Hanna Checkers for Ca/Alk/Mg/NO3

My only hesitation with these is a question about the reagent you add... what is the price on the reagents and how many to a package? like is it worth it in the long run?

 

I agree with crank here for the most part. I have the phosphorous checker and like it much better than test kits. Ultimately I think it will come down to personal preference to a large extent. Some people might not mind kits, I hate using them for a number of reasons.

I don't think cost or time savings are the main reasons I like mine, they might be more important to other people though.

• I don't like comparing color charts, they are horrible, almost every single one of them. Difficult to read and somewhat subjective in my experience.
• I don't like having to count drops and shake solutions a bunch of times.
• I don't like keeping track of all of the little spoons and bottles.
• Test kits are rather wasteful unless you find some use for the huge number of test tubes, dropper bottles, little spoons, etc that you accumulate over the years.
• I don't like having to remember or keep track of 4-6 separate sets of instructions for using each test kit. AFAIK the alk checker process is the same as the phosphate which is: press button to turn on, fill cuvette, press button again to zero, put reagent in and shake, press button again, wait 3 minutes, get easy to read number. It might not save time but it's a lot simpler than most test kits.
• I feel more confident (although I have no proof, just my mentality) that each little packet of the reagent is less likely to expire, or be miscalibrated or to have gone off over time than all the little bottles of reagents in the test kits. You just have a one-use packet, no worry about the reagent settling out in the dropper bottle or leaving it open too long and having it evaporate slightly over X amount of uses, etc.
• There are fewer points of failure in the process with the checker. I can't tell you how many times I've seen like half of a drop come off of a dropper in a test kit and thought "crap am I going to have to redo this whole test now?", or had a dropper get a little bit of foam or a bubble from being shaken/swirled on the tip and I have to mess with that so the drops come out correctly, or had two drops come out instead of one just when the color change is supposed to happen etc.

As for price, the phosphate one is $9 for 25 reagents from aquarium specialty, we'll have to see how much the alk reagents are. Of course you have the one time cost of the checker itself, although it includes 6 reagents with it as well so that cuts down on the initial investment.
Aquarium Specialty
Salifert Phosphate (I believe this is a popular phosphate kit) is $20 for 60 tests. So they're approximately the same price per test if you don't factor in the cost of the checker, assuming you can use the checker for years and years to get your per-test cost down.

Anyways, your mileage may vary, those are just some of the reasons I've personally found for liking my phosphorous checker. I'll have to wait and see if the alk checker is identical in process etc before buying one and how much the reagents are, but I think there's a good chance it will be similar.

 

A box of 100 reagent packs is like $25

So 100 tests for ~$25

Salifert phosphate kits usually run around $20 and are good for 60 tests, I believe.

I'm not sure how much the alk/mag/cal reagents will cost, but I would imagine they will be similarly priced. In the long run, I think it's worth it.

 

Screwtape good reasoning, thansk for the review K+

 

Sorry to dig up a 6 month old thread. I was thinking of getting a couple of these and was wondering since you guys have had them for a while now how are they working out for ya..whats your feed back..worth getting?

 

I think and sometimes thats not good. But I have watched people who test hundreds of times still go well maybe but its pretty close but not sure. If something can give you an accurate # then why would you not use it. We buy refractometers to check salinity because we dont trust a arm swinging in water. I am in maintenance and any time you can use something to give you a better answer sign me up.

 

really like my phos checker, are the cal and nitrates checkers out yet?

 

These are awesome!!! Yes the Calcium kit is available.Heres a review for you.
http://www.3reef.com/forums/filters-pumps-etc/hanna-calcium-checker-review-117236.html
I do not think the handheld colorimeter for Nitrate is out yet.

 

thanks...i was just searching the net for them. do you have the calcium? have you used it? I'm reading its a bit of a pain. my phosphate meter is great i love it. its why I'm thinking of converting all my tests to the hanna checkers

 

I have the ALK checker but not the calcium. I am waiting for my current ones to run out then I will probably pick one up. The only thing that kinda concerns me is the use of Rodi water with this test. Not sure if the age of the filters and membrane will affect the test.
You could PM Dowtish he is the one who wrote the review and ask how hes doing with his or post on his thread and ask.
http://www.3reef.com/forums/filters-pumps-etc/hanna-calcium-checker-review-117236.html