HI-736 Phosphorus ULR Owners / Hanna Reagent Question

[MarcWeaver]

I recently purchased 75 reagent packs for the HI-736. A week before, I used my last reagent packet from my old batch, and got a reading of 3. I have been carbon dosing and have seen phosphates on a steady decline. As soon as I used the first reagent packet from the new shipment, I got a reading of 0. The meter has been reading 0 for almost a month now, which I am a little skeptical of, because I have never had a zero reading before with this checker.

I don't have any of the old reagent packs or boxes, but I noticed online that some of the pictures on the packets for sale online say Phosphorous ULR Reagent on them in black lettering. Mine say HI 736-25 Phosphorous LR Reagent on them, not ULR and the lettering is Green. The lot number is 006 and the Expiry is 03/2014, made in Romania.

I tested tap water and got a reading of 17, so I know the reagents work. I'm just checking to see if maybe the range is wrong or if I do in fact have zero phosphates. Has anyone ever had consistent zero readings for a month on this checker?

Thanks

[outssider]

i have been running -0-ppb for months but i run gfo and carbon dose and am not heavily stocked.

I have batch 006 refills but the checker came with (6) of batch 007, had zero readings with that batch too !!. I have always had a zero reading. tap water tests have been in the 35 range and sometimes as high as 50 (testing weeks apart). Los Angeles ca.

I doubt if i have absolutely zero phosphates but they must me very low because any algae that forms is practically transparent (not much green or brown pigment, just a fine clear fuzz).

keep in mind the checkers are only so accurate + or - 3 ppb is probably within the margin of error.

[MarcWeaver]

Thanks!! That eases my concern. I ran GFO for a long time with results in the 9-14 ppb range. As soon as I started carbon dosing I tested weekly and it went from 6 to 3 to 0 in 3 weeks. The zero reading was with the first packet out of the new reagent shipment and it's been zero ever since. That was my concern. My SPS looks better than ever and the few patches of algae I have are melting away, so it's probably accurate. I am also getting the clear fuzz as well. Thanks for the reply!!

[outssider]

i also dose a few drops of brightwell's microbacter7.

[MarcWeaver]

Yeah I dose zeobak from time to time. I'm not sure whether it makes a difference or not. Do your reagents say Phosphorous LR or ULR on the packet?

[MarcWeaver]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2068493&highlight=hanna
(Thanks Blurry)

Looks like I'm not the only one testing zero all the time with lot H006. I'm going to call Hanna tomorrow and try to get them replaced.

[outssider]

I've already called hanna about the same concerns.....i posted in the other thread too !

check it out.....

i would like a test solution on the low end....testing at 200ppb i don't think will help us much.

[BeanAnimal]

I too have a new batch 006 and have gone from a reading of 30-50 on the old reagent packages to a reading of 0-10 on the new reagents 006.

Something is certainly not right.

[outssider]

what was the batch number you had before ??

[BeanAnimal]

The packages are long gone... but if memory serves me I would have to say that they had the number 003 on them... I will dig around and see if I can find an old foil wrapper under the desk or somewhere.

[MarcWeaver]

I talked with Hanna tech support and they said to email them my receipt and they would replace them for me. Great customer service!!