High Tide Aquatics

I swear I’m not color blind!

Mozby

Mozby

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I confess that I often second guess myself when doing tests that require me to eyeball color using a template card. The worst so far is the ph card. I know many of you have apex, so you don’t have to manually test for ph. But for those who don’t use apex, any recommendations as to a better way to test for ph? Handheld ph reader? I’ll attach a pic to see if anyone can tell what the reading is. Kinda looks like maybe 7.6 or 8.0 or none of the colors right?? Appreciate the help.
c926c0cae145bcd9e570541ca2d399d2.jpg



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Two issues with cheap or expensive handheld ones:

1) Pretty easy to accidentally let the probe dry out.
You generally don't leave them in the tank, and they only have a little spot to store water.
If that happens, it can become useless.

2) They seem to have rather poor voltage regulators, so as batteries get old, PH drifts, then jumps when you put in new batteries.
Which means endless recalibration.
 
rygh said:
Two issues with cheap or expensive handheld ones:

1) Pretty easy to accidentally let the probe dry out.
You generally don't leave them in the tank, and they only have a little spot to store water.
If that happens, it can become useless.

2) They seem to have rather poor voltage regulators, so as batteries get old, PH drifts, then jumps when you put in new batteries.
Which means endless recalibration.
Click to expand...
So you'd recommend sticking with the red sea color test then?
 
I recommend just dropping the weeks paycheck on the apex! :) looks like 7.6-8 so your range is fine haha.


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Mozby's Reef said:
So you'd recommend sticking with the red sea color test then?
Click to expand...

My suggestion:
Take a (sealed) sample to someone that has a freshly calibrated electronic one, and test it.
If you have a PH problem(unlikely), and plan to fix it, then maybe get a cheap one with several calibration packets.
If you do not, then just use the color test. Close enough.
 
Use a real tester/controller like an Apex, or don’t bother, in my opinion.

I had tanks for many years without testing pH other than rarely in troubleshooting. Now that I have an Apex, it is interesting but not super useful.
 
My suggestion for Ph is don't test for it at all unless you suspect some issue related to it. It is the least important thing to test for in an established system and I never check mine.
 
Bruce Spiegelman said:
My suggestion for Ph is don't test for it at all unless you suspect some issue related to it. It is the least important thing to test for in an established system and I never check mine.
Click to expand...
Good point. My tank is 2.5 months old, so not very established yet? Also this is in relation to the death of my turbo snails. Part of the problem may have been a low ph. Got me thinking I should keep an eye on it, at least till the tank matures?
 
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