Recommended pH meter?

tkh

tkh

New member
So, I am getting mildly frustrated trying to determine just how yellow/green my salifert solution has turned to then determine if it is closer to the green-yellow shade of 8.0 or the yellow-green shade of 7.7. Often this ends with a shrug and a guess that its close enough.

Does anyone have any other pH tests to recommend, or a full on pH meter? Is it even worthwhile to buy a probe, or should I not be as concerned? I've seen the cheaper Hanna & Mileaukee testing pens go for as little as $20, but also seen that they get so-so reviews. I've also found no-name brand pens for as low as $8.... Was thinking that'd be worth buying just to mess around with, lol.

Thoughts? Or am I just over obsessing?
 
Not yet :) still trying to figure out just what I gain by adding a controller - the websites always seemed a little vague, and I just haven't looked too deeply into them yet. I get the full time pH monitoring... and then what? My lights have their own controls, as do my powerheads. Somewhat confused still!
 
Ph monitor will cost you around$100, thats 1/3 of an Apex Jr. Invest your $ in the Apex and do so much more and monitor your tank when your at work or vacation. Most reefers start off with ph monitor and then upgrade to the Apex. If you can swing the $ you wont regret it. Just food for thought.
 
tkh said:
Not yet :) still trying to figure out just what I gain by adding a controller - the websites always seemed a little vague, and I just haven't looked too deeply into them yet. I get the full time pH monitoring... and then what? My lights have their own controls, as do my powerheads. Somewhat confused still!
Click to expand...

i was in the same boat .. thinking what i gain by adding a controller ..

so here is why i got a controller :) lol might help you ....

1. ATO ..this is the first and important thing for me ..
2. Ph monitor.. even though it isnt such an important factor it still is sometimes ..
3. staand by mode ..there are number of times i stopped all the pumps to feed corals and forgot to turn them back on causing the tank temp to go down .. with a controller .. i just set it in stand by mode and feed the tank and the pumps automatically start after a set time ..
4. you are a diy fan i assume so controllability for leds .. (rkl with alc is nice when it comes to dimming and ramping up leds)
 
tinman said:
i was in the same boat .. thinking what i gain by adding a controller ..

so here is why i got a controller :) lol might help you ....

1. ATO ..this is the first and important thing for me ..
2. Ph monitor.. even though it isnt such an important factor it still is sometimes ..
3. staand by mode ..there are number of times i stopped all the pumps to feed corals and forgot to turn them back on causing the tank temp to go down .. with a controller .. i just set it in stand by mode and feed the tank and the pumps automatically start after a set time ..
4. you are a diy fan i assume so controllability for leds .. (rkl with alc is nice when it comes to dimming and ramping up leds)
Click to expand...

Excellent run down, thanks Krishna! Looks like I'll have to some more digging into a controller, and see just what is possible with them. At that price point, it will be a much delayed upgrade - I've got two more weeks before I can start QT-ing fish, so tank money is going there first! :)
 
Controllers help with redundancy. Controller outlets can be used in many ways but some of the common uses are light timers, auto top off, temperature control, and parameter monitoring. IMO a worth while investment.

Regarding PH testing... I would say it is not necessary but keeping track of PH is beneficial to indicate instability in Oxygen/CO2 levels and alkalinity. If you already test your Alk frequently, you should already have a basic idea of consumption.

PH probes/monitors become more important when/if you decide to use a calcium reactor, ozone, kalk, or other additives which drastically cause PH swings.
 
Thank you for the run down, redundancy's not a bad thing in this case... Makes it more compelling now that you put it that way. Parameter monitoring does interest me as well, more from a curiosity stand point than anything else at this time.

I do already test alkalinity frequently, and have more or less determined the rate at which it is depleted, and so manually dose to compensate. My reef is still quite young and under stocked, so I do not need to automate dosing just yet. Between water changes and the occasionally alkalinity dose, I've managed just fine... Although my magnesium seems high actually. Not too sure what to do about that, the only time it wasn't high (1480ish) was when I'd delayed my water changes while waiting for new DI resin. Water changes seem to keep it high.

It sounds like if I want to do more detailed pH testing, to invest in a controller, and reap all the benefits. (I may still buy that $8 unit for laughs anyways!) Thanks!!
 
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