Opinions Required

[Big Pete]

Hi Guys

I need some help here, I recently purchased a Hanna Checker for calcium, I currently use a Tropic Marin CA/MG titration test kit.

yesterday I tested my water parameters for Calcium with both kits and the results were skewed to say the least.

Water temp 27.3C
PH 8.21
Alk 7.82
Mag 1260ppm

Calcium with Hanna Checker 542ppm, Calcium with Tropic Marin kit 424ppm.

In your experience which test result is correct based on the given water parameters.

Fish and Coral all doing fine.

thanks in advance for the input.

 

[Pat24601]

My guess is the 424 is correct for two reasons.

First, it's the more reasonable number and all your other parameters seem in line.

Second, while I love the Hanna Checkers, the calcium one is legitimately harder to learn to do accurately. So, if it's new to you, I find it very easy to believe the test was inaccurate.

Specifically, getting exactly 0.1 ml of saltwater and no more in is hard. When I first started, I can't tell you how often my hand slipped and I got more than 0.1 giving me high calcium numbers.

That's the primary reason the calcium Hanna checker gets mixed reviews in my opinion.

I can give you some tips on how I do it, if you like. I feel I do it well and get accurate numbers. But, I'd bet real money the results you are getting from the HC now are inaccurate.

 

[Big Pete]

that is what I wanted to hear Pat, any advice on how to use this checker would be awesome, I have the PH checker and the Alk checker and both work really well, that's why I thought I would push the button on the calcium checker.

thanks for your help

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

This vid helped me...

 

[Pat24601]

Sounds good. The one thing I want to show us how I get the 0.1 ml saltwater in then vial. The trick is to fill it to 1 ml and drop it to 0.9 ml while holding the dropper a specific way to give you better fine motor control.

I like the video Glenn cited, but I don't think it shows that.

On BRS, the alkalinity Hanna Checker gets 5 star reviews and the Calcium gets three star with a lot of people claiming it is inaccurate. I believe (right or wrong) the major reason for that is the difficulty of getting 0.1 ml of saltwater.

I'll try to take some photos and post how I do it later.

 

[PSU4ME]

I got rid of the Hannah ca checker because it was so hard to do and like you, always got the higher reading.

424 is my guess as well

 

[Big Pete]

Hi Guys

thanks for what is sound advice, I tried again last night using Pat's tip on adding the saltwater and the results read 457 for the Hanna against 424 for the Tropic Marin, this is much better, I will stick with the Hanna for the meantime and see how things pan out.

Again a big thank you for all who contributed to this post, I appreciate it.

Cheers
Big Pete