ORP probe

[Twins Dragonz]

What do you use orp probe to measure? I am getting a reefkeeper set that comes with orp probe. Not sure what to do with it. Tia

 

[kyleinpdx]

What do you use orp probe to measure? I am getting a reefkeeper set that comes with orp probe. Not sure what to do with it. Tia

That’s quite the loaded question! http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.php

From the article: “Imagine a reef aquarium as a vast battlefield. No, more vast. Much, much more. OK, that's ORP. That is, ORP is a measure of who is winning and who is losing the battle. The battle is never won by one side or the other. As an aquarist, you do not want it to be, or else everything in the tank would be dead.”

Even the best of us (which I am not one) don’t truly get ORP. Give that article a read it’ll make your head spin, then head over to the water chem forum!

 

[jml1149]

That’s quite the loaded question! http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.php

From the article: “Imagine a reef aquarium as a vast battlefield. No, more vast. Much, much more. OK, that's ORP. That is, ORP is a measure of who is winning and who is losing the battle. The battle is never won by one side or the other. As an aquarist, you do not want it to be, or else everything in the tank would be dead.”

Even the best of us (which I am not one) don’t truly get ORP. Give that article a read it’ll make your head spin, then head over to the water chem forum!

+1 on that. Randy does a great job with all of his articles, this one especially.

 

[lake985]

I use sudden fluctuations in ORP as an indicator that something drastic has occurred within the tank. Most of the time, it occurs after feedings or dosing 2-part and trace elements, but could also occur when there's a dead fish/snail/whatever rotting away.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I use sudden fluctuations in ORP as an indicator that something drastic has occurred within the tank. Most of the time, it occurs after feedings or dosing 2-part and trace elements, but could also occur when there's a dead fish/snail/whatever rotting away.

Same here, from my understanding unless you're dosing something like Ozone there is no need to truly monitor this level, but it can indicate drastic change to the tank (ie the dead fish/snail).

When I have people with an Apex and they are freaking out about their ORP number and wondering what it is, I will usually just hide it from their main screen so they stop stressing about it. Out of sight, out of mind. Granted, if something drastic happens and ORP goes out of range they still get an alert, I just eliminate it from daily concern.

 

[n2585722]

You will have to gain some history of readings for your tank to be able to determine when the reading is not normal. Even then I would not panic. Use it as way to indicate when something is not normal. Then determine if it is just the probe readings or an actual issue.

 

[ca1ore]

I think ORP is mostly useless, unless you're still running ozone. I have it on my controller so I do still monitor, but I cannot recall the last time I actually did anything based on a high or low reading (it's literally been decades). Every now and then it drops significantly (down to 200 from 'normal' 310-330) and there's no observable reason for it, thus no action to be taken. As I said ..... essentially useless.

 

[jml1149]

I think ORP is mostly useless, unless you're still running ozone. I have it on my controller so I do still monitor, but I cannot recall the last time I actually did anything based on a high or low reading (it's literally been decades). Every now and then it drops significantly (down to 200 from 'normal' 310-330) and there's no observable reason for it, thus no action to be taken. As I said ..... essentially useless.

Generally agree. However, I use it to "check" pH, ORP should be the inverse shape of pH. But this is trivial.