I wasn't aware the ph probe should be calibrated every 3 months. So it's been about a year and a half since I set up my tank and originally calibrated the probe. Yesterday I cleaned the prob and calibrated it 3 times and the readings im getting are not aligned at all with previous readings and PH swings. Either the probe fell out of calibration significantly or the probe needs to be replaced and I'm not sure which.
DKH in my tank is between 9.5-10. House is pretty well insulated and it was normal to see .2 to .3 ph drops at night even with my refugium running.
Before calibration i had a average Ph of 8.3 with swings between 8.1 and 8.5. Or a swing of +/- .2 After calibration I'm averaging a PH of 8.18 with swings down to .02. I calibrated it 3 times because after the first calibration it was showing my Ph at under 8. the 7.00 solution was showing 6.8. 10.00 solution was showing 10. Second calibration showed the 7.00 solution at 7, but the 10.00 solution showing 10.3. I eventually decided to manually calibrate while both packets of solution were still floating in the tank water. Ambient temp is 71, tank temp is 78. It seemed like the temperature in the solution was swinging even though I had floated the packets in the water before calibration which could be why the previous 2 calibrations varied.
Should I be concerned that after calibration i'm getting pretty much no PH swings vs .2 swings pre-calibration? Going from ph swings of .2 down to .02 seems pretty significant to me. Average PH readings are down .2 from previous calibrations. Do I have reason to be concerned with this? Would you replace it or trust the readings?
DKH in my tank is between 9.5-10. House is pretty well insulated and it was normal to see .2 to .3 ph drops at night even with my refugium running.
Before calibration i had a average Ph of 8.3 with swings between 8.1 and 8.5. Or a swing of +/- .2 After calibration I'm averaging a PH of 8.18 with swings down to .02. I calibrated it 3 times because after the first calibration it was showing my Ph at under 8. the 7.00 solution was showing 6.8. 10.00 solution was showing 10. Second calibration showed the 7.00 solution at 7, but the 10.00 solution showing 10.3. I eventually decided to manually calibrate while both packets of solution were still floating in the tank water. Ambient temp is 71, tank temp is 78. It seemed like the temperature in the solution was swinging even though I had floated the packets in the water before calibration which could be why the previous 2 calibrations varied.
Should I be concerned that after calibration i'm getting pretty much no PH swings vs .2 swings pre-calibration? Going from ph swings of .2 down to .02 seems pretty significant to me. Average PH readings are down .2 from previous calibrations. Do I have reason to be concerned with this? Would you replace it or trust the readings?
