Frustrated

Overlook reef

Overlook reef

Non-member
I am frustrated with my Hanna Cal Checker!

I thought I had it mastered, but I keep on getting different readings every time!

Does anyone know a trick to getting accurate readings from this thing!

Today I did two tests and both where dramatically different.

The first reading was 496 and the second was 458. I do not trust either because I have not dosed anything this week and I am surprised my Cal would be so high.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
Never used one but can u calibrate it?
Good luck keep us posted, I was considering gettin one for calcium too
 
Your readings are within about 8% of eachother not sure if you can expect much better. I think the video said the stated accuracy was +/- 6% add that to two separate tests and your doing OK.

Jim
 
Hanna spoke at 1 of our meetings. Even their representative couldnt get it right. The cal hanna checker is hard or impossible to get consistent. The other checkers are good. I got one but I dont use it anymore.
 
Call me old school but I feel there is less margin for error when certain things are monitired manually vs digitally....imagine having one on your tank and trusting it and using it for a year, and it started reading incorrect and your dumping calcium into your tank every month because it says it's low then months later you do a manual test and your calc is precipitated into all your powerheads and everything ruining things and making alk go out of wack.... No thank you.....
 
Certain things are great to be automated or instantaneous, but I think we are all starting to lose touch with our tanks....auto fish feeders, auto water changes......that's all the stuff that I do myself that makes me enjoy this hobby. I'm in there with my tank and feel what is going on. With everything automated one begins to lose touch with his or her tank and begins to not notice the little signs of issues that may arise that could have been noticed when your in there testing or changing water and so on. Tank may get slightly forgotten in some fields.

Please don't jump at my throat especially the ones who have spent a lot on this equipment, not saying this is the case with all and I am not saying it's bad stuff but for some people it can cause a nightmare and disaster.
 
Do you know what a Hanna tester is?

It is not an Automated testing system. It is not any different from you taking a "conventional test kit" and measuring your Calcium. Are you suggesting that people should not use test kits? If you are,then I could not disagree with you more. A Hanna tester is a test kit. It is suppose to be very accurate, but it is a test kit and not an automated system. Testing is important to make sure your parameters are correct and figure out if dosing is needed or how much.

Alao,I am very in touch with my tank. I do regular water changes and enjoy my Maintanace routine like yourself. I do not have a automated system, but do not believe people who do somehow are missing the personal touch of maintaining their tanks. I have been in this hobby for a long time and know plenty of people with automated systems. I find that those people spend just as much time watching and tinkering with their systems as I do and very much seem "in touch with their system".
 
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No please don't take what I said the wrong way or get frustrated with me or let me add to your frustration. I am just talking about how it is digitized. I just see more margin for error vs the conventional testing. Just feels like companies are making it more and more reliance on circuit interpretation of liquid readings leaving some, NOT all vulnerable to overlooking the potential malfunctions or miscalibrations or so on. I guess digitized or automatic, instantaneous readout would be better put. And I was just putting this in queue and line with the other new innovations that are leading some to lose touch is all.

I am absolutely in no way pushing against testing. That is extremely important just some tests are better then others. I was just tossing around my opinion. :)
 
What started this thread is the fact I did not trust the readings because it did not seem correct. (Knowing that I had not dosed all week so I could figure out consumption) The calcium seemed high as well as having two different readings. I have had (as I am sure other have) the same issues with no digitized testers. Digital or not, testers are a tool to help test the things you can not see. Are you saying that a non digital tester is somehow more accurate and less likely to give you a false reading?
I am not being defensive or argumentative, but I do not agree with your view of using a Hanna tester. I feel all testers run the risk of giving a false reading and that is where it is important to "know your tank". If a reading does not make sense, digital or not, you must double check and question the reading.
 
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Agreed on the double testing when not confident Mike. But yes I do feel a non digitized test would yield safer results when done strictly to the instructions. Because there is no margin of calibration issues. Does that mean to not use digital? Not at all I guess I have more improvement on the end of being open minded on things of that nature. I mean digital readings of blood for diabetes has been the thing now so I guess your points are well made
 
Hi,
I haven't used this product, but I use similar equipment in the lab.
The only input I have is:
Make sure there are no bubbles
make sure the vial is clean of grease/fingerprints (wipe it every time to be safe)
reagents are fully dissolved.
keep a close eye on the meniscus

sometimes that is as close as you are going to get, as was mentioned before +/- 6% is expected.

I am late to the forum here, so you probably already covered it all. Wish I could be of more help.

Let me know how it goes. I was looking into buying one.
 
ReefKeeper1699 said:
Agreed on the double testing when not confident Mike. But yes I do feel a non digitized test would yield safer results when done strictly to the instructions. Because there is no margin of calibration issues. Does that mean to not use digital? Not at all I guess I have more improvement on the end of being open minded on things of that nature. I mean digital readings of blood for diabetes has been the thing now so I guess your points are well made
Click to expand...

I guess I understand the point you are trying to make. As you said many improvements have been made in many fields through technology. It is how we use that technology that is important.

RiverRat said:
Hi,
I haven't used this product, but I use similar equipment in the lab.
The only input I have is:
Make sure there are no bubbles
make sure the vial is clean of grease/fingerprints (wipe it every time to be safe)
reagents are fully dissolved.
keep a close eye on the meniscus

sometimes that is as close as you are going to get, as was mentioned before +/- 6% is expected.

I am late to the forum here, so you probably already covered it all. Wish I could be of more help.


Let me know how it goes. I was looking into buying one.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice RiverRat.
 
The main problem with all instruments that use digital readouts is they IMPLY a sense of accuracy and precision that often is just not there, people often expect them to read "correctly" out to the least significant digit regardless of the stated accuracy.

Jim
 
Hanna is hobby grade that's a polite way of saying its crap. A real electronic ca tester will run a couple grand. There are too many variables, reagent, environment, storage, temperature, technique, etc to get consistency. The key to testing your water is to take into consideration the condition of your tank and other parameters. Always look at the big picture don't focus too much on one parameter.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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