PH Meter

[medi]

Well I have decided it is finally time to purchase a digital PH meter. Does anyone have any suggestions on which one to buy, or does anyone have one they would be willing to part with? I want one that is relatively inexpensive, but yet stays calibrated, and is accurate. Any help is very much appriciated.

[caferacermike]

Pinpoint PH monitors, http://www.americanmarineusa.com/ , the hobbyist standard for several years. Just make sure to get the AC adapter. I was sick of always buying expensive 9v batteries for it only to have them last a month or 2. Also when the battery wears out the readings are inaccurate. This leads to headaches.

Another version, and in my opinion cheaper, would be a Reef Keeper 2 (RFKII) programmable controller. For about $300 total you get the PH monitor, temp sensor, light controller, etc... in a smart, easy to read all in one package. Note: while searching for the RK2 it appears that Digital Aquatics has made a recent change to their product lineup and have replaced our beloved RK2 with a much more expensive Reef Keeper Elite model.

[cmanning]

We have been running our Calcium reactor with this one http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/SMS122.html

for about 2 years, and it appears to stay in calibration pretty good.

Also - it was only $100.00 and comes with the controlled 120v outlet to turn off the CO2 when the PH drops below your setpoint.

The thing about PH testers/controllers I have found is this:

IF you don't keep the probe constantly immersed (like when you store it) and the thing dries out, then it gets pretty much ruined.

So since the pocket testers run about 35 bucks anyway, I would go ahead and get one that you can keep in the tank all the time.

(The SMS122 we have has outlasted everything else - those pocket testers are just too easy to forget about and let the bulb tip of the probe dry out) - then they are basically shot. We went through 2 of those.- plus in those - the electronics wind up too close to the salt H2O and salt creep becomes a problem.

The units like the one we have have a really long cord going to the PH probe, so you can mount the box far away from the salt water, and immerse the probe

in your overflow box so it's always measuring the water as it flows by.

There's a cheaper model than the 122, it's not a controller, just a monitor, but -if you ever plan on

having a Calcium reactor setup then shoot for the controller, that way it becomes useful to run a Ca reactor,

(you need it to turn on/off the CO2 solenoid valve than keeps the PH in the reactor at 6.4 to 6.8)

In the meantime, it can be used to just constantly monitor the PH in your system.

One thing it won't do: It won't keep a "running chart" of your ph swings in any memory like a Neptune or other multicontroller does,

but those cost big money, and you did say cheap