PO4 Results...

[nbd13]

Hey guys just got my Hanna meter today!

very nice!

i got my first reading of

.07

so what do you guys think?

i am dosing .50 ml of start 2 broken up into 2 doses. should i dose more?

also couple of questions about the meter.

1. should i store the testing bottles (maybe called curvets) in RODI water?

2. the white clear cap that is on the testing curvets the one that slips into the opening, do i need to keep these?

3. after you add the regant should i gentle shake until it is all disolved? or just a couple seconds?

4. what do you guys use to wipe down the curvets? it said to not touch with your fingers too much and to wipe down with a lint free cloth?

5. last one, after use should i just rinse the curvet with RODI water a couple times? and store then?

thanks again!

Nick

[GTR]

I rinse them in tap water and then store them in a cup of RO/DI water to keep water spots form forming. I just use a soft cloth to hold it while I'm doing the test once i't filled with tank water.

Keep the plastic caps for shaking, just don't put the dang things on as tight as Hanna does or you'll soon rip of the edges.

How long to shake.... that's another story and some of us have gotten conflicting advice from Hanna. I pour in the reagent and do a slow count to 30.

.07's not bad and it should go down in time. I'd do a couple more tests until you get repeatable results from the Hanna to base your dosage changes (if any) on.

SteveU

[nbd13]

thanks, so i should put the whole curvet in RODI water? not justt he inside? right now i just have RODI water in the inside of them.

should i put the whole thing in water?

so should i put the plastic caps on while testing?

what i did was put the regant in and replace the clear lid thing and then put the black lid on and started to shake it prolly for about 30ish seconds till it was mostly disolved and then put it in and tested it (followed the intrsustions).

but should i keep the clear cap on while testing? or just for shaking and to store it?

and let me know about the whole in or out of RODI water thing. i am not sure what i would keep them in because i do no want to break them. maybe a plastic cup, but that may leak PO4? maybe a glass cup? or should i just put RODI water in the insde of the curvet?

anyway thanks again.

Nick

[OUinLA]

I rinse mine with ro/di water then dry with a photo chamois.

I shake pretty good until all or most of the reagent is dissolved then do the time tests so the rest will dissolve during that. You can store the whole cuvette in ro/di water.

Just be careful not to fingerprint the vials before a test. either hold by the lid, with a cloth or latex gloves.

[nbd13]

thanks i will put them in RODI water right now.

what should i use to store them?

a clean glass? or a plastic glass? dont want to leach PO4 onto the curvet.

thanks!

Nick

[fkadir]

I use a normal glass jar with RO/DI water or distilled water and fully submerge the curvets when im storing them. The black cap is stored separately together with the plastic cap thingie.

Use those cloth for cleaning spectacles when im handling the curvets prior to testing.

I shake the curvets for about 30 secs before commencing the timed readings. Seems to give consistent readings this way.

HTH

[nbd13]

thanks Farish.

i am uping my dose of start2, i am going to go with 1ml of start2 a day and then in a week see what i come up with and report back to Bob, haha.

anyway thanks guys, maybe when i get closer to "0" this stupid diatom/hair algae will go away.

Nick

[nbd13]

quick update and 1 more question, haha.

just tested tonight and got .03!!!!

so thats an improvement.

anyway now my question.

1. when you add the reagant to the curvet whats the best way to do this, so most of the reagant gets into the curvet?

thanks again guys!

Nick

[fkadir]

Nick, I just cut the packet at an angle and slowly tap the contents into the curvet. Slow and easy

[nbd13]

thats what i figured thanks Farish.

Nick