When to replace pH probe?

[Guest beatle]

I bought a used ACJr and it came with a pH probe. It's around 6-7 months old now and I decided to check up on its calibration. It's not acting wacky or anything, but I figured it's not a bad idea to see how accurate it was. I picked up some 7 and 10 pH solutions from BRK this weekend and went through the instructions. On both solutions it read .72-.75 high. They did stabilize, however. The manual says not to worry if they aren't correct, but I don't know what the symptoms are of a faulty probe, unless the thing starts to shoot off wild numbers. FWIW, I'm reading about 7.95 at night, around 8.28 right before the lights go out, dripping kalk for ATO.

[jhn]

I replace my pinpoint ph probes when I can no longer calibrate them, which is obvious when it happens. Until that point I keep using 'em and calibrate them every few months or when they start acting screwy.

 

Your ph readings sound typical to me. My readings where always right around yours when I auto topped with kalk water from a 5gal. bucket. Decided awhile back to get a kalkstirrer now the ph runs around 8.25 in the morning and 8.5 right before lights out.

[flowerseller]

The instructions are correct.

You are dipping your probe into the solution to give the probe a refference of what 7 is.

It automatically calibrates the probe from that refference.

Check it by dipping it in the same solution after you set it. It should be 01-02 or retry.

 

 

For replacement of probe, I go by this,

I clean in vinegar and recalibrate every 3-4 months.

As long as it checks really close after this process, I keep using it.

Mine a year old and still check out fine.

 

I keep my probes in my sump which does not allow algae or coraline to grown on them.

[jnguyen4007]

I bought a used ACJr and it came with a pH probe. It's around 6-7 months old now and I decided to check up on its calibration. It's not acting wacky or anything, but I figured it's not a bad idea to see how accurate it was. I picked up some 7 and 10 pH solutions from BRK this weekend and went through the instructions. On both solutions it read .72-.75 high. They did stabilize, however. The manual says not to worry if they aren't correct, but I don't know what the symptoms are of a faulty probe, unless the thing starts to shoot off wild numbers. FWIW, I'm reading about 7.95 at night, around 8.28 right before the lights go out, dripping kalk for ATO.

 

 

One sure indicator of when your pH probe goes bad is when you see a wild pH swing from one extreme to the other. I thought my tank was possessed the first time that happened.

[Guest beatle]

All good info, thanks. On a side note, has anyone used the generic pH probe from Bulk Reef Supply? They're $15 cheaper than the standard probe from Neptune.