Cleaning Hanna PH Tester

[FishWorks]

Hey Guys,

I just bought a Hanna PH Tester but it hasnt arrived yet.

When using it in your planted tank, you will expose it to Fungus, Bacteria and Protozoans.

How do you clean your PH Tester?

Thanks,
-Harry

 

[zozo]

If you are realy sensitive about the matter than look at the Hanna web site, they have a special cleaning and storing solution + instructions available. 🙂

Using distilled water to dip it in and rinse it off after use is usualy adviced against by the manufacturer. Tho i'm kinda hard headed and did it anyway after running out of cleaning solution. Actualy never noticed an ill effect all my meters are still working. In common sense it probably has something to with frequency, i don't measure 4 times a day, day in day out, than it probably would be different. Than if distilled water would be so bad, we would never be able to measure its Ph.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

How do you clean your PH Tester?

In most cases you store the electrode in <"four molar KCl">, so you don't have to worry about it harbouring micro-organisms.

cheers Darrel

 

[FishWorks]

If you are realy sensitive about the matter than look at the Hanna web site, they have a special cleaning and storing solution + instructions available. 🙂

Using distilled water to dip it in and rinse it off after use is usualy adviced against by the manufacturer. Tho i'm kinda hard headed and did it anyway after running out of cleaning solution. Actualy never noticed an ill effect all my meters are still working. In common sense it probably has something to with frequency, i don't measure 4 times a day, day in day out, than it probably would be different. Than if distilled water would be so bad, we would never be able to measure its Ph.

Zozo,

so youre saying youve used it in your planted tank, cleaned it with distilled water and its still working properly?
by your experience, distilled water or the general cleaning solution should be enough to keep the electrode sensitivity?

thanks,
-Harry

 

[FishWorks]

Hi all, In most cases you store the electrode in <"four molar KCl">, so you don't have to worry about it harbouring micro-organisms.

cheers Darrel

That bit about storing in KCL and not harbouring micro-organisms is good to know Darrel.
Though, i am concerned with keeping the electrode working properly after using in a planted tank. This pH tester is not cheap.
So cleaning it with the General Cleaning Solution (Hydrochloric Acid) or Distilled Water should maintain sensitivity after exposure to organics like algae, bacteria, nitrates, poop and other organic compounds?

Hanna Website has a 2% Formaldehyde Cleaning Solution for algae, fungus and bacteria.
Im not sure if Algae, Fungus and bacteria affect the electrode in a different way.
I think that this is just a marketing scheme to separate me from my money.

Nice reading your responses again 🙂

 

[zozo]

Zozo,

so youre saying youve used it in your planted tank, cleaned it with distilled water and its still working properly?
by your experience, distilled water or the general cleaning solution should be enough to keep the electrode sensitivity?

thanks,
-Harry

Well yes.. 🙂 I have pocket versions as well as permanent meters.. The pocket versions, if i use it now and then and dip into something with minirals in it. Than when i'm done measuring i dip it again in a bit distiiled water and than wip the water off. Than i store it. The glass probe should not dry out, if used regularly it doesn't need to be stored in a liquid. Hence it isn't stored in liquid when you buy it in the shop. The protective cap from the pocket version usualy contains a small piece of damp cotton or tissue paper. At least i bought quite a few like that over the yeas, with the recomendation to keep that piece of tissue damp for storage if yu use it regularly. For very long term storage a small bath of storage liquid is best.

Now for the permanent meters, the probe is 24/7 in miniralized water.. The times i used these, inline in the filter outlet i only cleaned them once a week at filter maintenance day. Than also do a recalibration, even if it didn't deviated 0.1 after beeing a week in permanent use in miniralized water constantly. But hey once it is in some calibration fluid to check up on it, then hit the button to, it can't hurt. Than doing this over 2 years with the very same probe and never had an issue.

