What Ph tester do you use?

[CookieRdReef]

I wanted to purchase a Ph checker for $50ish or less. I looked at a bunch on Amazon but they all have reviews questioning the accuracy, even the Hanna checkers. The Salifert test kits are a cheap option but they appear hard to read? Anybody love their tester or test kit or probes? I'm not looking to spend Apex $.

 

[Jekyl]

Salifert works just fine

 

[Opus]

Wish I could help but I haven't tested ph in 20 years. I do seem to read a lot of bad reviews of handheld testers. I personally would just go with a manual test.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I bought this a few years ago, rarely use it. But its there if/when I need it.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Cheap pH testers are useless and a source of frustration if you wish to use it for anything useful.

I use a Milwaukee MW102 which is fast, stable and accurate.

 

[Doctorgori]

cheap yellow or red pH pens are sketchy …
I haven’t found any reliable love under $60
…BTW edit (most) with those diy references packets are garbage

 

[EricR]

Following since I wouldn't mind having a $50-ish dollar quick tester that I could trust (with reasonable accuracy).
Hanna egg checker seems to get pretty,,, uhhh,,, non-stellar reviews so thinking a dip probe meter type makes more sense for me.

I currently have Red Sea pH test kit but rarely use it since I don't do anything based on the results anyway.

 

[Reefahholic]

Milwaukee

 

[Doctorgori]

hate to sound definitive but I’d at least get something with swappable/replaceable pens/ electrodes. That usually means more $$$

 

[reefiniteasy]

I have a probe as part of my Hydros controller however, I also use the white Hanna checker. It’s great and both probe and checker match.

 

[Harold999]

A well ventilated room, surface agitation and a KH of ~9 is all you need regarding PH.
I don't test for PH (anymore).

 

[Jekyl]

A well ventilated room, surface agitation and a KH of ~9 is all you need regarding PH.
I don't test for PH (anymore).

This. I barely ever test Ph. No reason to spend big bucks on a digital test.

 

[EricR]

This. I barely ever test Ph. No reason to spend big bucks on a digital test.

Agreed -- especially with "ventilated room", "surface agitation", and alkalinity being way more important.

9 dKH alkalinity is higher than I'd actually prefer but I'm headed there anyway since I recently switched to Instant Ocean salt (CHEAPEST) and that mixes at 10.x dKH for me.

*I'm worried about getting too high alk with water changes but I don't do SPS so that's a different story, I guess.

 

[CookieRdReef]

I am considering adding kalkwasser to my ATO. I would like to monitor ph while dosing kalk even though I believe a large alk swing would likely happen before ph would raise to above a desirable range.

 

[Rollman]

Apex

 

[CookieRdReef]

The tank as of today 9 months old, needs a glass cleaning. Starting to add some acros recently. I would ideally like keep ph up or at least know what it is.

 

[threebuoys]

I'm using a pinpoint by American Marine. Just added it a month or so ago. Got discouraged by inconsistency of a hand held probe. The Pintpont probe remains in the water and constantly updates the reading.

More than $50 but less than $100. So far I've been satisfied.

 

[youcallmenny1]

I dose soda ash for my alkalinity needs and have literally never tested PH.

 

[nano reef]

I dose soda ash for my alkalinity needs and have literally never tested PH.

Do you have any problems dosing soda ash as far as keeping calicum up? I went back to dosing (long story) at first I used more alk then calcium then about even and now 5 months later I have to keep adding adjustments to up calcium. I dose it by hand too. maybe its precipatating out! I dose calcium first late at night then hour later the soda ash..

I didint mix soda ash proroperly this time and I added more water directly from rodi and over filled the hug. I was going to buy more today and noticed 3 reviews of it while sodium bicarb had about 28 so seems by far people are using bicarb and also read an article by Randy Holmes Farly saying you should use bicrab! Not sure why!

 

[nano reef]

I'm using a pinpoint by American Marine. Just added it a month or so ago. Got discouraged by inconsistency of a hand held probe. The Pintpont probe remains in the water and constantly updates the reading.

More than $50 but less than $100. So far I've been satisfied.

What model is that and do you need more then just the probe? I was looking to just test for no BUT also considering Kalkwasser soon so might make more sense to just buy the controller as to not have an xtra expense when I switch to kalk!

I had a hand held hanna and it really didint work well plus you have to buy all this xtra stuff to store and calibrate but I guess you need to do that with them all!