ORP and salt mix

[DonW]

Could someone that understands ORP explain this? I've used Oceanic since it came out. My ORP was always 375 with ozone, the ozone would come on regularly.
I have switched to IO no other changes. Now my ORP stays 410+ and ozone never turns on. I run two probes in the sump and they both read close to the same. One is two weeks old and the other is a year.

Thanks
Don

 

[WaterDogs]

If you change a lot of water and cleaned up waste that would account for the sustained higher readings.

 

[DonW]

No change in husbandry just the salt.

Don

 

[WaterDogs]

I used Oceanic for a while and had brown algae problems from it, so I switched to IO which I think is a better grade of salt and the algae problem went away almost immediately, so higher ORP readings really isn't a surprise and certainly a good thing.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Don,
When you take orp readings are you looking at temperature also?
Ed

 

[Boomer]

Don

I think you may have a probe problems. You can't get ORP levels of 400 + by changing water. IO usually mixies to 275 and then rises over time in a good reef tank. I have yet seen a reef tank get into the 400's without ozone or some other oxidizing agent. High 300's is about it. You may want to try cleaning the probes and check for calibration. Normally it is algae on the probe, which realease O2, which raises the ORP.

You may want to run your fingers through this

Understanding ORP
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.htm

 

[Ed Hahn]

Good Article Boomer,
Thanks,
Ed

 

[DonW]

Don

I think you may have a probe problems. You can't get ORP levels of 400 + by changing water. IO usually mixies to 275 and then rises over time in a good reef tank. I have yet seen a reef tank get into the 400's without ozone or some other oxidizing agent. High 300's is about it. You may want to try cleaning the probes and check for calibration. Normally it is algae on the probe, which realease O2, which raises the ORP.

You may want to run your fingers through this

Understanding ORP
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.htm

I've heard this many times. I swapped the 1 year old probe with a new one. 24 hrs later 410. I retested with labscope and got 410.2. I did test some fresh mix IO after 12hrs mixing and got 280. Tested Oceanic got 110. Same bucket, same salinity and temp. Just dont understand why. Probably doesnt matter, just wondering.

Ed,
My temp is always 80.5 or 81 so no change there.


Thanks
Don

 

[Boomer]

ORP Don is a very nasty subject. Randy didn't even want to write the article. I might buy your 410, maybe but I have seen guys telling me things like, 450 or even 480, without ozone.

Have you calibrated the probe/ meter as suggested in the article ?

 

[DonW]

ORP Don is a very nasty subject. Randy didn't even want to write the article. I might buy your 410, maybe but I have seen guys telling me things like, 450 or even 480, without ozone.

Have you calibrated the probe/ meter as suggested in the article ?

The Milwakee meters have no adjustments, thats why I tested against the lab scobe. The probes also cannot be calibrated, you can only check against a known value.
Its got to be something in the salt mix. Like I said probably doesnt matter. Just means my ozone will never turn on again.

Don