CustomHydro
Well-Known Member
I have heard that you should never put your meter in RO water. I have seedlings and I want to use straight RO water for them, do I have to PH it?
PH RO water
- Thread starter CustomHydro
- Start date
DR. VonDankenstine
Well-Known Member
I would ph the R/O and ive never heard of that in 20 years.---what would be the reason???
CustomHydro
Well-Known Member
The reason is, in a very simple form... The PH electrode contains ions, RO water doesn't have any so it strips the electrode of the ones it has.
Guru Earl has a post on it, he explains it much better than me. If I find it I will link it...
Florida Girl
Well-Known Member
Hmmmm.... I have a combo meter PPM/PH/TEMP and I keep it in my RO res. 24/7. So far no problems. The instruction manual also didn't say anything about not using it in RO water.
CustomHydro
Well-Known Member
Im going to find the thread
Florida Girl
Well-Known Member
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Locks in PH / PPM and Temp just fine. I've only had it about 6 months though. I'd be interested in reading what Earl had to say on the subject.
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Locks in PH / PPM and Temp just fine. I've only had it about 6 months though. I'd be interested in reading what Earl had to say on the subject.
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CustomHydro
Well-Known Member
https://www.rollitup.org/763563-post130.html
I couldn't find earls post but I found someone who coppied it
I couldn't find earls post but I found someone who coppied it
Florida Girl
Well-Known Member
Interesting. From reading that it looks like Earl is saying RO water that has been loaded with nutes is fine to leave the meter in but RO water where nutes have not been put in should not have the meter left in the water.
All this based on IONS that are not present in RO water. What about the IONS from the air being pumped in via airstones? Oxygen has positive and negative IONS so wouldn't this help compensate in a RO only res?
I have no reason to doubt Earl. Sounds like not keeping the probe in RO only water for long periods of time will extend the life of your probe.... but I certainly wouldn't let it stop me from using it to take PH readings daily. Personally I expect to buy a new meter every couple of years anyway.
All this based on IONS that are not present in RO water. What about the IONS from the air being pumped in via airstones? Oxygen has positive and negative IONS so wouldn't this help compensate in a RO only res?
I have no reason to doubt Earl. Sounds like not keeping the probe in RO only water for long periods of time will extend the life of your probe.... but I certainly wouldn't let it stop me from using it to take PH readings daily. Personally I expect to buy a new meter every couple of years anyway.
CustomHydro
Well-Known Member
Good point, that is that then, I will PH the RO water (just for seedlings tho). Thanks for the input!
LoudBlunts
Well-Known Member
you almost got it!
the ph meter determines the ph of a substances from the hydro ions in the solution.
RO has little if no ions.... which makes it very hard to get an accurate reading!
it CAN...not saying it always will, but it CAN strip the electrode from reading accurately
potroast
Uses the Rollitup profile
Electrode manufacturers say not to store the electrode in plain distilled or RO water. I store mine in tap water, and that's OK. The storage solution must have some ppms.
RO water is usually 7.0 or 7.1, so you would want to lower it before using in your hydro system.
HTH
RO water is usually 7.0 or 7.1, so you would want to lower it before using in your hydro system.
HTH
DR. VonDankenstine
Well-Known Member
No problems here. I don't store my elect. in R/O and I rinse with tap befor I put it away...
LoudBlunts
Well-Known Member
doc, do you store it in any solution?
you should always keep the electrode wet
you should always keep the electrode wet
platypusmann
Well-Known Member
My Hanna pH meter says right on it DO NOT PLACE ELECTRODE IN DISTILLED OR DEIONIZED WATER.........nothing about RO, and since it is no longer pure when nutes are added, nuted water is no longer RO, distilled, de-ionized, or dangerous to use.
DR. VonDankenstine
Well-Known Member
it has a plastic cap on the end so after I rinse it stays wet till the next time---I love my combo meter
CustomHydro
Well-Known Member
I'm glad that some people backed up what earl warned me of...
I was almost convinced that it won't effect the meter, but I think I'm sticking with my gut and only measuring PH of RO/DI water if I absolutely have to...
Thanks
I was almost convinced that it won't effect the meter, but I think I'm sticking with my gut and only measuring PH of RO/DI water if I absolutely have to...
Thanks
Silky Shagsalot
Well-Known Member
you can store your meter in r/o water. just don't use de-ionized water, unless the instructions suggest otherwise. my milwaukee suggests storing the pen in bottled drinking water or r/o water. i have never kept it in anything other than the cap, and never had any problems. they suggest storing it in something because of the drying up and then getting wet between uses can cause problems.
CustomHydro
Well-Known Member
A lot of RO systems these days Deionize the water too.....
Especially the ones for aquariums...
Store bought RO water ussually is not Deionized