Disappointed with Chekcers
 

I needed new test kits so I decided to try out the new Hanna checkers. I purchased two kits form www.canadareef.com

The two kits arrived, The phosphate kit only had 6 reagents. and the bottles did not have screw caps. $50+ test kit for 6 tests? So a few things may of happened.

1. Hanna charges too much for 6 tests.

2. Hanna quality did not check the test kit had enough reagents before leaving dist center.

3. The Vendor took out some of the reagents and changed up the bottles before sending to me.

Emails to both the vendor and Hanna didn't really help. The Vendor said thanks for the feedback and they will check with Hanna.

What should of happened is the vendor should of told me how many tests the kits do and send me the difference along with the proper screw top bottles. So I am not blaming 100% Hanna or the vendor but I am not happy with the purchase.

Some product advice not related to the quality, the powder reagent for the phosphate checker in the pouches are very hard to use. I would recommend you make pills, spoon or a liquid.

The syringe for the liquid reagent with the Alk test kit doesn't work very well. You are suppose to suck up 1ML, but when you remove the syringe it drips out and doesn't hold the liquid well. I would replace the rubber tip with a screw on tip so it holds the liquids better.

Any Advice?

My po4 checker came with the lids. I knew it only had a few tests in it, pretty sure it states that somewhere on their site. Thats why I added a 25 pk of reagents for 10 bucks to my order.

Mine didn't come with screw lids either and only had 6 tests too. I have had it over a year now and love it. Honestly I find not having screw lids is not a big deal.

Hanna's website states that only 6 test reagents are included with the tester so you didn't get ripped off. You are not paying $50 for 6 tests, you are paying $50 for the electronic testing equipment with 6 samples, they sell the reagents seperately for much cheaper. The website also only states that caps are supplied but it doesn't specify screw on ones so I hope you at least got some type of cap.

I absolutely love mine!! Sure, they only come with 6 tests, but the refills are cheaper. I hope they make them for all test parameters.

I got 6 tests and caps.

But ya, it's not a rip off. You pay for the tester unit. Refills are extra.

It sounds like your vendor screwed you over not Hana.
Point #1 - A non issue as others have stated, the base test kit only comes with 6.
Point #2 - Again, a non-issue. Only 6 are supplied and the caps are push in, not screw caps.
Point #3 - Again, sounds like your vendor screwed you.

The savings come into play when you continue to use the hana checker and buy 25 test reagents for $8-$10, instead of buying a whole new test kit (API/Salifert/Elos/etc..) for $30-$50.

Aside from your issues with your vendor, did you find the test kit useful?

They may have changed caps as mine are screw on...

I JUST bought mine, a couple weeks ago (phosphate). It came with 6 tests and a 'plug' style lid. No complaints so far, accurate and works great! Yeah there is a learning curve with the first couple tests, but as is the case with any other type of kit.

Cheers,

Chris

I couldn'tbe happier with purchasing the hanna kits. Mine had push in capps & only 6 flaps of powder. But it's totally worth it when you read 0.00 instead of looking at some indesernable color. I can't wait to have my Ca test & who cares it's only $50 bucks.

checkers
 

good to know about that it only comes with 6. It didn't say that anywhere on the site though. Not saying I wouldn't purchase it if it did but 6? Really. Its just bad business to do that. "buy this, and you will also need this."

The kit is ok, I have used many kits included Lamotte etc and the part about reading the digital read out is nice, but the pouches should be either a spoon or pills/liquid cause its hard to get all of it in the vial for an accurate test.

The cases are bit lame, they don't seem to stay closed. The cork tops are hard to get out and sometimes when you finally pop them out water can go flying. I wish I would of purchased the Lamotte kit for a few more buck and 50 tests. I don't have an issue matching color.

I'll see how the reviews are with the Calcium kit.

Thanks for the feedback.

This is very similar to consumer laser printers. When you buy the printer new, it only comes with a 1/2 loaded cartridge.

I am not disappointed with my checkers as I did read/watch some youtube reviews before ordering mine and all the reviews stated it only came with 6 test packets.

My real concern is over the long term use and how to clean the little glass vials so they don't give false readings in the future. Will PO4 build up over time in the glass vial and mess up future readings?

If there is any beef to be had with the checkers is that I thought I was rocking it with tank perams....... then I got my hanna checkers.......SUPER accurate and let me know I have more work to do on stablizing what I thought were spot on perams

There is a warning somewhere that if you leave the reagent in the vial it can stain, rinse it out right after testing.
Also, I think you set the baseline for the test when you put just water in first and the meter measures the difference in water colour after you add the reagent(more PO4=more blue). I've heard that some people use both vials for one test and premix the reagent in one of the vials. This could give you bad readings as the test kit ages and vials stain blue at different rates.

I have also bought some reagent that gave me 0.00 readings. I was ecstatic until I tested with another box bought from a different store that read 0.10 and 0.08 on each tank.

fill the vials with ro/di water after use until you need them next;)

I have the same experience, I think the pouches are terrible. I'm never 100% sure I got 100% of the powder into the tiny opening of the vials. I would also prefer a scoop to measure powder. I understand the idea though, as I know many people aren't accurate in measuring, but I think those are the same people that wouldn't get all the powder out of the pouches. :lol: My cases don't stay closed either - totally annoying. I find the reagent bottles often leak, so now I make sure to store the kits on end so the reagent bottles are upright.

I have an old 713 PO4 kit that I'm not sure if it really is accurate. It tells me my tank has 0.00 ppm which I can't believe even though I got a reading of 0.07 or something on a different tank. I think these numbers are way too low. Maybe just because it's an old, original kit.

The alkalinity kit I love - no powder pouches to empty. I did find one of the syringes didn't seal well with the tip and I would have trouble with the fluid leaking out as soon as I lifted the tip out of the reagent bottle. Luckily when you buy more reagent you get a new syringe and tip too, and I haven't had this problem since.

I also have a calcium kit that I hate. It gives me readings I can't believe - like 450 ppm on a tank with no dosing using H2Ocean salt. That's not even possible. The calcium kit also uses only 0.1 mL of sample water so even with careful measuring it would be easy to measure 0.11 mL or 0.09 mL which would cause a 10% reading inaccuracy or about 40 ppm when measuring calcium. I sold this kit - I have used Elos for calcium for years and much prefer this kit over the Hanna or Salifert.

I might try a new PO4 checker sometime...

I bought the phosphorus checker and couldn't be happier comparing it to red sea and salifert.. While at first I was disappointed with the pouches I found creasing them prior to cutting open helps alot. Not wasting any.. As for residual left in the vials ro water rinse and vinegar if scaling does occur.

They only come with 6 packs of regent and now it appears that they have changed to push in plugs for the testing bottles, so what's the problem, it is what it is, use it you will be happy with it I'm sure. I only use Hanna for po4 testing salifert for everything else.

Although pretty much virgin fresh to Hanna, I found cutting off top, then peeling open one side right down to bottom. I find doing this makes it WAAAY easier to add and easy to see if there is any left in packet

Alk and phos are great the ca is garbage bought couple refills assuming its the powder or something still same garbage always reads high i use the red sea reef foundation pack for second test