Calibrating Hanna alkalinity DKH checker

EliteSocial

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Super disapponting.
A Hanna Alk checker being off just made me bring ALK up from 8.7 to over 14 !! (over 3-4days)

my dummy self trusted it TOO MUCH.
I am now a proud new owner of 2 back up test kits LOL - salifert and Red Sea.

Little disappointing no way to calibrate, but I guess it must be hard with the color refractor inside to be able to calibrate.

I personally think it was my SOLUTION and not the device - which caused the wonky readings.

Because when my “calibration” solution came in I got 5.4 or roughly 96 ppm which is in range.

I guess sitting for 30 days the solution can “go bad”?


I would love for people to chime in on 2 things:

1. how long have you had you Hanna all checked ? Have you noticed any crazy reading after X amount of time?

2. How often are you replacing your solution bottle if you are not running many tests and using it all up in 30-45 days ?
 

EliteSocial

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Also in regards to the calibration solution:

is it a one time use ?
How long does it last ?
can I keep it around ?
Thanks y’all !
 

zdstrong

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I dont believe you can actually calibrate a Hanna checker. Those are just standards you can buy to verify your that results are relatively accurate
 

LilysDad

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I do icps every 2 months and my Hanna checker is off by 1.0ppm after using the calibration solution for the checker it reads 5.3ppm off by .3 since solution is supposed to read 5ppm and every icp it comes out at 7-7.5 and my Hanna come out at 8.3-8.8.

I saved sample water from icps in inclosed mason jars and plastic lids, sample usually last 1 month. And from that sample that’s how I calibrate my trident. My icps don’t take long usually 1 week turn around from the reef moonshiners ms version
 

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Salty_Northerner

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Contact Hanna see what they say. You can also try and get a q-tip and put some isopropyl alcohol on the swab and gently clean the inside where the diode is.
 

DHill6

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Good luck getting an answer from Hanna, last issue I asked Pete @ Hanna his answer was I sent the issue overseas I’ll let you know when I hear back. Going on two months…still waiting
 

Salty_Northerner

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I guess I'm lucky then. Canadian Hanna division never questioned me when I had an issue. Was able to call and was transferred to the MAN and a week later new product delivered to my door. Just like ecotech Canada. Replaced a Westside with just one photo and bos. Only company to flat out dis me was tunze. Zero customer service.
 

Big E

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I gave up on this checker as the reagents have been unreliable/unstable causing false readings.

I went back to Salifert standard alk kit.........it's easy, cheap & accurate.

What even convinced more was when Craig Bingham mentioned that our eyes are more accurate in discerning the color change than some cheap eye in those eggs.
 

jda

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I was going to suggest that you have Salifert test kits on hand to check your Hannah, but then I wondered if you had the Salifert, then what good is the Hannah?

I would not trust ICP over a Salifert test kit, either. If I understand it right, the plasma cannot detect carbonate hardness and they use a test kit just like you would - one of the many reasons for the two vials. Some companies have more sophisticated testing equipment for things like kH and Calcium but since they are black boxes, we are left to guess at what they use. They totally could have a person using a Salifert test kit.
 

Big E

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I was going to suggest that you have Salifert test kits on hand to check your Hannah, but then I wondered if you had the Salifert, then what good is the Hannah?

I would not trust ICP over a Salifert test kit, either. If I understand it right, the plasma cannot detect carbonate hardness and they use a test kit just like you would - one of the many reasons for the two vials. Some companies have more sophisticated testing equipment for things like kH and Calcium but since they are black boxes, we are left to guess at what they use. They totally could have a person using a Salifert test kit.
I went with the Hannah for a while because it's fast and easy and would use Salifert to back check if the numbers were wonky.

Yes, it's probably someone doing just what we're doing.
 

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