How Often Do You Calibrate Your Ph Probe/s?

[Reefer Matt]

A ph probe is an invaluable tool that can give us a snapshot of tank health. However, it is only useful if the data we get from it is accurate. On many occasions, I’ve seen a number I like and assumed it was correct. Then I do my routine calibration and get the real number, sometimes finding out that a probe went bad as well. I calibrate my probes monthly, and replace them yearly. But I may start doing those sooner based on current trends.

I’m curious to see how often you calibrate your Ph probe/s. And when you did, what surprises did you find?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

For probes that are turned off and stored between use, I calibrate daily with dual or triple point calibration.
For inline continuous probes, monthly or whenever they start to give unexpected results. Don’t let the electrodes dry out. Continuous probes need periodic cleaning, There are some enzyme cleaners that I’ve used in the past.

 

[Uncle99]

Never.
Cause I don’t pay attention to this value under normal reef type settings.
For me, it was just a big waste of time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Some probes and meters drift a lot and some do not. Power failures also sometimes mess them up.

In general, for a continuous duty probe, I’d see how often recalibration makes an important difference. If it does, calibrate more often. If it doesn’t, then wait longer each time.

 

[Frank61]

Check monthly, calibrate only if needed - occasionally monthly often after 2 months

 

[Joe31415]

I think the only time I calibrate mine is when I'm struggling to keep the pH up. I don't recall it ever being the problem, but at some point between checking alk, opening a window, replacing the CO2 scrubber media etc, I try to remember to check that as well.

Also, as long as I have it out of the water, I usually clean it first.

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Probe readings have been so wildly off for me that I gave up recalibrating...didn't see the point anymore. Hobby grade probes I really only view as a tool to monitor sudden and drastic changes, alerting me to a significant event, rarely do I trust the readings as reality, and drift has been constant in my experience.

 

[JNalley]

Every other month it gets recalibrated, every other week it gets cleaned.

It's used in the iV by CoralVue Hydros along with the Control X10 to supply both pH snapshots and Alkalinity Snapshots every 4 hours.

 

[disaster999]

Got my first pH meter which stays in my tank and continuously monitor my pH level. For a few months and it has been giving reasonable numbers until one day it suddenly starts to read 1 whole pH lower. I thought there must be something wrong with my tank so I added pH buffer trying to bump up the numbers. I can see it rise but not as much as I hoped. I tried measuring my kalk solution as well since it should read 12pH or more but it was struggling to read anything past 11. Asked around and was advised to clean the prob which solved the issue. It started reading reasonable numbers again. Gonna go clean the as soon as numbers dont make sense.

 

[gbroadbridge]

A ph probe is an invaluable tool that can give us a snapshot of tank health. However, it is only useful if the data we get from it is accurate. On many occasions, I’ve seen a number I like and assumed it was correct. Then I do my routine calibration and get the real number, sometimes finding out that a probe went bad as well. I calibrate my probes monthly, and replace them yearly. But I may start doing those sooner based on current trends.

I’m curious to see how often you calibrate your Ph probe/s. And when you did, what surprises did you find?

The probe in the Alkalinity measurement device gets cleaned/calibrated every 2 weeks.

The one in the sump once every couple of months.

 

[Waters]

Haven't calibrated mine since I set it up over 3 years ago......periodically test PH with manual tests to verify.