Sick Tired and Peeved by Chemical PH tests

shoe

shoe

AC Members
Sep 25, 2006
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After what literally seems a decade of testing PH with a dropper, am quite content to call it quits.

Am looking for your expertise regards using an electronic unit.

I run a low PH (RO/DI) 75 gal tank that may one day hold Discus (and pals) only but as of yet am hard pressed to populate my tank as such.

Your helpful input is apprecated.
 
i know a few people using these electronic units and they advised me to go for it and get one.
although not cheap they are from info i have been given a valuable tool for ph specific tanks.
i will get one one soon when i start my uaru fernadezyepezi breeding project.

i moved this to the equiptment forum
 
My bad for not realizing there was an equipment forum (but really didn't recognize this as being it:).

Anyway, are you looking at anything in particular?
 
Wanted to get back with you regards the monitor... I bought one!
I picked it up on EBAY for just under $100 USD (a little over that mark with shipping).

...and was quite surprised by my initial tank readings...

After calibrating the unit against the supplied reagents for some 5 minutes (just to be sure), I dropped the testing wand into my tank and found that my PH was a full integer away from the target PH I believed my tank was set to.

I'm shooting for about 5.8 (still about .5 too high) and am adding an Acid buffer to the tank incrementally until I reach the desired level. Totally cool is that the PH reading responds quite quickly to the changes (BUT, one should agitate the water to make sure the buffer is thoroughly dispersed throughout the tank.)

Of course the tester has its flaws:
1) Wand tip CANNOT be allowed to dry
2) Wand needs to be replaced every 18 months
3) Unit SHOULD be calibrated every month and calibration fluids (two per session) cost around $2 USD per session.

Not too sure if I'm going to calibrate that often though since I'm not to concerned if the unit is .05 (+ or -) off but I suppose I need to get a feel for just how far off the unit deviates in a months time.

Finally once I get comfortable with this unit I suppose I throw down more cash for a unit that doesn't need to calibrated as often.
 
I just got the Hanna pHep4 and I am more than happy with it. It was only $55.

You do have to keep the probe head wet but there is a storage solution you get for it. As far as calibration as long as it is stored properly you can go several months without. Of course all models need calibrated at some point. Don't buy the individual packets of calibration solution, get the bottle that is 250 ml for $7 and that will last you for many years. I got the 4.0 and 7.0 solution for like $13 shipped and will never need to buy again.
 
Where were you when I need you earlier!!! :)

Thanks for your reply... Why did you go with a Hanna pHep4 rather than the American Marine PINPOINT pH Monitor?

For example I hear that models cheaper that the PINPOINT are not certified to be accurate.

How long does your probe last?
Where do you get your fluids?

A guy at American Marine suggested I pick up a pair of test tubes to dump individual packets of calibration fluid then use a stopper to keep the fluid uncontaminated.
 
bump.
 
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