Hanna Instruments HI781: Your 🌊 Reliable Low Range Saltwater Nitrate Checker Review

I'm sure it's extremely accurate like most Hanna products but to be honest it's too complicated and takes more steps than driving a car . Use a simpler kit unless you really need sub-5ppm accuracy (most don't). I wouldn't trade the rest of the Hannah Stones I have for anything. I share some of the blame for not researching this more.

This provides a direct way to confirm nitrate levels. My reef tank tested at 0.01ppm, which is what I expected. The test is a three-step process that requires a little more effort than some other parameters like alkalinity or calcium, but doing what is required is fairly easy. As long as you follow the instructions, it's not difficult to use.

I understand why most people are cautious about using this nitrate tester. When you open the box, it looks intimidating. There are many steps you need to take to get a reading. But I'm telling you, it's worth all those extra steps. After a while it becomes muscle memory. If you have nitrate levels above 5ppm you can test this by diluting, but you will need freshly made salt water. I compared this to other nitrate tests and they were accurate.

I bought this thinking it would be as easy as my alkalinity test. NO. After watching the video of them the instruction makes sense. So far I've only tried it twice and each time I spill a little powder. I really want everything to be liquid. I also have an API version that I will probably use for my routine testing. I can't speak to accuracy as it always reads 0.0ppm which may or may not be correct (LOTS of algae in my tank but it can eat up all the free nitrate).

I have Hanna calcium and alkalinity meters and they are both great for checking my reef tank so I was very happy to see that they now have a nitrate meter. I've used half a dozen different test sets in the past and hate trying to match my sample to the color wheel. I wanted to love it so badly but honestly I couldn't be more disappointed. This is a ridiculously difficult test, with several more steps than any other test kits I've used that are a fraction of the price. The steps require a few…