Tool for checking water chemistry

[BoulderBear]

Hey all! Long time lurker, first time poster. 

 

I have a quick question. I'm typically a very reactive tank hobbyist. Like I tend to try and not touch anything except keep the water levels the same with RODI, and changing carbon every 3 months or so. 

 

I'm thinking about trying to change this by being more proactive in my approach to water chemistry. My professional background is in hydrogeology, so I do know a thing or two about groundwater analysis. For groundwater sampling, we use probes that check the oxidation reduction potential, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and redox, usually all using one machine. 

 

I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for a similar type of machine used for checking things like nitrates, alkalinity, metals.. most of the culprits that would make corals angry. I just think it would be neat if there was one thing I could buy to test all these at once. I'm sure it would be crazy expensive, but getting something to test all these parameters individually would also be really expensive. Also using those test strips with changing colors just seems so inaccurate and unsatisfying. But maybe that's the way to go! 

 

Thanks for reading all the way through 🙂

 

 

I hope this is the correct place for this!  

[mcarroll]

Not really.....the machine you have at work is the same one you'd want at home IMO.

 

Take a look at Milwaukee and American Marine as they have a pretty complete line of electronic monitors and some controllers.

 

IMO there isn't that much of interest happening to need monitors for "everything".  That said....

 

It goes against the general guidance to avoid watching pH because it can be misleading, but a pH Monitor (as opposed to just pH testing) with a real time view to pH can be interesting.   You still won't really do anything based on the pH readings....it's not useful in that way.  But still interesting.....sorta lets you watch the tank "breathe".   And in the unlikely event that "something bad happens" it's possible that you might also notice it happening on the pH meter.  Chances are the tank will tell you visually before you look at the meter though.

 

A salinity monitor can also be interesting if you mix a lot of your own saltwater, but the sensors are kinda problematic/short lived IMO.  A non-cheapie refractometer is bulletproof for this job, but not real-time.

 

Test strips are very useful since they are FAST and CONVENIENT.  But they are the least accurate testing option.  (Not useless tho!!)

 

For most situations, ordinary hobby test kits, with their simplicity, decent accuracy and low cost, are the right tool to reach for when you have a question about water quality.  Salifert has been my go-to.  I've had good results from Seachems tests too, although I don't think they are quite as easy to use.  Plenty of folks seem to like Red Sea's kits.  Most test kits are actually fine.....but API (which tend to be the cheapest and most available) has a few kits that need asterisks after their name....like ammonia works, but has some peculiarities.  Google that info if you end up buying API kits.

 

A wrinkle is the API AquaSpin/Lamotte SpinTouch.....this is not a monitor, but allows extremely fast testing of all parameters in an automated form factor.  You add a test disk and drip of water, it does the rest.  Accuracy is low, but acceptable.....the speed and convenience is its strength.   And it's expen$ive.  (Per test cost is actually reasonable though.)

 

Hanna and Milwaukee also make testers that work more or less like the Spin Touch (ie digital/LED sample reader) except there are discreet testers for each water parameter, and you have to deal with lab ware and perform the test process yourself.

[BoulderBear]

Hey! Thanks for the super detailed response 🙂

 

I'll check out the kits you mentioned and maybe invest in an electronic one like that Hanna and Milwaukee one. I'm not really looking for a continuous monitor, but more like a sample method, like I give it a bit of my water and see what's out of the normal range. 

 

Great advice! Thank you

6 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Not really.....the machine you have at work is the same one you'd want at home IMO.

 

Take a look at Milwaukee and American Marine as they have a pretty complete line of electronic monitors and some controllers.

 

IMO there isn't that much of interest happening to need monitors for "everything".  That said....

 

It goes against the general guidance to avoid watching pH because it can be misleading, but a pH Monitor (as opposed to just pH testing) with a real time view to pH can be interesting.   You still won't really do anything based on the pH readings....it's not useful in that way.  But still interesting.....sorta lets you watch the tank "breathe".   And in the unlikely event that "something bad happens" it's possible that you might also notice it happening on the pH meter.  Chances are the tank will tell you visually before you look at the meter though.

 

A salinity monitor can also be interesting if you mix a lot of your own saltwater, but the sensors are kinda problematic/short lived IMO.  A non-cheapie refractometer is bulletproof for this job, but not real-time.

 

Test strips are very useful since they are FAST and CONVENIENT.  But they are the least accurate testing option.  (Not useless tho!!)