Anyway with this experience i can only come to "My personal" conclussion with a questionmark about all that special cleaning ritual. But special cleaning regime with special cleaning agent, might as well be a bit of a manufacturers marketing trick with puting some fire in the stove to get the most out off their product.

Personaly, using pH probes regularly for the past 20 years.. Long time ago i took my changes not to work accordingly because i ran out off and experienced it indeed all isn't such a drastic big deal..

Long time storage in the closet OK, than beter be safe than sorry store it accordingly in a propper solution.. But actualy not so long ago i was diggin in my shed and found a Ph pen tug away, about 8 years ago i guess could be even longer. Stored dry to the bone.. Did put in some batteries tested it, there was nothing wrong with the darn thing.. I tested it a week long every single day. 😵 What more can i say.. Very good meter, sorry forgot the brand, gave it away to a friend with a swimming pool.

Dunno what to thinck of it, it is what it is.. It simply could be for the manufacturer selling a pH tester not an aqaurium water pH tester ofcourse.. They do not know what stuff you want to test with it and how often. They can not write a manual for each scenario it can be used. They probably write an manual that is based upon worste case scenario usage. Probaly using it in rather agressive mediums every day will have effect on it maintenance requirments.

 

[Zeus.]

My Hanna pH pen HI-98129 is a PITA for storage IMO/IME as the plastic lid/cap is a pain to get off so therefore the pH Pen tends to live dipped constantly in the tank which is far from ideal OFC, tends to be a pain to calibrate too. Have just ordered a new HI-73127 ELECTRODE, then I can swap them over and keep one on the correct solution and just keep changing them over.
Nice thing about the standard 0-14 pH Electrode Probe BNC Connector is they are easy to store and easy/cheap to get hold off having said that the one on my pH controller has been in my tank over 12 months

 

[zozo]

Hanna is darn good stuff.. I still have the original probe from the <Hanna Grow check> i bought over 20 years ago. It still works like a charm and it's not refillable. Only isue it has, it can no longer be calibrated perfectly on 4 it's aways 0.2 above. But i never measure that near 4, if i calibrate it on 7 i still can use it after all this time..

I think Hanna is beter and more stable than its competiotion Milwaukee i also still have.. Hanna uses the extra ground pin next to the probe as reference. It there for is rock steady and doesn't get interfered. The only thing i noticed, used it the sump for a while, it sends a pretty strong current throught the water from probe to ground pen. I can feel it and measure e few volts but definitively feel the current and the hair raising on my arm when coming close to ground with a finger in the water. Not nice for the fishies i guess.. No longer use it in aqauriums.. 🙂

 

[FishWorks]

Well yes.. 🙂 I have pocket versions as well as permanent meters.. The pocket versions, if i use it now and then and dip into something with minirals in it. Than when i'm done measuring i dip it again in a bit distiiled water and than wip the water off. Than i store it. The glass probe should not dry out, if used regularly it doesn't need to be stored in a liquid. Hence it isn't stored in liquid when you buy it in the shop. The protective cap from the pocket version usualy contains a small piece of damp cotton or tissue paper. At least i bought quite a few like that over the yeas, with the recomendation to keep that piece of tissue damp for storage if yu use it regularly. For very long term storage a small bath of storage liquid is best.

Now for the permanent meters, the probe is 24/7 in miniralized water.. The times i used these, inline in the filter outlet i only cleaned them once a week at filter maintenance day. Than also do a recalibration, even if it didn't deviated 0.1 after beeing a week in permanent use in miniralized water constantly. But hey once it is in some calibration fluid to check up on it, then hit the button to, it can't hurt. Than doing this over 2 years with the very same probe and never had an issue.

Anyway with this experience i can only come to "My personal" conclussion with a questionmark about all that special cleaning ritual. But special cleaning regime with special cleaning agent, might as well be a bit of a manufacturers marketing trick with puting some fire in the stove to get the most out off their product.

Personaly, using pH probes regularly for the past 20 years.. Long time ago i took my changes not to work accordingly because i ran out off and experienced it indeed all isn't such a drastic big deal..

