ORP Suddenly High

[BigHildy53]

I know enough about ORP to know that I do not fully understand it. And that I don't need to really track it constantly. With that said, within the past few days Apex has reported warnings because ORP is above 450. Does a pattern of it rising mean anything? The only thing I have noticed is that my mushroom is shedding; my assumption. I am battling nitrates (17) and Phosphate (. 12). The Phosphate issue has been on going for months. Nitrates have risen in the last few weeks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Probably means it is off calibration.

That said, ORP is NEVER too high without dosing oxidizers such as ozone, so high ORP (real or not) is never something to worry about.

 

[wmo168]

As long as ORP is between 250 to 450 you are fine. The point is, it should stay constant unless something die or happen then it should drop.... It is not the value it matter it is the constant flat line you are looking for.. if there is spike or drop, it just tell you something is just happen, like you did a water change, some fish die off, pump has failed, you drop a soap in the tank etc.. etc...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, algae growing on an ORP probe usually raises the measured ORP.

 

[BigHildy53]

Thank you for the information. I cleaned the probe a couple of weeks ago. But I've ordered calibration solution and I'll clean and calibrate this weekend.