Hanna Meter - Convince Me!
- Thread starter meschaefer
- Start date
Matt,
At first when I was doing my tests, it would take about 2 full minutes of aggressive swirling (not shaking) to get it to fully disolve. Now I just swirl for about 30 seconds, most of it disolves and I throw it in the 3 minute timer. With the same water sample I have tried a 2 minutes shake and a 30 second shake and end up getting the same results. I suggest you try this yourself to see if you match my results.
Like you, I had several things planned out to test when I got my hanna.
My first runs:
Tank water: .18
Out of calcium reactor : .16
Out of ro/di: .03
Out of phosban reactor (media was 1 wk old): .00 (tested several times)
2 weeks later:
Tank water: .08
Out of Ro/di: .02
Out of phosban reactor: .05
Like you I was surprised with the phosban reactor results. Seems like the media does get exhausted quickly in my tank. I replaced it after this .05 reading and am going to test again today to see how the new media is doing.
Twinreef,
.28??? for a reading? The purple tort frag I got from you about a month ago has turned brown in my tank with much lower phosphate levels. Something isn't adding up.
I agree that we should get together and do different tests with each others hanna meters. Jon, you and I should swap meters/water samples and see if we end up getting the same results.
Nate
I did some more testing last night. I reperformed all the test by not trying to dissolve all of the regeant, just giving it a good shake, and making sure there are no bubbles.
My display tank water is .04 (this is after a month and a half of running small amounts of phosban)
The water in my sump is .05 (I wonder if this is a result of surface skimming)
My tap water is 1.91
The water coming out of my ro/di starts out at .07 but drops down to .05 when it has been running for about 15 minutes.
As mentioned earlier, all of the filters in my ro/di are two weeks old. I did some research and it appears that ro/di can have some problems removing phosphates at high levels ( is 1.91 high?). Or maybe the membrane needs to be replaced, i am wondering if I need to change my membrane. I am also wondering if preheating the water before it gets to the membrane will help reduce phosphates even further, being winter it is kind of cold now and I know that there are preferred temps to run the ro/di water at. GPH is not a concern to me, as I make thirty gallons at a time. I have someone coming over with a TDS meter tonight, and I wll test the water with that to get another "view" on the issue of replacing my ro/di membrane.
I did some quick caclulations and at the rate of evaporation, the addition of my phosphate laden ro/di water for topoff, will raise phosphate from .03 to .033 in a week. Perhaps this is within the ability of the phosban to keep up with, depending on the overall addition of phosphates to the system via feedings.
My display tank water is .04 (this is after a month and a half of running small amounts of phosban)
The water in my sump is .05 (I wonder if this is a result of surface skimming)
My tap water is 1.91
The water coming out of my ro/di starts out at .07 but drops down to .05 when it has been running for about 15 minutes.
As mentioned earlier, all of the filters in my ro/di are two weeks old. I did some research and it appears that ro/di can have some problems removing phosphates at high levels ( is 1.91 high?). Or maybe the membrane needs to be replaced, i am wondering if I need to change my membrane. I am also wondering if preheating the water before it gets to the membrane will help reduce phosphates even further, being winter it is kind of cold now and I know that there are preferred temps to run the ro/di water at. GPH is not a concern to me, as I make thirty gallons at a time. I have someone coming over with a TDS meter tonight, and I wll test the water with that to get another "view" on the issue of replacing my ro/di membrane.
I did some quick caclulations and at the rate of evaporation, the addition of my phosphate laden ro/di water for topoff, will raise phosphate from .03 to .033 in a week. Perhaps this is within the ability of the phosban to keep up with, depending on the overall addition of phosphates to the system via feedings.
- Location
- New Rochelle
How about comparing the meter reading with the salifert test?
Jon,
The same water sample (from the same cuvet) tested on both meters was the same.
Your test a couple days ago was much lower than what I came up with today though. I suspect there is a LARGE probabilty for error in how these tests are performed.
I should mention to everyone that when doing these tests, how you get your water sample is very important. On the second sample I did, we used a sea squirt (which had recently been used for mysis). The phosphate readings were much higher. It is very important that you use a CLEAN cup for your water sample. Also, don't use water from the surface as this will produce inaccurate readings.
Nate
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Salifert blows. It is extremely hard to tell, but on my tank, I'm somewhere between 0 and 0.03 on the salifert and .08 or so on the hanna. My personal opinion (and take this as only my opinion) is that if you have any blue tint at all on the salifert kit, your phosphates are way too high.
Nate
- Location
- New Rochelle
Can we have a PO4 testing station at the frag swap with the Hanna meter?:scratch:
Ok, finally got a chance to open up my meter and try it out.
I just took three readings from my sump.
First Reading: .07
Second Reading: .05
Third Reading: .06
RO/DI Reading: .02 (surprising)
I zeroed the unit before each reading
Questions:
1. i assume that little plastic cap is garbage and that only the black screw on cap is required. right?
2. the instructions say that 3 minutes is for 68F and that at 86F time should be halved - considering that we are at ~80F, are any of you using a reduced time? or doing the full 3 minutes of the times reading?
DISCLAIMER: The above readings are from my tank that is not currently running any form of Phosphate media. I have some Rowa i want to use, but wanted to wait for the reading first.
I just took three readings from my sump.
First Reading: .07
Second Reading: .05
Third Reading: .06
RO/DI Reading: .02 (surprising)
I zeroed the unit before each reading
Questions:
1. i assume that little plastic cap is garbage and that only the black screw on cap is required. right?
2. the instructions say that 3 minutes is for 68F and that at 86F time should be halved - considering that we are at ~80F, are any of you using a reduced time? or doing the full 3 minutes of the times reading?
DISCLAIMER: The above readings are from my tank that is not currently running any form of Phosphate media. I have some Rowa i want to use, but wanted to wait for the reading first.
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What took you so long?
i have been using the little plastic cap along with the screw on cap when I mix in the reagent. I am concerned that the screw on cap does not make as good as a seal, and that a little bit of the water could get up in there and slowly drip down the side of the outside of the cuvet.
I tried a reduced time but did not see that much of a difference, I think you would wait a little over two minutes. What I have been doing is starting the timer, just as I am putting in the reagent. I figure that this is a nice compromise.
I have tested my RO/DI and my firends RO/DI and got a reading of .05 on each of them. I did a little bit of research and learned that they are not 100% effective in removing phosphates. My sink water is 1.91.
I also noticed that the RO/DI was more effective at removing Phosphates when after I back flushed it and let it run for a half an hour or so. I used to alway keep a 30 gallon container full of water, the float switch would add five gallons, when I took five gallons out. I now use the entire 30 gallons before making more. My RO/DI now runs at .03.
RO membrane is most efficient after you either flush or let the product water run for a while.
I only make 30 or so gallon at a time and the water from the storage tank reads .03 as well.
I don't know if everyone needs one, it depends upon your set up. I was having a problem with my SPS, I wasn't getting the coloring I wanted. I also noticed that I was getting a little bit of algae starting to grow. After talking with people I determined that I had a phosphate problem, even though my phosphates where testing zero with salifert test kit. I was running phosban, but had no wayt to know if it was being effective or if it was exhausted.
Since getting the meter I have been able to test every additative (except calacium) that is put into my tank, and am able to test my phoban to see if it is still working. In short I am able to very closely monitor my phophate levels.
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