Hanna LR Nitrate Review

[urbanknight]

This is not a negative review. It is however, a review that says buyer beware. This instrument is probably the most accurate in what it does. There are several reasons that I won't be using it. It will be posted in our for sale section shortly. Reason number one for this decision is be prepared to take from 15-20 minutes for one test. I don't want to spend that much time for a nitrate test. One of the items in the kit is a two piece plastic disk into which a paper filter fits. In the bottom piece is a clear very thin O ring. If you are not paying attention, you will throw it out. Without this O ring, the kit is useless. One of the steps in the test process is to screw this plastic two part disk onto a syringe that contains your test solution. If the disk is not TIGHT it leaks. If it is tight, it takes dry hands and a towel to unscrew it. There are two dry reagents and one liquid. If your nitrates are above 5 parts per million, you must first go through a dilution process before testing. For the average hobbyist, I see this process as too time consuming. Who can benefit from using this kit? I think those with SPS dominate tanks and those who want their nitrate readings to be as close as possible to spot on. It took three test for me to finally understand the instructions and get a good test done. (OK...so I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier!) The kit is twice as heavy and bulky as any of the other Hanna checkers. Just my two cents!

 

[lmm1967]

so - one of our resident retirees doesn't have enough time to do a nitrate test with this?

I'm suspicious.

 

[wake125122]

This is not a negative review. It is however, a review that says buyer beware. This instrument is probably the most accurate in what it does. There are several reasons that I won't be using it. It will be posted in our for sale section shortly. Reason number one for this decision is be prepared to take from 15-20 minutes for one test. I don't want to spend that much time for a nitrate test. One of the items in the kit is a two piece plastic disk into which a paper filter fits. In the bottom piece is a clear very thin O ring. If you are not paying attention, you will throw it out. Without this O ring, the kit is useless. One of the steps in the test process is to screw this plastic two part disk onto a syringe that contains your test solution. If the disk is not TIGHT it leaks. If it is tight, it takes dry hands and a towel to unscrew it. There are two dry reagents and one liquid. If your nitrates are above 5 parts per million, you must first go through a dilution process before testing. For the average hobbyist, I see this process as too time consuming. Who can benefit from using this kit? I think those with SPS dominate tanks and those who want their nitrate readings to be as close as possible to spot on. It took three test for me to finally understand the instructions and get a good test done. (OK...so I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier!) The kit is twice as heavy and bulky as any of the other Hanna checkers. Just my two cents!

Nice info and thanks for the heads up.

 

[Adam]

I'll buy it from you Doug @urbanknight. Won't be a primary test for me but when no one is around with good eyes my colorblind ass will appreciate having it around.

 

[tdam]

MIne is for sale too. Just too lazy to use it.

 

[Adam]

MIne is for sale too. Just too lazy to use it.

I'm not in a hurry and I know the old man will hold it for me. I don't even have a system up and running yet.
If you get a taker move it. Otherwise if you still have it in a few months I might buy it from you.

 

[urbanknight]

so - one of our resident retirees doesn't have enough time to do a nitrate test with this?

I'm suspicious.

OK...So I'm plain lazy!

 

[John Bowers]

I love my Hannah for dKh and use it to test several times a week, but the nitrate is slow as the op said, so I wont use it as often. I will probably test rarely with it, and use a quicker test kit or strips in case of possible spikes or problems. Most of the time the quick API test is all I need to know if levels are below 5 ppm. However the Hannah test for low range nitrate is really the only option if you are concerned about nitrate being possibly too low in a stable tank in the 0-5 ppm range and you want an accurate measure. I don't expect to use it more than once a month unless I change something.