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Hana Phosphate Meter- opinions?

CookieJar

CookieJar

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I'm curious if anyone uses the cheap ($50) Hana Phosphate meter? I'm considering it since I'm having a bout of cyano and can't really use the color changing test kits, so the idea of a # output is very appealing to me. I read a bit on other websites but wondered if anyone in BAR has experience wit it.
 
I use it. More for a general guide line than anything. It helps me figure out when to change my GFO out. My readings are always around 11 ppb so ~ 0.033ppm on average and lower (7-9ppb) after a large w/c but i still manage to get a little cyano on occasion.
 
I use it weekly, no problem so far. I do test it once a month against regular kits. It is the same amount of work, just less time spent finding the right light to compare and running down your neighbors for their unbiased opinion. :)
 
I was thinking about getting one too and found that this one reads the low level phosphates the best.
HI-736

http://cgi.ebay.com/HANNA-INSTRUMENTS-HI-736-CHECKER-PHOSPHOROUS-PHOTOMETER-/280538444708?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415164f3a4
 
JAR said:
I was thinking about getting one too and found that this one reads the low level phosphates the best.
HI-736

http://cgi.ebay.com/HANNA-INSTRUMENTS-HI-736-CHECKER-PHOSPHOROUS-PHOTOMETER-/280538444708?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415164f3a4
Click to expand...



Hmm...Time to use my 10% coupon!
 
JAR said:
I was thinking about getting one too and found that this one reads the low level phosphates the best.
HI-736

http://cgi.ebay.com/HANNA-INSTRUMENTS-HI-736-CHECKER-PHOSPHOROUS-PHOTOMETER-/280538444708?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415164f3a4
Click to expand...

that's the one I was looking at and am going to get. Glad to hear it works well, at least well enough for a hobbyist.
 
I like it, before that I was not able to get low enough reading. My reading from checker has been around 0.03, I have been bothered by Cayno for long time, could never beat it. lately I am trying ULNS to see if I can starve them. I started carbon source in small dosage, after two weeks it drove my reading to zero (yeah myself don't believe ,but tested 3 times all 0). Even that Cayno still regrow back in same speed like before, after I siphon them out in WC. Seems Cayno still grow even there is no PO4 in water volume, it will get PO4 from sand bed & live rocks, or feed on something else.

Don't know about how to calibrate PO4 testing, I just simply tested RO & distill water by the checker all readings came out zero.
 
Did you try the new meter? with the new Reactants? I complained and got sent new product.

The first model/reactants didn't work well. People doubled the time shaking the thing and got better results as the reactants were not devolving.
I think they are now working on liquid reactants, which I would prefer. So far, I don't think the issue is the meter, but the reactants which they can improve over time. I got consistent numbers reading the control sample.
 
ryanjiang said:
I like it, before that I was not able to get low enough reading. My reading from checker has been around 0.03, I have been bothered by Cayno for long time, could never beat it. lately I am trying ULNS to see if I can starve them. I started carbon source in small dosage, after two weeks it drove my reading to zero (yeah myself don't believe ,but tested 3 times all 0). Even that Cayno still regrow back in same speed like before, after I siphon them out in WC. Seems Cayno still grow even there is no PO4 in water volume, it will get PO4 from sand bed & live rocks, or feed on something else.

Don't know about how to calibrate PO4 testing, I just simply tested RO & distill water by the checker all readings came out zero.
Click to expand...

Talking out of my butt here, but I believe you can have a low reading and still have phosphates. They are just being used by stuff in your tank.
 
JAR said:
Thales said:
I found I couldn't get repeatable results on the same water sample. Sometimes the range was extreme.
Click to expand...
Was was your control? :D
Click to expand...

Funny! Though it wasn't needed to see if the device yielded consistent results, I ran the water sample through our lab at work because initially I wanted to see the accuracy of the thing, consistency was an after thought. :D

I am waiting on new reagents that are supposed to be in the mail.
 
I've gotten some mixed results. I've noticed if the vials are not clean it will throw the #'s off. Also so will a scratch or mark. I put my vials in the same way every time and it's pretty consistent.
 
ryanjiang said:
I like it, before that I was not able to get low enough reading. My reading from checker has been around 0.03, I have been bothered by Cayno for long time, could never beat it. lately I am trying ULNS to see if I can starve them. I started carbon source in small dosage, after two weeks it drove my reading to zero (yeah myself don't believe ,but tested 3 times all 0). Even that Cayno still regrow back in same speed like before, after I siphon them out in WC. Seems Cayno still grow even there is no PO4 in water volume, it will get PO4 from sand bed & live rocks, or feed on something else.

Don't know about how to calibrate PO4 testing, I just simply tested RO & distill water by the checker all readings came out zero.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure cyanbacteria doesn't need all (any?) that much PO4, unlike microalgeas & macroaglaes
 
Probably depends on species, but this experiment showed that cyano can be limited by P.

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14117854
 
Super easy to find out for me :) I love having a Phycologist with multiple post docs at my disposal :lol:
 
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