electronic ph meter

i have an electronic ph meter and it works great in the calibrating fluids but when i put it in the aquarium it jumps all over the place. any ideas why this would happen?

 

Morning, Do you have the probe in an area where bubbles are getting to it? I have mine submerged deeply into a high flow area of my sump and see a steady reading, but when I pull it up a bit closer to the surface I will see fluctations...which I have believed were do to the air bubbles generated by the return water.

 

no bubbles in the area.

 

I have an Aquastar model and as Grubbsj states if I keep it out of any water movement it is stable - but if its buffeted at all my PH is 8.27, 8.25 ,8.23 8.26 etc etc

Steve

 

mine will go from 5.6 to 8.7 and anywhere in between in the tank. in the calibration fluid it holds steady, within .1 variation.

 

wow that's a lot of variation.... I would suspect bubbles on the probe end.

My PinPoint meter fluctuates by maybe .05 drifting around throughout the day, and it drives me a little batty, but I'm content to live with it.

 

could potential stray electric currents in the water or residing too close to lighting/powerheads affect it? i wouldn't see how but i am looking for any reason it is doing this.

it is not an expensive unti but the fact that it works in the calibration fluid and not in the tank leads me to believe it is not the unit but my use of it.

i am testing in the DT and there is water flow but no bubbles.

 

Are you placing it next to any other probes or monitoring equipment?

 

no, the probe is stuck on the front glass with a suction cup. the unit is sitting on top of the canopy but i have tried various locations with no positive results.

 

That is acceptable. You ph will vary throughout the day, and probably is an actual reading since ph does not stay constant.