What a long strange trip it's been....

Those are some nice frags. Do you fear adding the nem after coral? Hope it doesn't wander.

I use red Sea for calc and Hanna for alk. I love the digital readout and it's much more accurate and resolute than Red Sea. I've heard Hanna calcium isn't accurate.

 

No not really, mostly because my tank is right next to my desk, couch where when I am home I spend the majority of the time. In the past when I had carpets once they picked a spot that is where they stayed unlike BTA, LTA, Maxi-Mini, Rock or Sebae. I'll not have so many coral encrusted or forever secured by the time I get the Carpet that I can not move some stuff until the carpet finds it's spot.

Basically I spend a lot of time within viewing range.

Hmmm on the probes, I think I will get the Hanna for sure for ALK since that is what I am always always always testing.

 

You'll love the alk. Checker. It reads in ppm, so you'll have to learn the safe range or convert.get a 10 ml syringe (don't rely on the line, although it appears spot on) for consistency for and a microfiber cloth for cleaning the cuvette. Also, consider getting some silica gel to apply to the cuvvettes to hide scratches. It has the same refractive index as glass. Hanna carries it, I've bought it for work.

 

Is it me or does it seem like the fancier the testing device for accuracy the higher risk for a bad reading? I like the titrant tests, simple and no need to purchase extras. If I buy an expensive Hannah the last thing I want is to buy another thing to make it accurate. Honestly, I've been using my old hydrometer because lately I just don't trust my refractometer. I'm ranting, sorry. But you get my point. I want a Milwaukee salinity reader.

 

Good points.

I use both the refractometer and the hydrometer, when in doubt I calibrate the refractometer again, it's just a back up. I have had a hydrometer go bad after the plastic warped and my salt creeped up and up so now I have a back up test. Yeah I would much rather use a hydrometer but I feel more secure using the refractometer when I am not in a hurry.

I do want to check out the Hanna Alk, as I get so tried of counting drops and then I doubt myself and end up doing the test again. In the end it is probably more of a new toy attraction though.

 

Hanna is a titrate test. It just uses an optic to read the color instead of your eyeball. The numbers are very precise. I've been able to lock in dosing using it in as little as 3 days.

 

hanna alk tester well worth it(still cross reference with Red Sea occasionally) . With Red Sea(not bad) you get a decent range but you really do not know exactly what it is.

Not going to jump into debate about test kits, but personally wish I had everything digital(at a reasonable price). Color matching to me stinks(to bad most of us have to live with it). I want to really know my levels not just ok it is around here.

 

If my boyfriend had to be the one to read the colors that test would be useless, like a lot of men I know he is color blind to a certain degree.

My doubt comes when the solution changes color, and god forbid a drop run down the side of the test container instead of fall directly into the solution. Yeah I get pretty close to a probable value but I do not just want to be in the ball park.

For now I'll get a new Red Sea kit and keep checking out the other alternatives. Spent 90.00 once on a pH probe, what a waste of time and money. Man research means everything in this hobby.

 

ha ha ya and usually around the 17 drop on the calcium test

 

That's my thought as well. I think most error lies in the color chnage and matchign aspect of the testing. I can rarely tell exactly when my Red Sea turns orange and not just some inbetween color or when my calcium test goes from purple to blue. I end up with a range.