JBL Pro Scan

[gwand]

Has anyone tried JBL Pro Scan to measure water parameters? Opinions?

 

[MattW]

I'm interested in the way it shows results. I haven't tried it, but my LFS is a JBL partner shop, and they look expensive for 24 tests.

 

[gwand]

If you ever try it please post about your experience.

 

[gwand]

It turns out I can’t find the product in the U.S., only the UK and France on eBay.

 

[Uberhoust]

Interesting, I have never used it, seems excessively expensive, at least in Canada. It handles the color correction by a color chart with fiducial marks, I expect you then take a picture of your strip, and it does the color to concentration mapping for the various tests. Too expensive for my tastes, and the app doesn't appear available in Canada with Android, so I won't be trying it out. I expect you are paying for the chart and app, but it is still over twice the expense of the API liquid test. From the comments online most people found it worked well but a few others found it was hard to ensure that the color and exposure for the cell camera, causing unacceptable result variations. I would be curious myself now how well this product works.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

Is this the same JBL that makes speakers?

 

[gwand]

Interesting, I have never used it, seems excessively expensive, at least in Canada. It handles the color correction by a color chart with fiducial marks, I expect you then take a picture of your strip, and it does the color to concentration mapping for the various tests. Too expensive for my tastes, and the app doesn't appear available in Canada with Android, so I won't be trying it out. I expect you are paying for the chart and app, but it is still over twice the expense of the API liquid test. From the comments online most people found it worked well but a few others found it was hard to ensure that the color and exposure for the cell camera, causing unacceptable result variations. I would be curious myself now how well this product works.

I agree. But I’m always looking for something easier to read than liquid API nitrate test. I find it hard to distinguish the colors in the range 5-20 ppm.

 

[Uberhoust]

But I’m always looking for something easier to read than liquid API nitrate test. I find it hard to distinguish the colors in the range 5-20 ppm.

I also find that test difficult as well, the distinction is not clear. As far as the tester goes there is one thing that I think is a bit of a flaw in the design and that is that you get the calibration card but there is no consistent light source. Some light sources might work well, natural light because it is a true full spectrum, but I suspect others don't work at all.

 

[gwand]

I agree. The reading varies depending upon the light source. Holding the vial up to a window to capture natural sunlight either gives me the correct reading or a low reading. I can’t tell which without a positive control.

 

[Uberhoust]

Before I developed a sense of the Nitrate levels in my main tank I found any of the nitrate tests difficult to read so I made a reference solutions of 5, 10, 20 ppm using KNO3. Now I don't test unless my fish are looking a little poor. I find the only time I really need to test is when setting up a new tank which I haven't done for a while.

 

[gwand]

Before I developed a sense of the Nitrate levels in my main tank I found any of the nitrate tests difficult to read so I made a reference solutions of 5, 10, 20 ppm using KNO3. Now I don't test unless my fish are looking a little poor. I find the only time I really need to test is when setting up a new tank which I haven't done for a while.

Oh I like that. A standard curve. I check quite often because my well water has a nitrate level that ranges from 10-30 ppm depending on the season. I use an expensive nitrate resin filter was well water nitrate is 20 or greater.

 

[Uberhoust]

I check quite often because my well water has a nitrate level that ranges from 10-30 ppm depending on the season. I use an expensive nitrate resin filter was well water nitrate is 20 or greater.

That's a bit of a pain. My tap water is very good.