Aquamedia Ph Controller

[csjasona]

Hi all

Just received my AquaMedia Ph Controller OEM unit from eBay. I've a few questions that I hope some of you guys will be able to help me with, though...

First of all, the unit needs to be callibrated each month with buffer solutions at 6.86 Ph and 4.01 Ph. Anyone know where I can buy these from online in the UK?

I presume the unit comes with one of these as standard as there is something screwed to the end of the probe - though it doesn't say if it is buffer solution and it doesn't say what Ph level it is!

 

[srolfe]

My unit came with a cap on the end of the probe that you need to remove. The buffering solutions come in liquid filled plastic packs or bottles. If you dont have any solution to calibrate the unit, you can measure your tank PH with a kit and set the high end PH to this reading with the probe placed in your tank.

Be aware that you need to check the PH with a kit occasionally and compare to the probe reading. When I first used this unit, I calibrated it and set up my CO2 unit and constantly had too much CO2 being injected. The unit read what I thought was a correct range for PH. I finally checked PH with a kit and found that for some reason the unit was way off. Recalibrated the unit and have had no further problems.

 

[csjasona]

Yes, I would re-cal every month to be on the safe side. I'm also going to put the Ph controller onto a timer, so that it remains off (and hence CO2 is always off) at night time. Then it'll come on during the day and pump CO2 as and when it needs to. I'm also setting the device to about 0.5 less than the Ph I am looking for, just to ensure that enough CO2 is pumped in during the day to feed the plants at all times. Obviously, I'll keep an eye on the Ph level with regular testing as well and watch to see how often the CO2 pump is activated.

I've removed the cap - found out what it was for -- just to protect the end of the probe in transit/storage to stop it drying out, otherwise it won't work properly for 24hours. Bought the buffer solution for a £1 a go on eBay. And I will use a simple and almost invisble heater holder to ensure only eht bottom 5cm of the probe is in the water.

Now, where should I put the probe? Keep it clean, please! If I put it on the rear left-hand side of the tank then it will be next to the CO2 pump - so that is no good as the Ph here will be lower than the general tank level. If I put it next to the pump outlet (which is also where the heater is) then maybe the warmer water there will affect the reading? But not by much? Some people put the probe into the pump unit area (I have a Juwel 180 Vision so I could do this, too). But as the filter media bacteria would be giving off some CO2 off their own, then this would affect the reading, too. But again, I don't think by any statistically-significant amount...

 

[srolfe]

I would not bother to put this system on a timer, this is a automatic system after all. Most of your PH increase occurs during the day when the lights are on. Very little CO2 is injected at night. I would still monitor the Ph level with a test kit at least once a week or after water changes. It is possible to kill fish with a CO2 overdose (dont ask).
I had a lot of trouble with the bubble counter so I removed it. I would add a checkvalve so water does not enter the CO2 system. I adjusted the needle valve for 5-10 bubbles per second. I inject directly into the pump inlet. I placed my probe at the opposite side of the tank from the pump outlet.