Maybe it’s all in my head and I’m over thinking it to, but it doesn’t seem to hold its calibration.
I calibrate it to 7 with solution, rinse it, test it again it holds. Test my water, ph it and rinse it and put it away. When I retest to see if it held its calibration it tests to 7.2 or 7.3. Maybe it’s not a huge deal, but I figured it would hold a bit longer.
I have 7.0 solution in the storing cap since I didn’t buy storing solution and am out of it at work as well.
Am I over thinking it? Is the probe bad?
Just thought I’d ask to see what you folks thought about it.
Thanks in advance.
how are you storing it? the probe needs to stay wet according to instructions. I store my apera in the 3m kcl solution but i think you can store it other ways. It could also just not be accurate. I have two. apera ph20 and a 60. they work great. the cheaper ph20 is quick and accurate but comes with no storage solution… go figure.
Sorry just saw the ph7 solution for storage.
I was also told by the apera folks that those probes. at least the apera can get air bubbles in them and need to be shook every once and a while.
You think the discoloration on the probe is normal? I bought it on Thursday or Friday last week. Used it maybe 3 times and gets stored with the cap on. The cap has a sponge that I put 7.0 solution on. It’s definitely wet in there.
Not sure what that other probe is but the ph probe is that glass bubble in the circular cutout. Also the manufacturer says to never store in anything but the storage solution.
Hm. Admittedly I did not obviously read the instructions.
That being said, it should be ok to store in a base solution though. Isn’t it?
At work we test ph and conductivity of cooling loops and I was always taught to put the base solution in.
This is my meter at work and that’s what we use when we store it.
Different meters require different things. Mine can be stored in storage solution or 4.0 solution if storage isn’t available. Yours states nothing but storage solution.
Cheaper pH probes you’re going to always be chasing the calibration they are bad to drift. If Growing is something you plan on continuing I would invest 50 bucks in a apera or blue lab PH probe. Good luck
It also seems that maybe the temp of your water is changing by a degree or 2, which changes the by a . Or 2. Happens to me when I filla gallon jug of water. As I make the food and mix it, I do it in my garage. Even Apera gives you the info showing the temps and what it’ll cause it to change.
There is a storage solution that you are supposed to use on PH meters: distilled water will damage the glass bulb, drying it out will as well. Storage solution maintains the chemical composition of the glass bulb.
Read the owners manual for storage advise. Calibrate to make sure. PH meters degrade over time. I use two meters side by side to ensure accurate readings and re-calibrate when things don’t match.
I just ordered the bluelab growers toolbox. Comes with the ph pen, conductivity pen, some solution and cleaning kit.
Also purchased their 4.0,7.0, and ec 2.7 solution and a bottle of storage solution.
Hopefully I made the right decision. The kit should be here on Thursday and the extra solutions should be here next week sometime. @kellydans
