need ph testing advice

**Soothing Shrimp** · 02-19-2013, 02:54 PM

So today yet another cheap ph test pen went screwy and I threw it away in disgust.

Chemical tests seem to read differently depending on the ink color that is printed on cards that come with kits.

Anyone have any suggestions for me on what they feel is best for reading ph on aquariums? To say I'm fed up is an understatement. And I have 25+ tanks (and growing) I maintain.

Hobbes1911 · 02-19-2013, 03:05 PM

milwaukee systems ph meter. nicely accurate and you can calibrate it with calibration solutions. Or just invest in a real pH meter that they use in scientific settings. Our lab has one, a little big, but accurate to a thousandth of a degree. That having been said, it's rather pricey. I bought mine for $140.

GeToChKn · 02-19-2013, 03:15 PM

Or just don't worry about pH anymore. lol. Once you know your source water's pH, or your active substrates pH lowering ability, no reason to test all the time once they're setup.

**sbarbee54** · 02-19-2013, 03:16 PM

Yeah get a Hanna or Milwaukee PH tester. Pens are garbage. I ahve 8 of these and all work great. I tried 5 pens all read different even after all were calibrated in the same solution with in mins of each other.

**sbarbee54** · 02-19-2013, 03:18 PM

"source water's pH" source water PH varies so much... Mine chages with the season and with the plant it runs through. Agency says my ph is 8.2 but my tap is 6.8 right now.... then the RO comes out 5.7. But 2 months it will change

**Soothing Shrimp** · 02-19-2013, 03:27 PM

Okay, I've calmed a little bit now. Thanks guys.

Excellant advice, however the $100 investment is going to have to wait since I just bought an Alita AL-60 air pump and multi-feet of tubing. You know how that goes, right? LOL

So, back to chemicals...

Is there a company whose ph color card is

1) easier to read than API's ( between 6.6 and 7.2 they all look freakin' alike in the water!)

and

2) measures low AND high ph without two separate bottles/cards?

Sd760 · 02-19-2013, 03:30 PM

Any hydro store will have pens. You can also buy them online and save 10-20 off mark up usually priced 80-120 in store. I have a Milwaukee ph meter for my co2 system. Love it.

**Soothing Shrimp** · 02-19-2013, 04:05 PM

Thanks SD, however I've gone through enough pens that I just don't trust them anymore. So, next big buy will be a ph meter. Next little buy, ph test kit.

**Soothing Shrimp** · 02-19-2013, 04:10 PM

I'm going to start a new thread just on ph test kits so I won't confuse anyone. LOL

KenP · 02-20-2013, 01:06 AM

To those who have Milwaukee pH meters, they have various models. Which model are you talking about.

**Aquatic Delight** · 02-20-2013, 02:14 AM

[QUOTE=Soothing Shrimp;2586762]

Is there a company whose ph color card is

1) easier to read than API's ( between 6.6 and 7.2 they all look freakin' alike in the water!)

[Quote/]

i'm so glad i'm not the only one

**Soothing Shrimp** · 02-20-2013, 02:19 AM

*high five*

Hobbes1911 · 02-20-2013, 02:25 AM

Soothing ... once you figure out a good solution, let me know. Apparently, I'm on the market for a pH meter as well, since mine broke today

**Soothing Shrimp** · 02-20-2013, 03:20 PM

think I'm going with the American Marine Pinpoint pH Monitor. I put up a separate thread for some questions I had, but almost everything I look at refers to that one in some way, shape or form.