Long time storage in the closet OK, than beter be safe than sorry store it accordingly in a propper solution.. But actualy not so long ago i was diggin in my shed and found a Ph pen tug away, about 8 years ago i guess could be even longer. Stored dry to the bone.. Did put in some batteries tested it, there was nothing wrong with the darn thing.. I tested it a week long every single day. 😵 What more can i say.. Very good meter, sorry forgot the brand, gave it away to a friend with a swimming pool.

Dunno what to thinck of it, it is what it is.. It simply could be for the manufacturer selling a pH tester not an aqaurium water pH tester ofcourse.. They do not know what stuff you want to test with it and how often. They can not write a manual for each scenario it can be used. They probably write an manual that is based upon worste case scenario usage. Probaly using it in rather agressive mediums every day will have effect on it maintenance requirments.

Zozo,

I really do think these special fluids need to have a description on their usage. I have seen Hanna Sales Reps on Salt Water Forums and they could really just get some customer feedback. Maybe, if its used in a tank with good conditions, when distilled water does well, then so should the general cleaning solution. Perhaps if the tank had green water or a fungal infection, then they should recommend the specialized algae, fungus and bacteria cleaning solution. I am no expert but with the current product descriptions, it really does sound like marketing.

I bought the Hi-98128 along with a free 1 liter of General Cleaning Solution and 1 liter of Storage Solution. I plan on using the Storage Solution and General Cleaning Solution. When the General Solution runs out, I think I will go with distilled water as well. I am really looking forward to using this in my upcoming planted 100 gallon, especially knowing they have served you well the past 2 decades.

-Harry

 

[zozo]

I really do think these special fluids need to have a description on their usage.

You would think so, but why if usage is universal.. If you measure substances that leave lots of residu behind on the probe, than using a probably specialy designed cleaning agent for a pH probe is a good solution. 🙂 For example they are also used in terrestrial gardening, fertilization regimes are much higher reaching over 180 EC is not uncommen some plants and (inert) mediums can go over EC 200 in a pH 5 fert solution, now that can be pretty agressive on the probe dipping it constantly or beeing permanently in an acidic salt bath. Than doing bad maintenance the probe will be incrusted with deposit in no time.
Than you need somethig agressive and safe to clean, you can't brush it.

But using it to measure nearly RO water with a pinch of NPK and traces doesn't leave that much behind that can not be flushed with a dip in some distilled water.

As said above they just sell you a pH probe and do not elaborate on what you have to do for this or that scenario. They provide a one size fit all solution. Can't blame them.. Image a 100 page manual describing all posibe scenarios and cleaning requirments. Tha the manual would be more expensive than the pen. 😉

I guess it's also using a bit of common sence about in what are you dipping it. You can measure pH from RO water to thick sticky Sirup.. 🙂

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Though, i am concerned with keeping the electrode working properly after using in a planted tank. This pH tester is not cheap. So cleaning it with the General Cleaning Solution (Hydrochloric Acid) or Distilled Water should maintain sensitivity after exposure to organics like algae, bacteria, nitrates, poop and other organic compounds?

Perhaps if the tank had green water or a fungal infection, then they should recommend the specialized algae, fungus and bacteria cleaning solution.

But using it to measure nearly RO water with a pinch of NPK and traces doesn't leave that much behind that can not be flushed with a dip in some distilled water.

@zozo is right, it is no different from testing any water, you can clean the electrode up under a running tap, a quick rinse with DI and into the storage solution.

The important thing is that the electrodes (unless they are ISFET ones) are stored in the three (or four) molar <"potassium chloride (KCl) solution">.

The electrodes themselves are physically delicate, but they aren't effected by acids and alkalis etc. You can get more robust and easy clean <"spear tip" electrodes"> for soil testing etc.

When pH probes are used for food processing etc. they usually use solid state <"ISFET probes">, again often in a stainless steel spear tip probe.

cheers Darrel