Euryth Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 I've been using the pH & High Range pH drop tests from the API Master Freshwater Test Kit to monitor my pH in my two shrimp tanks and have been getting some interesting results. When I test water in my tanks, the results from the pH drop test will be the blue color of a pH of 7.6, yet when I use the High Range pH it shows 7.4. I'm not sure how accurate the drop tests are at around the 7.2 - 7.6 range with the normal pH test since it skips 7.4 altogether, but does the blue color of the 7.6 pH actually mean it could truly range from 7.2 - 7.6 instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenteam Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 A digital PH reader will be your only true way to pinpoint a number. Liquid test are more of a ballpark figure when it's working correctly. Euryth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euryth Posted September 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 @Greenteam thanks for the response! I just ordered a digital pH meter that should arrive by tomorrow so I can be a bit more confident in the readings I'm getting. This is the meter I ended up going with: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JOHTMEO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Hopefully I can expect good things from using it! Vpier 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenteam Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/American-Marine-PINPOINT-Monitor-Calibration/dp/B000255MH4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473982595&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=pinpoin+ph+mete Initially a little higher price but I highly recommend the investment if you plan on keeping shrimp tanks for the long run. Euryth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euryth Posted September 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 2 hours ago, Greenteam said: I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/American-Marine-PINPOINT-Monitor-Calibration/dp/B000255MH4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473982595&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=pinpoin+ph+mete Initially a little higher price but I highly recommend the investment if you plan on keeping shrimp tanks for the long run. Whew lol! Huge price difference, I'll have to put that on my amazon wish list for a while before I get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vpier Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 6 hours ago, Euryth said: @Greenteam thanks for the response! I just ordered a digital pH meter that should arrive by tomorrow so I can be a bit more confident in the readings I'm getting. This is the meter I ended up going with: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JOHTMEO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Hopefully I can expect good things from using it! Hate to be the bearer of bad news but these cheap PH pens do not work well and can be very inconsistent. You will have to constantly test them, re-calibrate and store them properly in storage solution and even with all this they will still be inconsistent. I use the Hanna PH pens but they also run near the $100 range. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hanna-Instruments-pHep-5-pH-Temperature-Tester-/112110142050?hash=item1a1a490262:g:9tAAAOSwFc5XwLGN Euryth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euryth Posted September 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 6 minutes ago, Vpier said: Hate to be the bearer of bad news but these cheap PH pens do not work well and can be very inconsistent. You will have to constantly test them, re-calibrate and store them properly in storage solution and even with all this they will still be inconsistent. I use the Hanna PH pens but they also run near the $100 range. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hanna-Instruments-pHep-5-pH-Temperature-Tester-/112110142050?hash=item1a1a490262:g:9tAAAOSwFc5XwLGN I'm honestly not surprised lol, if it seems too good to be true that's because it usually is. I'll save these links and bookmark them so I'll be able to come back when I'm able to afford them. I'm trying to pace myself, as this hobby can become expensive very quickly lol. Vpier and oem 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vpier Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 Not sure if you have amazon prime and are able to return it back for free but the API is just as good as those cheap pens for the time being. At X-mas time I always ask for amazon gift cards so I use it for expensive things like a good PH pen/monitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenS Posted February 5, 2017 Report Share Posted February 5, 2017 I have my tank in my lab. I see the blue 7.6 on the regular pH and the 7.4 on the high pH tests too. So I took some tank water over to the pH meter we use for patient samples (not a cheap version, fully certified) and after properly calibrating that I got a pH of 7.34. Made me feel a bit better about what I thought was too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGlassBox Posted March 3, 2017 Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Here's a link to a thread on this subject: End consensus from that thread: If you're using treated tap or well water for neos, pH probes and pens work just fine. But if you're using remineralized RO/DI, stick with the API drop test. Probes and pens seem to have difficulty with this. Perhaps it's the salts or something.... Oh, and Euryth, that mid range is hard on the API tests. A deviation of 0.2 is normal in that range on 2 different tests. Myself, I'd just take the average and call it 7.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chappy6107 Posted March 3, 2017 Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 I use remineralized RO/DI water and my pinpoint ph probe works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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