Hanna Phosphate Photometer?

boxfishpooalot

boxfishpooalot

Active member
Hi. Just wondering if this is a good investment if you would like to know your tank better ? Somthing out there better for the price?

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idproduct~HN1191.html

Also whats that really mean error wise, at .04%

Range 0.00 to 2.50 mg/L Resolution 0.01 mg/L Accuracy (@20°C/68°F) ±0.04 mg/L ±4% of reading Typical EMC Deviation ±0.01 mg/L Light Source Light Emitting Diode @ 890 nm Light Life Life of the Instrument Light Detector Silicon Photocell Battery Type / Life 9 Volt Battery/ Approximately 300 tests Environment 32 to 122°F (0 to 50°C); RH 95% Dimensions 7.1 x 3.3 x 1.8" (180 x 83 x 46 mm) Weight


thanks
 
thanks. It seems users like it but can get inconsistant results. But at .25 cents a test, it seems reasonable.

Mostly I want somthing like this to see how fast macroalge keeps up with phosphate removal, when hair algae grows and dies at certain phosphate levels. And basiclly to "see" when things flourish and die based on phosphate measurments. Of course things that are phosphate sensitive like coraline and corals.

I think it would be a good learning tool.

What do you think? I got some money to spend on the reef again... looking for gadgets to buy :D
 
I just got it and I like it. I havent been getting inconsistent results. You have to make sure you clean the cuvets free of fingerprints.

I too thought about the test kits but then someone said in the long run this would be the cheaper alternative.
 
I think it might be a fine learning tool, although if phosphate is always very low (don't know how likely that is in your case), you may not learn much. :D
 
I would not drop money on any colorimeter.

The Hanna have +- 0.04ppm of accuracy, so your 0.05 reading could be anywhere from 0.01-0.09ppm, not good enought.

The HACH can't go lower than 0.05-0.07 depending on the reagent.

So use an Elos kit, it goes to 0.01 and is NIST tested. I don't know what are there reagent accuracy, but it's cheaper that way.
 
boxfishpooalot,

I recently tried to run a test with my Hach 890 going up against a Hanna phosphate photometer. The test results were different enough to merit concern. So I bought some Hach 1ppm standard solution. Turns out that both of our instruments were off. Mine was off because of a problem with the test reagents. They were not out of date, but I bought a new set when I got the standard solution, and these new reagents read 1.01 ppm with the standard. The 890 allows you to tweak a test, which I did, and I now get 1 ppm with the standard. The Hanna got .94 ppm (I recollect) with the standard. I don't know if the Hanna can be tweaked like the Hach 890, or not.

I leave you with some caveats...

(1) Hach recommends you test any new set of test reagents against a standard. If you go with either a Hach or a Hanna, I strongly suggest you follow the same procedure. You should factor this cost into any purchase decision.

(2) When I called Hach's customer service (which I found quite competent, BTW) about the bad reading I was getting I nearly had a stroke when I discovered that they get $170 an hour for 890 instrument repairs. I think you should also factor this into any purchase decision.

Ciao,
Bob D.
 
Hey Radiata! Thanks! Great info!

Before reading this i went ahead and bought the Hanna photometer. Cant wait till it arrives! I want to see why all this hair algae is growing....

After finding "standards" from typical hobbiest shops fairly innacurate, to the point of aquarium inhabitant death, I no longer will assume they are correct.

Instead, I make my own. I test my own. Especiallly alkalinity test kits!

My next purchase will be an accurate scale. So i dont have to go to the pharmacy anymore for 10dkh alkalinity water! LOL.
 
Ok results are in.....

The meter came perfect no damage. Very easy to use, i had no problems despite what others say.

Fish only, lots of hair algae covering the walls, some of it as long as 1"! 2 fish, a porcupine puffer and a triggerfish.Feed them supermarket shrimp wich has phosphate added as a preservative. 1 time a day. Tank is bare bottom, little to no detritus anywhere. Skimmer is a reef octopus nw-rc 200.(30" tall, 8" body). Water movement is provided by a tunze stream 6100. Random flow. This info to provide details.

Ok tank water tested at 2.75ppm Po4. Second test, new vial(comes with 2) 2.75 ppm Po4!

:lol: No surprise.

I will post back after I dose 5ml lanthanum chloride directly to the skimmer. I will post the results of Po4 afterwards.

Where has my phosphate photometer been all this time? I love this thing! :D
 
Ok I just realized that the meter was blinking at 2.75ppm. That means that the phosphate reading was maxed out. In other words my fo is higher than 2.75ppm po4!

I just dosed some lanthanum chloride to get Po4 down but water is too foggy to take a reading atm.

I tested my ro water. The tds with hm 100-com is at .03 conductivity. And the meter reads that water at .01ppm po4. Im sure its zero or close to it.

My tap waters Po4 is at 1.9ppm po4. Not surprising as my city adds phosphate for lead control....
 
Ok It took somthing like 10 mls of lanthanum chloride to reduce my Po4 to .24ppm po4 as per the Hanna in about 50 gallons of water. Once I get it to .03ppm or less, how can i maintain this via lanthanum? A slow drip I imagine?

1 large shrimp in 1 cup of ro/di water raised the po4 to .85ppm po4 within half an hour. I suspect that is a major source of Po4?
 
Ok I did. Made it at 60ms/cm and the ro/di has .08ppm tds. However after checking with the Hanna with newly mixed io the meter reads .000ppm . Despite plain ro/di reading .001ppm. Wonder why?
 
Oh im sorry. Yes its actually 0.00 it reads for newly mixed io. Tricked me there. And the ro/di water reads 0.01

I got my tanks water down to 0.09 ppm via lanthanum why does it feel so good? :D
 
There can be side effects if your lazy and just dump it in. However if you use it as a drip most people that use it have no problems. I got mine from a pool supply store.
 
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