 

For most situations, ordinary hobby test kits, with their simplicity, decent accuracy and low cost, are the right tool to reach for when you have a question about water quality.  Salifert has been my go-to.  I've had good results from Seachems tests too, although I don't think they are quite as easy to use.  Plenty of folks seem to like Red Sea's kits.  Most test kits are actually fine.....but API (which tend to be the cheapest and most available) has a few kits that need asterisks after their name....like ammonia works, but has some peculiarities.  Google that info if you end up buying API kits.

 

A wrinkle is the API AquaSpin/Lamotte SpinTouch.....this is not a monitor, but allows extremely fast testing of all parameters in an automated form factor.  You add a test disk and drip of water, it does the rest.  Accuracy is low, but acceptable.....the speed and convenience is its strength.   And it's expen$ive.  (Per test cost is actually reasonable though.)

 

Hanna and Milwaukee also make testers that work more or less like the Spin Touch (ie digital/LED sample reader) except there are discreet testers for each water parameter, and you have to deal with lab ware and perform the test process yourself.

Sorry I think this is how to reply? See my comment above. 

[mcarroll]

What do you use at work BTW, if you can be specific?

 

17 hours ago, BoulderBear said:

I'll check out the kits you mentioned and maybe invest in an electronic one like that Hanna and Milwaukee one. I'm not really looking for a continuous monitor, but more like a sample method, like I give it a bit of my water and see what's out of the normal range. 

Focus in on your real goal then (which may not be completely clear yet, even to you)....this might help:

 

This is a generalization, but...

 

Digital kits are a more accurate in some cases in a specific way, but more fiddly/error prone and more time consuming to operate (eg meticulous cleaning of labware; number of steps to run a test, etc)...for some parameters more than others.  

 

Traditional kits (eg Salifert, most others) tend to be very fast, and in some cases very accurate, others not so much....mostly due to the results being difficult to interpret in some cases (see below) but there are some other issues with specific traditional tests (ie API's ammonia test).  Do a little googling on whatever kits you end up with – there's no such thing as "perfect" and there's always a trick or two. 😉 

 

IMO the benefit of digital testers would be in the specific tests that are hard to discern visually: pH, PO4 and NO3.  I don't know if the benefits outweigh the costs for your goals though.  

 

The benefit of traditional tests is the speed and consistency, but also availability of many alternate tests, such as K, Sr, I, etc.

 

A complete set (pH,alk,ca,mg,no3,po4) of Salifert kits is $104 online.  A complete set of Hanna testers is $327.  A Lamotte Spin Touch is $1,200.  If you're already familiar with their gear, Hach has competetive options and probably lines up more like Hanna in cost.  (They also have a ton of other options, including digital, of course.)

 

There's a pretty good spread in price, ease of use, potential for error, accuracy.

 

Lots of folks end up with a hybrid approach – what you pick should match your plans and needs (and skills).

[mxpro32]

I have a really hard time discerning the colors of the salifert phosphate test.  is there a better option?

 

[mcarroll]

2 hours ago, mxpro32 said:

I have a really hard time discerning the colors of the salifert phosphate test.  is there a better option?

 

Milwaukee and Hanna's digital meters are a good alternative...the computer reads the sample color for you.  (Looks like Milwaukee only has PO4....thought they had others for some reason.)

 

 

 

 

[mxpro32]

my lfs was saying the hanna checkers use the wrong kind of glass for their vials so they effect the uv light used to detect the colors so the results aren't very good.  have you heard anything about that?

 

[mcarroll]

7 hours ago, mxpro32 said:

my lfs was saying the hanna checkers use the wrong kind of glass for their vials so they effect the uv light used to detect the colors so the results aren't very good.  have you heard anything about that?

 

I'm not exactly sure what they're talking about.  🤷‍♂️

 

I've never had a problem getting accurate results with Hanna's Checkers....at least no problem that some practice and attention to detail (incl. following their directions) didn't solve.  Their Calcium Checker in particular took some extra practice for me to get right – it has LOTS of steps (lots of changes to goof up) compared to most of their tests.

 

Dealing with glassware in these optical testers is a big deal, IMO.  It's very important because fingerprints, lint, anything wrong with the glass can cause inaccuracy in reading your sample.

 

Traditional test kits have their own issues, but are generally much more "easy going", or forgiving in their test procedures.

 

That said, Hanna's phosphate checkers aren't very difficult.  Although they do use a powdered reagent that some folks have more trouble getting out of the packet than others.  If you can figure that out AND keep your glassware spotless then you won't have a problem.