

I use Salifert for calcium and magnesium. Salifert and Red Sea Pro for Nitrate.

dkeller_nc · 02/12/2019, 06:16 PM

It kind of depends on what your goal is. I'd argue that Salifert's kits for Ca, Alk and Mg are more than accurate enough for the average reefer's needs.

And personally, I find the Salifert kits a heck of a lot easier than pouring the reagent into the glass vials that come with the Hanna checkers. I do, of course, use the Hannas for phosphate/phosphorus, because the colored reaction of the phospho-molybdate complex is just too weak to judge by eye and compare to a color chart in the range that we care about.

If the desire is for a more precise (as opposed to accurate, which is different) test result than the standard high-resolution protocol that's in the Salifert test kits, you've a few options.

The most accurate and precise way to measure alkalinity is with a burette, a pH meter, and a standard hydrochloric acid solution. Randy Holmes Farley described this in an article titled "A DIY Alkalinity Test". If you don't want to go that far, the standard protocol for the Salifert alk test yields a resolution of about 0.3 dKH. You can cut this down to 0.15 dKH by doubling the sample volume to 8 mL, using 8 drops of the indicator dye, and doing the normal titration with the syringe. You'll more than likely need to fill the syringe twice. Take that total amount, and divide by 2, then read the alk result off of the chart.

Similarly, you can do the same thing with the Calcium and Magnesium tests. Rather obviously, this will halve the number of tests that you'll get from the kit.

bertoni · 02/12/2019, 10:37 PM

The calcium Checker does get more questionable reviews as to ease of use. It requires quite a dilution, which is prone to causing inaccuracy. It might be accurate enough, even so. I didn't know that they had a saltwater magnesium kit. The alkalinity kit gets good reviews. I doubt that it's more accurate than the Salifert, but it might be easier to use.

timi hendrix · 02/12/2019, 10:42 PM

thanks for the replys. I didn't even check to see if hanna had mag kits. I just assumed.thanks again

Uncle99 · 02/13/2019, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

I use Hanna for Phosphorus and alkalinity. They are grear. I tried the Calcium but found it very inconsistent, because of the very low sample size

I use Salifert for calcium and magnesium. Salifert and Red Sea Pro for Nitrate.

+1
Exactly same here!

Boochika · 02/13/2019, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timi hendrix

I was thinking about getting some or all of these, Are they reliable units or should I just stick with my salifert test kits.

I grabbed some cheap from another reefer locally. I love the phosphate and Alk checker. However the calcium checker is pretty brutal. I can check within 2-3 days and get 400ppm calcium one day then 460 the next.

Like Bertoni said there is only 0.1ml of tank water used in the Calcium checker which makes it wildly inaccurate. I try to keep my testing parameters as consistent as possible too.

Joe0813 · 02/13/2019, 01:36 PM

I also use the hanna checker for ALK and phosphate. I do have the calcium checker and it is awful.

02/12/2019, 02:54 PM	#1
timi hendrix Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 339	? about hanna cal,alk,mag tester I was thinking about getting some or all of these, Are they reliable units or should I just stick with my salifert test kits. __________________ 105 Gallon AGA 30 Gallon Sump Euro-Reef ES5-3 2- 175 W 10K MH 3- 110 vho Actinics quiet one pump

02/12/2019, 03:23 PM	#2
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	I use Hanna for Phosphorus and alkalinity. They are grear. I tried the Calcium but found it very inconsistent, because of the very low sample size I use Salifert for calcium and magnesium. Salifert and Red Sea Pro for Nitrate. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

02/12/2019, 10:37 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The calcium Checker does get more questionable reviews as to ease of use. It requires quite a dilution, which is prone to causing inaccuracy. It might be accurate enough, even so. I didn't know that they had a saltwater magnesium kit. The alkalinity kit gets good reviews. I doubt that it's more accurate than the Salifert, but it might be easier to use. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/12/2019, 10:42 PM	#5
timi hendrix Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 339	thanks for the replys. I didn't even check to see if hanna had mag kits. I just assumed.thanks again __________________ 105 Gallon AGA 30 Gallon Sump Euro-Reef ES5-3 2- 175 W 10K MH 3- 110 vho Actinics quiet one pump

02/13/2019, 01:36 PM	#8
Joe0813 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Boston strong Posts: 2,766	I also use the hanna checker for ALK and phosphate. I do have the calcium checker and it is awful. __________________ Joe and Jenny Current Tank Info: 180 reef

02/12/2019, 06:16 PM	#3
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	It kind of depends on what your goal is. I'd argue that Salifert's kits for Ca, Alk and Mg are more than accurate enough for the average reefer's needs. And personally, I find the Salifert kits a heck of a lot easier than pouring the reagent into the glass vials that come with the Hanna checkers. I do, of course, use the Hannas for phosphate/phosphorus, because the colored reaction of the phospho-molybdate complex is just too weak to judge by eye and compare to a color chart in the range that we care about. If the desire is for a more precise (as opposed to accurate, which is different) test result than the standard high-resolution protocol that's in the Salifert test kits, you've a few options. The most accurate and precise way to measure alkalinity is with a burette, a pH meter, and a standard hydrochloric acid solution. Randy Holmes Farley described this in an article titled "A DIY Alkalinity Test". If you don't want to go that far, the standard protocol for the Salifert alk test yields a resolution of about 0.3 dKH. You can cut this down to 0.15 dKH by doubling the sample volume to 8 mL, using 8 drops of the indicator dye, and doing the normal titration with the syringe. You'll more than likely need to fill the syringe twice. Take that total amount, and divide by 2, then read the alk result off of the chart. Similarly, you can do the same thing with the Calcium and Magnesium tests. Rather obviously, this will halve the number of tests that you'll get from the kit.