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ph testing

warrenater

Seedling
Joined
19 Sep 2017
Messages
15
Location
bury st edmunds
What is the best method ? at the moment i am using an NT labs aquarium lab multi test kit but its a bit vague + i have to keep getting my wife to check it as i am a bit cooler blind , i also use the jbl proscan which also gives a co2 reading and is easier for me but I am not sure that i trust it .
long story short would a ph meter like this
(http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-...692295?hash=item43cdfc98c7:g:rNQAAOSwRLlZnpcu) be a more accurate option ? as i want to use it to determine my co2 level . Many thanks in advance for your replies atb Gary.
 
That's a difficult answer to give.. I've got 2 permanent pH meters Hanna and Milwaukee, assumed to be the beter part of the stuff out there and a few pocket versions from i forgot what brands.. Never mind, not 1 is equal to the other and all get calibrated in the same fluid.. Not huge differences but still they all have a few "0.somewhat" tolerancy compared with eachother. So beats me which one is most accurate.. Actualy it also realy doesn't worry me a bit, over the years i found out that pH aint that important so that you would need a spot on accurate measurment. :)

Next to that, the probes is filled with a pottasium chloride solution.. This solution can or likely will degrade and change it's propperties over time and should be refreshed.
This slow degration process likely is the cause of small changing measurments. Some Sensors have a refill option others do not. The ones that do not, should be replaced if it doesn't calibrate correctly anymore. Usualy by marketing standard once a year is adviced.. But cheaper to do it only if calibration becomes an issue.

There are also refillable pocket versions.. The ones that don't are ready for the trashbin once reading gets off and can't be calibrated anymore.. Funny is reading the manual of these non refillable pocket versions do not state 1 year life time. Why that is?? Maybe manufacturers assume that measurment with a pocket device doesn't need to that spot on accurate..

Anyway.. IMHO in our hobby, if you run Co2 on the brink of destruction, than very accurate measurment could be an issue.. Do you stay in the safe range than a few 10th of discrepancy up or down isn't something to worry much about. Bottom line a bromothymol blue test is actualy all you need to get an relative good indication. :thumbup:
 
What is the best method ? at the moment i am using an NT labs aquarium lab multi test kit but its a bit vague + i have to keep getting my wife to check it as i am a bit cooler blind , i also use the jbl proscan which also gives a co2 reading and is easier for me but I am not sure that i trust it .
long story short would a ph meter like this
(http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-...692295?hash=item43cdfc98c7:g:rNQAAOSwRLlZnpcu) be a more accurate option ? as i want to use it to determine my co2 level . Many thanks in advance for your replies atb Gary.
Hi.
I have a ph pen... exactly the same as in the link you've given.
They seem todo the job.
Worth having one for £5
Cheers

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for that Zozo, in that case i will probably stick with the proscan as it does at least tally with the liquid test as far as kh goes and reads ph to a decimal point as in 7.6 also it gives a read out on co2 . thanks again Gary.
 
thanks sam and foxfish , perhaps i should get one and test it against my other kit if it measures up it would certainly be cheaper in the long run !
 
thanks sam and foxfish , perhaps i should get one and test it against my other kit if it measures up it would certainly be cheaper in the long run !
No probs .... I actually got another one in the post today.
I'd definitely recommend one

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
Zeus said on one of my threads that he uses https://www.amazon.co.uk/Semlos-Res...ie=UTF8&qid=1507150456&sr=8-3&keywords=pH+pen

That has a lot of good reviews, it also has about 36 reviews saying it's rubbish or inaccurate. I'm thinking of getting one.

I read a review of about 20 test kits on another fish forum, Hope it's OK to link., if not please remove http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co..../articles/2016/7/28/aquarium-ph-tests-on-test

their exact words on the one on ebay you linked to are

"This is the cheapest pH pen, bought on ebay. The measurements were very inconsistent, sometimes with more than one degree difference in the lowest and highest values measured in the same tank. I wouldn't trust the lives of my stock with one of these"
 
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