Comprehensive Guide to Cleaning APEX Probes

[jaxcarnage]

Sorry to resurrect old post, but 3 years old, Still good to do this way or is there a better way ?

I've had my Apex for about 6 months and today was my first time cleaning all 4 probes. I just followed the steps @jason2459 posted back on 2017. Submerged my probes in the vinger/water solution for 3-4 hours this morning and the build up cleared away like nothing. (Not sure if my submerged timeframe was overkill)
Recalibrated the 3 probes and they are back to providing "normal" readings. (I still manually test once a month to compare)

 

[bigjgmac]

Can someone provide this information? Step by step and for each probe type? I know it probably is something simple but i just can't find a definitive reference.

I'm about to do my first cleaning after four months of use. All of them seem OK with the exception of ORP which has a continually rising trend - currently at 385, which I don't believe. I'm thinking it has algae growing on it and that said algae is releasing oxygen causing ORP to rise.

I'm going to start with a soft toothbrush and use the water in my sump as a lubricant. I'm going to skip the vinegar unless it proves to be absolutely necessary. I think a mechanical cleaning will probably suffice, but we'll see.

I'll follow up with more after the cleaning.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Here’s my routine for cleaning the probes:

1. Disable any programming you have based on probe readings. You don’t want to accidentally trigger some automation based on false data. For example, turning on heaters, dosing additives based on pH, sending alarm notifications, etc.

2. Place the probes in a glass jar, bowl, or other container. I use a pint glass:


3. Fill the container with citric acid (1 cup acid in 1 gallon RO/DI water). I switched away from vinegar a couple years ago since it can penetrate certain plastics and damage embedded magnets or metal. I doubt this applies to the probes the way it does for pumps, but I simply don’t keep vinegar on hand anymore. Plus citric acid doesn’t smell bad like vinegar and works just as well.

4. Soak for about one hour. This will give it time to dissolve or soften calcium deposits, vermited snails, tube worms, etc.

5. Gently brush with a soft toothbrush on the exterior and the probe tip. Use a paper towel or cloth to wipe off the outside.

6. Use a can of compressed air to blow into the tip to dislodge any remaining debris.

7. Rinse several times with RO/DI water, and use the compressed air to again blow into the tube.

8. Place the probes back into the sump. Be sure to get all the air out of the salinity probe. I fully submerge it and tip it upside down under water and tap it until no more bubbles eascape.

9. Wait a few minutes for the new readings to appear in Fusion. If they are close to the values you expected to see, then turn back on any automation you disabled in step 1.

10. After a day or so to let the readings settle, re-calibrate the probes.

 

[powers2001]

Following.

 

[jaxcarnage]

I'm about to do my first cleaning after four months of use. All of them seem OK with the exception of ORP which has a continually rising trend - currently at 385, which I don't believe. I'm thinking it has algae growing on it and that said algae is releasing oxygen causing ORP to rise.

I'm going to start with a soft toothbrush and use the water in my sump as a lubricant. I'm going to skip the vinegar unless it proves to be absolutely necessary. I think a mechanical cleaning will probably suffice, but we'll see.

I'll follow up with more after the cleaning.

any update on your ORP reading?

 

[bigjgmac]

any update on your ORP reading?

After a day or two to settle out, it’s reading essentially the same as before - right around 345.

 

[powers2001]

Here’s my routine for cleaning the probes:

1. Disable any programming you have based on probe readings. You don’t want to accidentally trigger some automation based on false data. For example, turning on heaters, dosing additives based on pH, sending alarm notifications, etc.

2. Place the probes in a glass jar, bowl, or other container. I use a pint glass:


3. Fill the container with citric acid (1 cup acid in 1 gallon RO/DI water). I switched away from vinegar a couple years ago since it can penetrate certain plastics and damage embedded magnets or metal. I doubt this applies to the probes the way it does for pumps, but I simply don’t keep vinegar on hand anymore. Plus citric acid doesn’t smell bad like vinegar and works just as well.

4. Soak for about one hour. This will give it time to dissolve or soften calcium deposits, vermited snails, tube worms, etc.

5. Gently brush with a soft toothbrush on the exterior and the probe tip. Use a paper towel or cloth to wipe off the outside.

6. Use a can of compressed air to blow into the tip to dislodge any remaining debris.

7. Rinse several times with RO/DI water, and use the compressed air to again blow into the tube.

8. Place the probes back into the sump. Be sure to get all the air out of the salinity probe. I fully submerge it and tip it upside down under water and tap it until no more bubbles eascape.

9. Wait a few minutes for the new readings to appear in Fusion. If they are close to the values you expected to see, then turn back on any automation you disabled in step 1.

10. After a day or so to let the readings settle, re-calibrate the probes.

I think a lot of people miss # 10 and recalibrate right after cleaning. You want the probes to be completely washed clean of cleaning solution as the acid in them have very low pH’s. After running in your tank a couple days then rinse with RO water and recalibrate. RO water has a neutral pH of 7.

 

[Cjeippert]

Here’s my routine for cleaning the probes:

1. Disable any programming you have based on probe readings. You don’t want to accidentally trigger some automation based on false data. For example, turning on heaters, dosing additives based on pH, sending alarm notifications, etc.

2. Place the probes in a glass jar, bowl, or other container. I use a pint glass:


3. Fill the container with citric acid (1 cup acid in 1 gallon RO/DI water). I switched away from vinegar a couple years ago since it can penetrate certain plastics and damage embedded magnets or metal. I doubt this applies to the probes the way it does for pumps, but I simply don’t keep vinegar on hand anymore. Plus citric acid doesn’t smell bad like vinegar and works just as well.

4. Soak for about one hour. This will give it time to dissolve or soften calcium deposits, vermited snails, tube worms, etc.

