Do I need a new pH probe?

Schulks · Jun 27, 2024

I just setup my first controller, which is a hydros launch. To be honest, I have no idea what I am doing and the launch came with no instructions at all so I've just been watching hydros tutorials on youtube. I could have easily missed something really dumb... lol
The pH probe arrived with salt creep around it and the cap was completely dry. I calibrated it to 7 and 10 following the 1 and a half minute hydros tutorial. I am getting a pH reading of 8.6 in my tank. My red sea test says it should be 8 or less.

Any suggestions on how I could troubleshoot it?

Should I not have any wires near my probe? My heaters, protein skimmer, and tiny reactor all share the same compartment and the wires run under my trigger sumps built in probe rack. Maybe I should move the heaters so they aren't heating up the water closest to my probe.

Thanks for any tips.

Dburr1014 · Jun 27, 2024

Do you have any borax?

You can make a calibration fluid to test it.

Post in thread 'DIY Alk test discussion thread' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-alk-test-discussion-thread.186606/post-2490342

Sounds like you got a a) used probe, b) broken probe, or c) a mishandled probe.

Contact the vendor where you bought it from and explain what's going on.

Schulks · Jun 27, 2024

Dburr1014 said:
Do you have any borax?

You can make a calibration fluid to test it.

Post in thread 'DIY Alk test discussion thread' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-alk-test-discussion-thread.186606/post-2490342

Sounds like you got a a) used probe, b) broken probe, or c) a mishandled probe.

Contact the vendor where you bought it from and explain what's going on.

No borax but I was going to order a couple more calibration pouches. I ordered the hydros from fishtanksdirect.com hopefully their customer service isn't too bad..

I just noticed something really odd to me. If I turn off the return pump the pH reading drops right down to 7.7 which is what I expected to see originally.. If I turn the pump back on it starts climbing back up to 8.5. What could cause that?

Schulks · Jun 27, 2024

Welp.. It is electrical interference from my UV. Uh oh...

edit: the bulb is dry. What the heck

edit: I just disassembled the UV and reset all the gaskets and checked the quarts sleeve. It all looked dry to me.. I think I improved the QSM compression gasket position but it looked dry in there..
I am redoing the paper towel leak test again. Then I will try and put the bulb back in and see if it messes with my pH probe.

Schulks · Jun 28, 2024

Leak test passed. If I turn the bulb on my pH still jumps from 7.7 to 8.5. Is it just because I have such a big unit (40w) on a IM Nuvo 50g? This is frustrating.

I guess it is interference from the wiring or ballast. Not sure what I can do about this..

Edit: I placed the pH probe into a bucket of salt water. Toggled the UV on and it did not affect my pH reading. Somehow the interference is getting directly in my aquarium

Dburr1014 · Jun 28, 2024

Schulks said:
Leak test passed. If I turn the bulb on my pH still jumps from 7.7 to 8.5. Is it just because I have such a big unit (40w) on a IM Nuvo 50g? This is frustrating.

I guess it is interference from the wiring or ballast. Not sure what I can do about this..

Edit: I placed the pH probe into a bucket of salt water. Toggled the UV on and it did not affect my pH reading. Somehow the interference is getting directly in my aquarium

I have no idea. Not sure how one would interfere with the other.
How far apart can you get them?

Edit: maybe the wire is damaged also on the probe?

Schulks · Jun 28, 2024

Dburr1014 said:
I have no idea. Not sure how one would interfere with the other.
How far apart can you get them?

Edit: maybe the wire is damaged also on the probe?

separating them more would be difficult because they are screwed in but if I put the probe in a bucket it reads fine even if that bucket is closer to the UV. I'm pretty lost.

I was reading this article about ground loops but I am not smart enough to understand it.

https://www.turtletoughsensors.com/industry-articles/what-is-a-ground-loop#:~:text=If the pH reading changes,polarizes and damages the sensor

I was hoping if I plug the UV sterilizer into the launch it would break a ground loop but it didn't change anything. I feel like this is my issue though.

Dburr1014 · Jun 28, 2024

Schulks said:
separating them more would be difficult because they are screwed in but if I put the probe in a bucket it reads fine even if that bucket is closer to the UV. I'm pretty lost.

I was reading this article about ground loops but I am not smart enough to understand it.

https://www.turtletoughsensors.com/industry-articles/what-is-a-ground-loop#:~:text=If the pH reading changes,polarizes and damages the sensor

I was hoping if I plug the UV sterilizer into the launch it would break a ground loop but it didn't change anything. I feel like this is my issue though.

I didn't read the article yet but, just thought of something.
The uv is not leaking any current, right?

Edit: have you tried to put the uv on a completly different circuit?

Schulks · Jun 28, 2024

Dburr1014 said:
I didn't read the article yet but, just thought of something.
The uv is not leaking any current, right?

I don't have a meter to test. I might have to pick one up today but the bulb and quarts sleeve are dry. I think the UV has a grounding probe in it so maybe current is leaking another way.

Dburr1014 · Jun 28, 2024

Schulks said:
I don't have a meter to test. I might have to pick one up today but the bulb and quarts sleeve are dry. I think the UV has a grounding probe in it so maybe current is leaking another way.

Edited my previous post. Check it out.

Tcook · Jun 28, 2024

Do you have a dedicated grounding probe in your tank?

Schulks · Jun 28, 2024

Dburr1014 said:
Edited my previous post. Check it out.

Plugged the UV into a separate power-strip plugged into a separate outlet but still reading 8.7.

Tcook said:
Do you have a dedicated grounding probe in your tank?

I have no dedicated ground probe. Perhaps the pentair 40w UV has one or the launch.

In this thread there are people having the same issue as me. No one ever posted if they solved the problem but there were a lot of people experiencing this.