Ph controllers

[samh]

Hey guys

i'm using a weirpro ph controller. I was wondering what brands everyone else use.
I'm having trouble with mine, as it has a delay in turning on/off from the point i set it to.

If i set it to 6.12 it will click the solenoid off at 6.07 and then click back on at 6.17? Is this normal for ph controllers or are there better brands that don't have this problem.

Sam

 

[Left C]

I've never heard of that brand until now. So, I know nothing about it. A 0.10 range ( 2 * 0.05) is somewhat tight. The directions should tell you if this is normal. It probably is. When I Googled, there were a few "complaints" about this brand. You might want to check them out.

Anyway, pH controllers, in general, are falling out of favor for our use. A simple timer is all that's needed plus our observations of the fauna behavior. A drop checker with the correct solutions may be helpful too.

 

[samh]

How do you set it up with a timer? How do you judge when to turn the timer on and off... oh are you talking about just having a timer come on/off 1 hour b4 lights on and off? Do you go by bubble rate then?

I had the tank just running without a ph controller and i was getting co2 deficiencies.

I'm open to new ideas on what others use though , i like that i can monitor whats going on with a controller though. I didn't like drop checkers as i had 4 all around the tank at green and was still getting deficiency.

 

[Left C]

When I first went with pressurized CO2, I was a little spooked. My needle valves were bad and pH controllers fixed this worrysome mess.

You know about doing away with CO2 controllers and running the timer on a little bit of a staggered schedule.

Here's something that I did and other people have done it too. I would run my pH controller on a timer. We don't need to add CO2 at night. I put the timer between the part that you would normally plug the solenoid into that tells the solenoid when to turn on and when to turn off. Then the solenoid was plugged into the timer. It worked pretty good. This way, you can still read the pH value 24/7.

Like this: power supply -> solenoid controller from pH controller -> 24 hour timer (staggered a bit) -> solenoid power cord

Give it a try, you might like it. You can adjust your needle valve for how fast that you want it to reach your lower pH setting. Don't go too fast. Watch the critters and the drop checker.

At one time, I used a Coralife Power Center timer for it. It allowed an air pump to come on when the CO2 was off. And when the CO2 was on, the air pump was off.

Your pH controller has better control than mine did. It was ± 0.20 pH points whereas yours is ± 0.05 pH points.

If you try it, let me know how that it works for you.

 

[samh]

Oh thanks heaps for that. So by doing that i can have the benefits of both systems. It makes sense... constant co2 gas and you still get to monitor whats going on. So going off a bubble rate i would need to get some decent needle valves then... i'll try reducing my bubble rate with my ph controller on and hopefully i can get it so its on more than off because at the moment it only goes on for 10min and is off for 45min.

 

[Gerryd]

Hi samh,

Remember that your ph controller or meter will react to ph changes NOT caused ONLY by c02 flunctuations..

I personally use a separate PH/temp meter (Hanna grocheck) to measure. It is high quality so I trust the calibration and values. I use a small digital timer (home depot) with TWO outlets on it. I plug my solenoid and my c02 needle wheel into the timer. The timer has multiple on/off hour/day settings so you can do whatever you want.

I synchronize this time with the LIGHT timer schedule.

I feel this gives me some nice flexibility and no issues with an all in one design. I have a spare timer as it was less $20 iirc.

I think you will like going away from the controller.

Please note that even with a 'good' ph value and green checkers, it is still easy to not have enough c02. Much depends on how it is diffused and mixed with the tank water, distribution, plant mass, light, and many other factors.

The only way to tell is by the plants. If they are doing well and no deficiences than all may be well. It requires time and adjustment to reach this goal. You also need to watch the fish and other critters for stress.

Take your time and watch the NEW growth. That is what will tell you if things are BETTER.

 

[dutchy]

I always use a pH controller (Sera). Of course there are also benefits when using one:

1. More stable CO2 level during the day.
2. Less regulating to find the right setting.
3. Adapts by design to changing conditions like plant growth.
4. High throughput possible to get the ppm's at the desired level before the lights turn on.

There's no problem as long as you consider the actual value on the display as a relative value. The actual setting that you need to have good CO2 might be very different from the calculated value (pH/KH table)

Con:
No pH controller will prevent the addition of insufficient CO2. It's up to you to make sure there is enough.

A pH controller can be timed to shut off at night by a megnetic valve or power down the whole unit at night.

 

[Tom Barr]

The device is only as good as the assumptions and the user.

 

[samh]

Yeah i can see the benefits of both there. For a fairly new person to it i'm starting to recognise when it's going good and when i'm getting deficiency. I normally wreck something when i'm trying to improve. I don't think my dispersion is an issue i'm leaning more to a conistency issue where after my water change my levels might be different to later in the week regarding ph. This week i've had to decrease the levels a little at a time each day. I put this down to a big trim removing plants affected by bba and a little bit of detritus build up.

Also i had all my needle valves blasting so i've turned them down too. I'm getting a stable kh now through water changes which should help and i won't have to keep adjusting co2.

I'm still interested in the other way though i think i've got more learning and watching.

Sam

 

[Crispino Ramos]

I find that pH monitors are helpful but I still have to do regular observation of the drop checker, the plants, fish, CO2 tank regulator and perform weekly tests for the water pH, ammonia and nitrate.

 

[samh]

Yeah thats what i'm learning to do now. I was just setting my ph controller to a level where the drop checkers were green, then walking away. Soon found i was getting deficiency so i now have it set to when the fish start to gasp then wind it back a bit, i don't even bother with the drop checkers they're completely yellow.

 

[Left C]

Some of the substrates that break down the KH and lower the pH can be a bit tricky with a pH controller. The acids, bases, phosphates, carbonates, bicarbonates, etc in the aquarium that are working with the pH controller can also be tricky as well.

 

[Crispino Ramos]

Some of the substrates that break down the KH and lower the pH can be a bit tricky with a pH controller. The acids, bases, phosphates, carbonates, bicarbonates, etc in the aquarium that are working with the pH controller can also be tricky as well.

No wonder it is a fundamental aquarium maintenance to do a regular 50 percent partial water change.

 

[Left C]

No wonder it is a fundamental aquarium maintenance to do a regular 50 percent partial water change.

I do 50% weekly water changes.

Recently, on another forum, I read about someone that recommends daily 80% water changes with Amazonia long after start up.

 

[Tom Barr]

No wonder it is a fundamental aquarium maintenance to do a regular 50 percent partial water change.

Maybe..........it will not hurt......but may not be required by any means either.

Non CO2 tanks for example.......no water changes for years....but then again.......not CO2 added either.

 

[Jim Miller]

Why would CO2 affect water change frequency?

Jim