[blawrence]

has anybody tried or set up a system of testing ph in line (after the filter but before an in line CO2 reactor)?

I was thinking about setting up a 'chamber' (a pvc bit) upstream from my newly made inline pvc co2 reactor (which if it works I will probably sell my current RedSea co2 reactor 500 w/ pump set up)
.. anyway back to the 'chamber' I could put a ph probe in it and maybe a thermometer too.. but I wanted to know if anybody has done this or if the it is not a good way to test the pH.



ALSO as a side question in case anybody knows, I have found online that eheim uses 16/22 hose. 16mm is the same (or darn close) to 5/8" hose. I know that most of the stuff you find at the hardware store is probably thinner walled than 16/22 hose, but I want to know if it's easy to hook up 16/22 hose to a 5/8" hose barb? or is it too big? (I ask this because most of what I have found addresses using 5/8" hardware store hose to hook to the Eheim and finding that it seems smaller)

 

[Hoppy]

The pH of the water will be affected by how much CO2 is dissolved in the water. But, that amount varies at different places in the tank, and may not be the same in the water leaving the canister filter as in the tank. If you want to do this in order to use a pH controller, without having the probe in the tank, it can work. You just have to establish what is a good level of CO2 in the water independent of what the probe reads the pH to be, then set the pH controller to keep the pH as measured in the return line constant. A drop checker is a good way to start in finding a good level of CO2 in the tank. Once you get a bubble rate that makes the drop checker a light green you can slowly increase the bubble rate a tiny bit each day or two, carefully watching the fish to be sure you aren't going too high. When the plants are responding well to the CO2, and the fish aren't distressed, that is a good CO2 level to use.

 

[blawrence]

I plan on getting a bubble checker anyway because of the whole thing about just checking the pH vs the KH and trying to calculate it out. too many unknowns. So I guess it would be just an extension of that same paradigm (I got to use that word!)

 

[Hoppy]

It takes a far different pH probe from what comes with pH controllers to use one in a return pipe from the filter. You need to be able to put it in the flow, and have the wiring outside of the flow, so it needs to be designed for use like that. And, those probes need regular calibration, so it needs to be easily removable for calibration. I think some people are doing this, but they may not see this thread to comment on it.

 

[Craigthor]

My PH probe is setup inline on my system. You can buy an inline probe holder at Aquariumplants.com or make one yourself will jsut need to source the watertight seal for the probe.

Craig

 

[willknowitall]

got my probe holder at a building supply store
it was called a cable glad and had 4 or 5 different size rubber seals that came with it
some kinds are meant to seal from water getting in but the one i got seals from in or out, you can tell by looking at the seal its flanged on both sides the ones that dont work have a cylindrical sleeve that slides into a hole
make sure you put a shutoff on both sides of probe or can drain the line easily so you can take out probe for calibrating
imo these are great for three reasons , no algae on probe , out of tank and eye sight and probes work better with lots of flow

 

[blawrence]

got my probe holder at a building supply store
it was called a cable glad and had 4 or 5 different size rubber seals that came with it
some kinds are meant to seal from water getting in but the one i got seals from in or out, you can tell by looking at the seal its flanged on both sides the ones that dont work have a cylindrical sleeve that slides into a hole
make sure you put a shutoff on both sides of probe or can drain the line easily so you can take out probe for calibrating
imo these are great for three reasons , no algae on probe , out of tank and eye sight and probes work better with lots of flow

cable gland... perfect.. that's what I needed. I never thought of having to take it out and calibrate it.


how well do 'self priming' systems on pumps work with the extra pvc fittings set up on the return system? I would assume fine if you have a direct tank to filter pipe, but I'm not sure having never set one up.

 

[willknowitall]

i have a shutoff before all my pvc stuff so i can drain the line without interrupting syphon to filters, pump
the filters also have shutoffs but the way i have it setup the filters are not powered they feed a external pump