5. Gently brush with a soft toothbrush on the exterior and the probe tip. Use a paper towel or cloth to wipe off the outside.

6. Use a can of compressed air to blow into the tip to dislodge any remaining debris.

7. Rinse several times with RO/DI water, and use the compressed air to again blow into the tube.

8. Place the probes back into the sump. Be sure to get all the air out of the salinity probe. I fully submerge it and tip it upside down under water and tap it until no more bubbles eascape.

9. Wait a few minutes for the new readings to appear in Fusion. If they are close to the values you expected to see, then turn back on any automation you disabled in step 1.

10. After a day or so to let the readings settle, re-calibrate the probes.

Brs told me the same to stop using vinegar and use citric acid as vinegar can harm the magnets

 

[Drewbacca]

So this is a two page thread called the definitive guide... with nothing i saw as definitive.. just alot of people saying "what they do" anyones tales of fails and what not to do..or advice or what's seemed to work for them without immediate problems.. is always appreciated.. but needs to be clear its just that.. because "what i do" isn't the same as what is correct or best practice for these probes and why based off how they work & stay working. I watched the neptune video all on probes and ...
Cleaning info was hard to find.. as it was very lightly/barely touched on & spread out.. (not in one segment)..
They simply said 'you dont need to really clean the temp probe..'
....'I just use a soft toothbrush for the orp'..
(Assuming just tankwater used)
And 'you can just use a vinegar/water solution for cleaning ph..' (But no ratio given.)
From the video i got that the Ph probe has & uses certain ions for getting readings.. and that they balance out which is why storing in rodi is bad as it has Zero ..so.. it can pull them out of the probe..
and that orp somehow uses the biofilm that forms on it as part of function of how it reads (something like that) and they stated after just cleaning with a soft brush it will take a little time for the film to build back up & readings to stabilize again...
SO.. these things alone make it likely that certain things could Definitely be bad to clean with based off how each probe functions.. which is why it was disappointing there was No specific segment bringing real attention to this as many people will just clean them as they do all other equipment unless told otherwise.
There was No mention of citric acid at all.. or what could be really bad to use on some probes but safe for others. Solution & tools etc.
Im sure we would all like to hear/read for sure .. how each should best be cleaned.. from a technology & scientific cause/effect standpoint.
Anyone? Thanks

 

[fryman]

It's not that complex. Follow the steps in post #23

I do not use compressed air. Otherwise this is the procedure I follow.

 

[Isaac Alves]

So this is a two page thread called the definitive guide... with nothing i saw as definitive.. just alot of people saying "what they do" anyones tales of fails and what not to do..or advice or what's seemed to work for them without immediate problems.. is always appreciated.. but needs to be clear its just that.. because "what i do" isn't the same as what is correct or best practice for these probes and why based off how they work & stay working. I watched the neptune video all on probes and ...
Cleaning info was hard to find.. as it was very lightly/barely touched on & spread out.. (not in one segment)..
They simply said 'you dont need to really clean the temp probe..'
....'I just use a soft toothbrush for the orp'..
(Assuming just tankwater used)
And 'you can just use a vinegar/water solution for cleaning ph..' (But no ratio given.)
From the video i got that the Ph probe has & uses certain ions for getting readings.. and that they balance out which is why storing in rodi is bad as it has Zero ..so.. it can pull them out of the probe..
and that orp somehow uses the biofilm that forms on it as part of function of how it reads (something like that) and they stated after just cleaning with a soft brush it will take a little time for the film to build back up & readings to stabilize again...
SO.. these things alone make it likely that certain things could Definitely be bad to clean with based off how each probe functions.. which is why it was disappointing there was No specific segment bringing real attention to this as many people will just clean them as they do all other equipment unless told otherwise.
There was No mention of citric acid at all.. or what could be really bad to use on some probes but safe for others. Solution & tools etc.
Im sure we would all like to hear/read for sure .. how each should best be cleaned.. from a technology & scientific cause/effect standpoint.
Anyone? Thanks

You'd think this would be any easy content/customer/aftermarket win for Neptune to provide a standardized procedure to clean their probes for correctness and longevity. It's odd they don't just have this as part of the documentation included in the box when you purchase the product, or available on the website. Heck, I'm not even confident, after these many years, if a Hanna probe is the same as a Neptune probe is the same as a Milwaukee probe, etc.....

 

[FisheRare]

vinegar soak and a soft toothbrush... Re calibrate ... and watch .... because if its faulty youll need a new on . Ive seen em go bad...

I used the vinegar and soft toothbrush but ever since then my reading stays on 8 to 8.1

 

[drblank1]

Not to resurrect an old thread but I have never cleaned my probes before (2 years). But recently I could not get them calibrated or stable. My pH was drifting from 8.1 to 8.4 through the day, every day. And my salinity was all over the place. So bought a Hanna salinity tester to see what my REAL salinity was. Even after I calibrated both salinity probes, the Apex would be 3 to 5 ppt off from the Hanna probe. And neither did the pH probe calibration seem work.

So out of frustration, I thought to try to clean my probes. I soaked the pH and salinity probes in a solution of 24 oz of RODI water and 1/8 cup citric acid for 30 minutes. Rinsed thoroughly with RODI water and WHAT A DIFFERENCE.

Without calibration, my salinity probe is within .9 ppt of my Hanna tester. And my pH probe has held steady from 8.29 to 8.31 (I have a CO2 scrubber controlled by the Apex on my skimmer). There has been no drifting on the readings for both probes in the last 24 hours. I'm a believer. I have calibration packs coming. Will let everyone know how it goes after calibration. I will be cleaning my probes whenever I see issues.

 

[Waters]

Other than taking a toothbrush and removing pineapple sponges occasionally , mine have never been cleaned in over two years.