02-19-2013, 02:54 PM	#1
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (74/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,525	need ph testing advice So today yet another cheap ph test pen went screwy and I threw it away in disgust. Chemical tests seem to read differently depending on the ink color that is printed on cards that come with kits. Anyone have any suggestions for me on what they feel is best for reading ph on aquariums? To say I'm fed up is an understatement. And I have 25+ tanks (and growing) I maintain. __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

02-19-2013, 03:15 PM	#3
GeToChKn Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,112	Or just don't worry about pH anymore. lol. Once you know your source water's pH, or your active substrates pH lowering ability, no reason to test all the time once they're setup. __________________ 20g platy, , 2 x 10g shrimp, 3 x 20g shrimp, 7.5g shrimp and 1 great dane/mastiff puppy. Sump Pimp #2 My Tanks and my shrimps

02-19-2013, 03:16 PM	#4
sbarbee54 The Security Dude (View User Tanks) PTrader: (47/100%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: The Badlands Posts: 2,563	Yeah get a Hanna or Milwaukee PH tester. Pens are garbage. I ahve 8 of these and all work great. I tried 5 pens all read different even after all were calibrated in the same solution with in mins of each other. __________________ 55 Planted Rummys,2 GBR,8 Corys,4 Discus PFR Culls Many shrimp tanks http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...half-done.html

02-19-2013, 03:18 PM	#5
sbarbee54 The Security Dude (View User Tanks) PTrader: (47/100%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: The Badlands Posts: 2,563	"source water's pH" source water PH varies so much... Mine chages with the season and with the plant it runs through. Agency says my ph is 8.2 but my tap is 6.8 right now.... then the RO comes out 5.7. But 2 months it will change __________________ 55 Planted Rummys,2 GBR,8 Corys,4 Discus PFR Culls Many shrimp tanks http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...half-done.html

02-19-2013, 03:27 PM	#6
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (74/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,525	Okay, I've calmed a little bit now. Thanks guys. Excellant advice, however the $100 investment is going to have to wait since I just bought an Alita AL-60 air pump and multi-feet of tubing. You know how that goes, right? LOL So, back to chemicals... Is there a company whose ph color card is 1) easier to read than API's ( between 6.6 and 7.2 they all look freakin' alike in the water!) and 2) measures low AND high ph without two separate bottles/cards? __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

02-19-2013, 03:05 PM	#2
Hobbes1911 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (16/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,219	milwaukee systems ph meter. nicely accurate and you can calibrate it with calibration solutions. Or just invest in a real pH meter that they use in scientific settings. Our lab has one, a little big, but accurate to a thousandth of a degree. That having been said, it's rather pricey. I bought mine for $140.

02-19-2013, 03:30 PM	#7
Sd760 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/50%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Humboldt co. Posts: 500	need ph testing advice Any hydro store will have pens. You can also buy them online and save 10-20 off mark up usually priced 80-120 in store. I have a Milwaukee ph meter for my co2 system. Love it.

02-19-2013, 04:05 PM	#8
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (74/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,525	Thanks SD, however I've gone through enough pens that I just don't trust them anymore. So, next big buy will be a ph meter. Next little buy, ph test kit. __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

02-19-2013, 04:10 PM	#9
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (74/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,525	I'm going to start a new thread just on ph test kits so I won't confuse anyone. LOL __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

02-20-2013, 01:06 AM	#10
KenP Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Old Bridge, NJ Posts: 130	To those who have Milwaukee pH meters, they have various models. Which model are you talking about.

02-20-2013, 02:14 AM	#11
Aquatic Delight H is for Hillstream (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Antonio TX Posts: 1,285	[QUOTE=Soothing Shrimp;2586762] Is there a company whose ph color card is 1) easier to read than API's ( between 6.6 and 7.2 they all look freakin' alike in the water!) [Quote/] i'm so glad i'm not the only one __________________ __________________________________ Will ________________________________ my 29g story To See all of my photos Click ME!

02-20-2013, 02:19 AM	#12
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (74/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,525	high five __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

02-20-2013, 02:25 AM	#13
Hobbes1911 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (16/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,219	Soothing ... once you figure out a good solution, let me know. Apparently, I'm on the market for a pH meter as well, since mine broke today

02-20-2013, 03:20 PM	#14
Soothing Shrimp Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (74/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,525	think I'm going with the American Marine Pinpoint pH Monitor. I put up a separate thread for some questions I had, but almost everything I look at refers to that one in some way, shape or form. __________________ DBP Club! My thinking has been invert-ed!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode