Apex PH reading

chefmur · May 21, 2018

I set up my Red Sea Reefer 250 few months ago and added an Apex about 6 weeks ago. My Ph is fairly low, around 7.6 at night and 7.8 during the day . We are in a brand new built house so I was assuming this was one reason, I actually ordered a CO2 scrubber from BRS this weekend to try and push it up over 8 during the day. I had someone suggest I double check the Apex reading so I purchased a PH test kit. The test kit showed 8.2 yesterday afternoon and the Apex showed 7.9. This is a brand new system that was calibrated just a few weeks ago. Is it possible it is out of calibration or I did not calibrate it properly in the first place ? How do I go back and recalibrate ? I am old dude and some of the Apex stuff is over my head. Any thoughts /suggestions appreciated.
Thanks Mike

bekate · May 22, 2018

I have the same issue with my Apex. We had tried everything to bring it up, then tested with a different kit and realized that it's the Apex. I contacted their support and they say that they are more reliable than another kit and blah blah. I recalibrated everything but to no avail. My tank has been in the same range as yours since we go the Apex. I know it's not actually there, so I stopped looking at it. At this point, all I look at is if it changes a lot up or down.

I've also been told to not chase pH too much and only look at pH if something is wrong with the tank. I've stopped sweating it this much and the tank is doing great.

vhuang168 · May 24, 2018

Get some pH calibration solution and use your test kits and the probe on them. That is the way to see which is more accurate.

A calibrated probe will be more accurate than a test kit that relies on the human eye to differentiate shades of color.

Having said that, a probe will only be as accurate as how well it was calibrated. If you screw up on the calibration, it will read wrongly. This is why you put the probe back into the 10 and 7 solution to see what they read after you finish calibration.

manilaboy1vic · May 24, 2018

where is the probe located..

i have two in my tank.. one is really old and in the sump, the other is in my DT that gets alot of flow from a gyre

youll want the 7 and 10 fluid:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinp...MIxN-98tif2wIVEv5kCh2cQQ-fEAQYBSABEgIcj_D_BwE

manilaboy1vic · May 24, 2018

vhuang168 said:
Get some pH calibration solution and use your test kits and the probe on them. That is the way to see which is more accurate.

A calibrated probe will be more accurate than a test kit that relies on the human eye to differentiate shades of color.

Having said that, a probe will only be as accurate as how well it was calibrated. If you screw up on the calibration, it will read wrongly. This is why you put the probe back into the 10 and 7 solution to see what they read after you finish calibration.

yep.. calib then when the apex updates.. stick the probe back in there and check your readings to make sure they are on point.