Liquid in Neptune pH probe?

[reefmaster70]

I bought a lightly used Apex Classic system, I unboxed it all, but the cap/bulb of ph probe is dry, and I can see liquid in the blue column portion of the probe. Is there supposed to be liquid inside the blue portion?? You can see the air bubble in my pic.

 

[BryanM]

Unsure on the liquid, but the probe shouldn't have been dry.

Considering both "issues", I'd get a new probe.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you hold it bulb down, is there liquid in the bulb?

 

[reefmaster70]

If you hold it bulb down, is there liquid in the bulb?

do you mean, the clear "bulb" that is down in the bottom of the sensor? I'll check and see. All I know is I see a "bubble" of liquid inside the Blue area of the probe when I tip the probe up and down.

 

[FUNGI]

are you talking about the gel? If its become a liquid (which it will do over time), its old and I would buy a new probe...just IMO

 

[FUNGI]

if the bulb was dry, I would buy a new probe (as already suggested).
Regarding the "liquid" inside,(and hence the bubble) its supposed to be there (but a gel) as I believe its a double junction probe:

try also a quick search on rehydrate a PH probe

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Double junction does not mean it’s a gel inside, but it might be.

 

[reefmaster70]

the bubble inside DOES move slowly, which leads me to believe the liquid inside is thicker than, say, water. but I was just shocked that there was any liquid inside at all. I didn't expect that. Maybe I'll fire it up and test the prove and see what it reads out in the testing solution. THoughts?

 

[reefmaster70]

If you hold it bulb down, is there liquid in the bulb?

yes, when I tip the probe upside down, I do see a slow bubble run from the blue body area of the probe into the clear tip at the bottom of the probe.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

pH probes are filled, not empty.

This has more:

https://reefs.com/magazine/aquarium-chemistry-measuring-ph-with-a-meter/

 

[reefmaster70]

thanks for that info. I did go ahead and order one off amazon, I am going to set up the apex with the new pH probe and calibrate it, and then i'll connect the old OEM one and see what it reads. If it's within specs of the new one I'll use the old one until it dies and then switch over to new.