Do you check ORP ?

Young Frankenstein · Jun 24, 2012

Please post your thoughts on ORP also.

Here is some links I goggled.

http://www2.emersonprocess.com/siteadmincenter/PM Rosemount Analytical Documents/Liq_ADS_43-014.pdf

Loki · Jun 24, 2012

No because I don't have a probe for it. I really don't know much about it. Also I don't have a way to change it (I think) if I knew what it was.

Loki · Jun 24, 2012

Well. It's to late in my night for me to read all of that. I will check it out later.

Young Frankenstein · Jun 24, 2012

Reefs.org: Where Reefkeeping Begins on the Internet - Redox and ORP

JSB · Jun 24, 2012

There is a decent explanation in "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Bob Fenner. I monitor ORP, but do nothing about it. It is just a water quality indicator for me.

Devonjevon · Jun 24, 2012

Everyone who uses Ozone should know alot about ORP. I use it and it's very important. The oxidation of water is also helpful in combating disease and water clarity. My tank has always had low ORP. Don't know why. It runs about 120-145. I run ozone so my orp is now 400-450. Anything above 470-480 can have a detrimental effect on organisims. Had a ozone accident that resulted in ORP of 500 for about 6 hours. Fish gills looked horrible. 4 deaths and all my rock turned ghost white ammonia spike afterward of all the rock die off killed the rest of my fish.
ORP is important with ozone usage.

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mcarroll · Jun 25, 2012

I've never dosed or tested for ORP. The most universal experiences of all the people I've met who have messed with ORP is that they couldn't tell what ORP was really indicating, and all of them gave up for more successful, better understood husbandry tools.

Ozone (which is what necessitates ORP testing) is a throwback to the "high tech" era of reefing when wet-dry filters were de rigueur. It's poorly understood as a tool in the hobby as well as dangerous. I say lets leave it in the "high tech" era.

-Matt

Young Frankenstein · Jun 25, 2012

If anything dies in the tank, my pinpoint ORP tester will pick it up immediately, tells me to look for something before ammonia built up. Its a definite check for me and I do use it with ozone. Ozone clears the water and makes the skimmer output go crazy for about 1 hr getting rid of other skimmer waist that without it it would stay in the water.

Loki · Jun 25, 2012

Oh that sounds cool. So if I get an ORP probe and start running it without ozone it will still be able to tell me some good information? If this is the case I may give it a shot. I would live to be able to know if something is going on before I visually see some changes.

Steelerfan747 · Jun 25, 2012

No, I don't use ozone. I guess if I ever do then I would

WesF · Jun 25, 2012

I have an orp controller that turns off the ozone generator if it rises above 450.

Reef Breeders · Jun 25, 2012

I test orp just because I can. My apex came with the probe, and I did not need another ph probe, so I went for it. I think that mine needs calibration though.

H2O · Jun 25, 2012

I have the lab grade orp probe on my apex it stays around 320-350
I don't use ozone because you can bleach your whole tank messing with that . I know a couple people that did it already
Your skimmer puts oxygen into your tank so just from having a good skimmer running it will keep your orp from dropping to low that's all u need
Higher orp turns your water crystal clear your corals get way more light changes like that usually dont make them happy so if you gonna mess with it do it very slow and keep us updated ....

Young Frankenstein · Jun 25, 2012

H2O said:
I have the lab grade orp probe on my apex it stays around 320-350
I don't use ozone because you can bleach your whole tank messing with that . I know a couple people that did it already
Your skimmer puts oxygen into your tank so just from having a good skimmer running it will keep your ORP from dropping to low that's all u need
Higher ORP turns your water crystal clear your corals get way more light changes like that usually don't make them happy so if you gonna mess with it do it very slow and keep us updated ....

And I agree but just like any dosing you need to check it, my ORP stays over 400 but exactly what you said, skimmer is a monster and strong lighting. Again not much in known for ORP but ozone does more than cleaning water, somehow it makes it more natural or more fresh ........i just don't know exactly what it does it just makes things better.

H2O · Jun 25, 2012

Young Frankenstein said:
And I agree but just like any dosing you need to check it, my ORP stays over 400 but exactly what you said, skimmer is a monster and strong lighting. Again not much in known for ORP but ozone does more than cleaning water, somehow it makes it more natural or more fresh ........i just don't know exactly what it does it just makes things better.

yeah i been looking into it and i cant find any info thats set in stone on perfect orp level for a mix reef talked to an expert at our local frag swap and he didnt know . im sure sps would like a higher orp then lps its not easy to keep everyone happy sometimes

JSB · Jun 26, 2012

H2O said:
im sure sps would like a higher orp then lps its not easy to keep everyone happy sometimes

Yeah, this is an issue for me. I have a predominantly SPS tank with a few LPS and softies. My ORP stays between 390 and 420 without doing anything or dosing ozone. While my frogspawn thrives, my wellso and some ricordea seem to not like it. I have 2ppm NO3, and .08ppm PO4, so the water is not pristine. I don't want to do anything to raise those levels. Quite the contrary, I want them zeroed or close. So, how would I lower ORP without adding nutrient load? I think I just have to suck it up and live with it.

WesF · Jun 26, 2012

JSB said:
Yeah, this is an issue for me. I have a predominantly SPS tank with a few LPS and softies. My ORP stays between 390 and 420 without doing anything or dosing ozone. While my frogspawn thrives, my wellso and some ricordea seem to not like it. I have 2ppm NO3, and .08ppm PO4, so the water is not pristine. I don't want to do anything to raise those levels. Quite the contrary, I want them zeroed or close. So, how would I lower ORP without adding nutrient load? I think I just have to suck it up and live with it.

I don't think there is any real data out there that says different corals prefer different orp levels. My orp stays on the high end 450+ (my ozone is usually off) and everything does very well.

There are so many variables that effect your orp measurement that you shouldn't really obsess over it. The only reason anyone should pay attention to orp is when using ozone. If orp levels spike it is an early indication that you are using too much ozone.

H2O · Jun 26, 2012

There will be real info ones we figure it out

My tank is mostly lps and higher orp don't suit them they get to much light even on the bottom
Tank runs 350 -360 with Windows open if I clean the skimmers neck everyday it will bump to 400 in a couple days but then tank looks to clean
So all I'm saying is by rising orp your corals might get sunburn so do it very slow if u gonna raise it
Didnt try to bring it down but I think more fish swimming around would drop it some and turning off the skimmer will do it to

WesF · Jun 26, 2012

Not really since a number of things effect orp. Orp is not a measurement of water clarity.

Here is a good article discussing orp.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.php

H2O · Jun 26, 2012

Yeah I agree that it doesn't measure clarity but it sure makes a difference in clarity enough to notice it by eye . I noticed from just looking at peoples tanks if a tank has orp around 400 water looks like air and orp around 300 water looks cloudy so it does affect clarity at the same time .