Great Little Phosphate Meter

Edison

Edison

Member
I was having issues with the API Phosphate test kit, the color difference between 0.00 and 0.03 is nearly identical so I was looking around for a different test kit and came across this little tester. It's a spectrometer that will measure down to 0.01 and costs less than $50.



I just tested the tank water and got a nice big zero. Checked the tap water and got .63.

You can get one directly from Hanna; here's the product page.
 
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Edison

Edison

Member
Just heard back from Hanna and they said:

I’m glad you are enjoying your Checker HC! We have one for alkalinity, it’s the HI 755. We are working on one for CA and MG but I don’t have a release date yet. Keep checking Hanna Instruments Checker HC for updates!

Have a nice day!
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Edison - is this the device that now has a new model out with an extended time for the auto shutoff? I think the 2 minute shutoff was making it a bit of a rush to perform the test steps? I'm thinking ordering direct from Hanna may ensure getting the upgraded unit.
 
Edison

Edison

Member
Reefmack said:
Edison - is this the device that now has a new model out with an extended time for the auto shutoff? I think the 2 minute shutoff was making it a bit of a rush to perform the test steps? I'm thinking ordering direct from Hanna may ensure getting the upgraded unit.
Click to expand...

This one does have the two-minute auto off but it's no biggie because it came with two cuvettes.
What I do is fill both with water then add reagent to one & mix the reagent until the vial is clear. From there I do the blank to set zero point then the actual test which takes 3 minutes.

If the tester had come with just one cuvette it would be an issue because it takes about two minutes of gentle swirling to get the reagent to fully dissolve and by then the meter would have shut off and you'd have to mix in another vial then transfer the mix to the curvette you just used to zero the unit.
 
Edison

Edison

Member
Terry~No problem at all. I'll be watching for the KH to be released and will get one as soon as they become available and write my impressions.

It will be nice to have 4 of these little devices to use for the tests we do most and especially for CA and KH, those I test for every day whenever I add a calcium-hungry critter to the tank.
 
magnetar68

magnetar68

Member
I am curious if your water company agrees with the 0.63ppm measurement. I am very interested in these Hanna instruments, but I am hoping to find someone who can check their accuracy with a lab grade colorimeter (that they know how to use).

Reefbuilders said that the Checker was within 0.01 to 0.04 of the higher-end equipment they used. (low concentration vs high concentration readings).

Hanna Phosphate Checker Review: notable compromises still worth the resolution and portability
 
eaze333

eaze333

Member
I got on of these Hanna Meters and am liking it so far. As long as it is accurate. I did a test on tap water here in Lowell,Ma and got a reading of 1.87 and the water actually turned blue when I put the powdered reagent into the vial. I am glad I started using RO/DI
 
steved13

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
You can get more repeatable results by using 1 cuvette. Just mix the heck out of it for about 1 minute. Then slowly let the bubbles settle out, tap it if needed, for about 30 seconds, then put it back in the checker and hold the button until the 3:00 timer sarts.

This is the method Hanna recommends. They say 1.5 minutes is fine for mixing. They have fixed this issue on the new units, and the timer doesn't kick it off at 2 mins.
 
steved13

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
For me, as far as accuracy goes, since I don't have and don't use a lab grade colorimeter, I figure it's got to be more accurate than me eyeballing a color chart.
 
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