zpayne10 Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Has anyone found reliable digital test kits for the freshwater hobby? I know Hanna makes a bunch for saltwater, but I can't seem to find anything for freshwater. I'm red/green colorblind so reading tests like the API nitrate test is darn near impossible (not to mention lighting changes how the colors look). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 @zpayne10 i imagine that most parameters for saltwater, will test similar to freshwater. people deal with PH in saltwater people deal with nitrogenous compounds in saltwater. @Biotope Biologistyou are a marine biologist, can you confirm this^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zpayne10 Posted February 22, 2023 Author Share Posted February 22, 2023 On 2/22/2023 at 5:34 PM, Theplatymaster said: @zpayne10 i imagine that most parameters for saltwater, will test similar to freshwater. people deal with PH in saltwater people deal with nitrogenous compounds in saltwater. @Biotope Biologistyou are a marine biologist, can you confirm this^ If I could use the tests "designed" for saltwater but under freshwater conditions, I'd be quite the happy camper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 @zpayne10 i am nowhere near an expert on this, and know almost nothing on saltwater, i am just making a guess that most of the base parameters are the same, considering if you ignore the salt, they are basically the same hobby. (saltwater kits might be calibrated for high PHs but it still shouldnt be much of an issue). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/22/2023 at 11:28 PM, zpayne10 said: Has anyone found reliable digital test kits for the freshwater hobby? I know Hanna makes a bunch for saltwater, but I can't seem to find anything for freshwater. I'm red/green colorblind so reading tests like the API nitrate test is darn near impossible (not to mention lighting changes how the colors look). I use Hannah instruments hi 700 low range ammonia checker very accurate for freshwater and I use a blue lab digital pH pen accurate to 0.1 good quality pen for price I would stay away from cheap pH pen's on Amazon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 I’m pretty sure you can recalibrate Hanna instruments to freshwater if you need to. I use Hanna testers. But maybe thats only for the really expensive lab equipment. 🤷♂️ They make little paramater checkers priced at about $60 usd. I too would stay away from amazon knockoffs they can be incredibly unreliable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 Tetra has an application for reading 6 in 1 test strips. It expects you to match them in order before and after testing the water, and it gives you the results. In my experience, it does not work perfect. Especially for nitrate and nitrite readings. I obviously see pure white on nitrite and it shows nitrite meanwhile I obviously see pink color on nitrate readings but it says 0. I would not solely depend on its results but at least something good to have in case it helps you by any means. JBL also has proscape, but I haven't used it myself. You can look for its comments as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 I’m not sure how to do it but last year there was a thread that explained how to use the greyscale on your phone to read tests for those with color blindness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuzzDaddy21 Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 I got Hanna checkers for Nitrates and Phosphates a month ago or so and really like them. (I found one for freshwater the other one is marine, but it works just fine.) If you look around online, you will find good deals on the reagent powder and also kits. Last Nitrate check on a 40B was 0.11ppm and the 20T was 0.06ppm. I will never go back to test strips or the API test kits. Next up will be a Hanna checker for PH. I don`t check for anything else. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zpayne10 Posted February 23, 2023 Author Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 9:39 AM, BuzzDaddy21 said: I got Hanna checkers for Nitrates and Phosphates a month ago or so and really like them. (I found one for freshwater the other one is marine, but it works just fine.) If you look around online, you will find good deals on the reagent powder and also kits. Last Nitrate check on a 40B was 0.11ppm and the 20T was 0.06ppm. I will never go back to test strips or the API test kits. Next up will be a Hanna checker for PH. I don`t check for anything else. Are you using the marine version of the nitrates from Hanna? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 10:39 AM, BuzzDaddy21 said: If you look around online, you will find good deals on the reagent powder and also kits. I have ordered bulk direct from Hanna and find that cheapest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuzzDaddy21 Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 Yes. The nitrate kit is complete where the phosphate kit isn`t. Phosphate kit is for freshwater. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zpayne10 Posted February 23, 2023 Author Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 10:50 AM, BuzzDaddy21 said: Yes. The nitrate kit is complete where the phosphate kit isn`t. Phosphate kit is for freshwater. Do you find it's pretty easy to calculate the dilution factor? My understanding is the nitrate test is for the low range (up to 5ppm), but they have a dilution equation to track up to 50ppm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonH Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 if it's too expensive, your LFS should be able to test whenever you go in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zpayne10 Posted February 23, 2023 Author Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 11:47 AM, HudsonH said: if it's too expensive, your LFS should be able to test whenever you go in? This isn't a cost issue, it's a colorblind issue that makes the API tests difficult to read 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonH Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 11:55 AM, zpayne10 said: This isn't a cost issue, it's a colorblind issue that makes the API tests difficult to read 🙂 I know, what i'm saying is that if the digital tests are too expensive, you could take a sample to your LFS whenever you go and have them read the tests. Just a suggestion if the Hannas are out of your budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/22/2023 at 6:28 PM, zpayne10 said: I'm red/green colorblind so reading tests like the API nitrate test is darn near impossible (not to mention lighting changes how the colors look). I see colors just fine* and I still poll everyone in the house when doing parameter testing! "Yeah, but which shade of orange is that...?" *This weirdly feels like I'm bragging 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuzzDaddy21 Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 12:15 PM, zpayne10 said: Do you find it's pretty easy to calculate the dilution factor? Yep, one packet for one 10ml of water. Just checked phosphates in my 40B and they are 0.69ppm. Nitrates on the 40B are 0.05ppm. Hanna checkers aren't cheap but I feel they are a lot better than other tests kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 12:29 PM, Guppysnail said: I’m not sure how to do it but last year there was a thread that explained how to use the greyscale on your phone to read tests for those with color blindness. Holding the test next to it's test card take a photo then convert it to grey scale using the phone camera settings. Works with both test strips and liquid tests gets easier with practice. Can help anyone some of those colours are tricky. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 On 2/23/2023 at 3:57 PM, Flumpweesel said: Holding the test next to it's test card take a photo then convert it to grey scale using the phone camera settings. Works with both test strips and liquid tests gets easier with practice. Can help anyone some of those colours are tricky. This is great! I test, of course, but I'm never entirely convinced that I'm reading the tests right, so this should help a lot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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