[jimsflies]

See now I am confused. I was thinking of doing kalk and a Ca reactor. But with everyone complaining about pH, alk, and Ca levels why should I?
pH is always stable, alk perfect and Ca right where I need it. No issues with anything ever. Except my temp has anywhere from a 2 to 4 degree swing depending on the day?

Guess the question is, how do you know you don't have a problem? Are you continuously monitoring pH? From what I can tell, diurnal pH swings are nearly impossible to avoid...shows you how much affect photosynthesis has in our systems.

I have found that if you can maintain pH over 8, preferrably in the 8.2-8.3 range, that growth is good, everything is happy, and undesirable algae is minimized. That's not to say that lower pH would be noticably bad, but you just won't be achieving full potential.

 

[patedship]

Well I tried to caliberate the probe and I obviously screwed up. The probe now read 4.6 when I place the probe in the pH 7 buffer solution. From this how can I figure what the true pH is? I just need to know for reference for the time being. Do I had half of the difference between 7 and 4.6? Because now my probe reads 6.8?

If this is the case it would be 7-4.6=2.4 2.4/2=1.2 6.8+1.2=8pH

I hope this is right? If so the probe has been wrong the whole time.

 

[MCsaxmaster]

I'm not sure I follow. Why can't you recalibrate the probe?

 

[jimsflies]

Well I tried to caliberate the probe and I obviously screwed up. The probe now read 4.6 when I place the probe in the pH 7 buffer solution. From this how can I figure what the true pH is? I just need to know for reference for the time being. Do I had half of the difference between 7 and 4.6? Because now my probe reads 6.8?

If this is the case it would be 7-4.6=2.4 2.4/2=1.2 6.8+1.2=8pH

I hope this is right? If so the probe has been wrong the whole time.

Pat, just so I follow...

You got the buffer and put the probe in it, and instead of 7.0 it reads 4.6, right?

So now you know the probe is not reading correctly..actually you verified that it is reading too low. (I'm not sure your math is correct, however since the internal calibration slope may not be correct either. Plus pH is logarithmic which may come into play with the slope as well.)

You should be able to access a menu on the controller to calibrate the probe. You will tell the controller that the probe is in 7.0 solution, and the controller will take a few minutes to stop changing, there should be a button to press that finalizes the calibration. There should another calibration for a second solution as well. Once you finalize the calibration, the probe will read 7.0 in the buffer solution. Rinse it off and place back in your tank...you'll be good to go.

 

[patedship]

In short, I went to caliberate with pH 4 and 10 solutions. I Followed the directions as advised by my controller after I was done, I rinsed and placed the probe in the tank. It read 6.8, this made no sense to me, so I then rinsed and placed the probe in the 7pH solution because I knew the level that should be displayed. Instead it what was displayed was a pH of 4.6, instead of 7. This is why I am so baffled and annoyed at this point. I am going to take it to preuss tomorrow and have it hooked up to there pH monitor to make sure it is working properly. Also I need to purchase more pH solution to try to recaliberate it. Let me know guys?

 

[bklynmet]

...
You should be able to access a menu on the controller to calibrate the probe. You will tell the controller that the probe is in 7.0 solution, and the controller will take a few minutes to stop changing, there should be a button to press that finalizes the calibration. There should another calibration for a second solution as well. Once you finalize the calibration, the probe will read 7.0 in the buffer solution. Rinse it off and place back in your tank...you'll be good to go.

Well said, I know those are the steps for a Neptune type controller.. Premium aquatics the same?

 

[patedship]

Premium Aquatics requires pH buffers of 4 and 10.

 

[detroit_fan]

what is the buffer solution that should read 7.0? do you just use tank water or ro/di water to clean in between calibration packets?

 

[patedship]

I used R/O water to rinse the probe.

 

[patedship]

what is the buffer solution that should read 7.0?

It is the pH 7.0 buffer solution that read 4.6.

 

[detroit_fan]

It is the pH 7.0 buffer solution that read 4.6.

Thanks. so after i calibrate with my 7.01 and 10.01 pinpoint solution i can put the probe in the 7.01 and it should read that.

 

[jimsflies]

Thanks. so after i calibrate with my 7.01 and 10.01 pinpoint solution i can put the probe in the 7.01 and it should read that.

yes. you are correct.

 

[patedship]

Jim, and idea why it would read out like that?

 

[MCsaxmaster]

The buffers may be bad and or/the probe might be bad. Measuring seawater pH is a more complicated affair than folks might realize, and the pH meters, probes, and buffers often used, while not cheap, are on not of the kind of quality (or price) that is required to take really good measurments.

cj

 

[Sea Dwellers]

Kalkwasser does have a high alkalinity and ph. If too much is dosed into the aquarium supersaturation can happen. When this happens calcium will precipitate out of the water-leaving nothing to buffer the alkalinity-leaving nothing to buffer the ph. Too much kalkwasser is what causes the alkalinity to crash. A low alkalinity allows the ph to bounce around.