High ORP...

[Constantin]

As far as I understand having a high ORP is not a problem as long as you dont use ozone to get there?

My tank has been establishing itself (started with dry rock). Its now at the 6 months mark and I'm feeding every day, sometimes 2 times aday.

lately my orp has been climbing up, now its at 435 in the morning.

As long as I am not injecting ozone I am good? is high ORP an indication of anything potentially bad? as far as I understood ORP values rarely get that high without ozone, which is why i am concerned that my probe might be bad or something else might be going on?
ORP values are steady so i dont suspect stray current.

 

[billsreef]

When is the last time you cleaned the probe? Commonly they end up with various bacteria and algae films growing on them that cause a localized (to the probe) increased in ORP. I typically have to clean mine once a week to prevent a rise in the reading from the probe fouling.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is true that ORP is never too high without adding some sort of oxidizers (chlorine, bleach, ozone, permanganate, etc), no matter what the probe says.

 

[Constantin]

how do you clean it? toothbrush?

That being said, orp does go down by about 80-60 after i feed

 

[Hookup]

It is true that ORP is never too high without adding some sort of oxidizers (chlorine, bleach, ozone, permanganate, etc), no matter what the probe says.

Maybe I am miss reading your grammer...

Do you mean.
a) ORP is never that high without the use of oxidizers?
b) ORP can be has high as you want, safely, unless oxidizers are present. If that is the case, high ORP will be an issue.

If b, which I think is the right way to read your post... what happens?


Mine hovers between 360-400 pretty consistently... just curious is all.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What I mean is that ORP is never going to be high enough to want to lower it if you are not adding oxidizers. Some tanks, especially bare bottom, no macroalgae, big skimmer tanks may have ORP into the 400's. Anything higher is likely test error.

Other tanks, with refugia etc, may not get much above 325mV even with ozone at appropriate levels for reducing yellowing of the water.

These have more:

ORP and the Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.php

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 1: Chemistry and Biochemistry
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/rhf/index.php

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 2: Equipment and Safety
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/rhf/index.php

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 3: Changes in a Reef Aquarium upon Initiating Ozone
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/rhf/index.php

 

[Constantin]

so if i have a refugia and sand and its into the 400s its likely an error? whats a good way to test an orp meter?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Not necessarily an error, but such tanks often run lower.

You can check the ORP meter with a commercial standard, such as the Pinpoint 400 mV fluid.

Cleaning an ORP robe, as mentioned above, often drops the reading that was artificially high (especially if exposed to light).

 

[billsreef]

how do you clean it? toothbrush?

That being said, orp does go down by about 80-60 after i feed

If it's only light slime, a simple soft cloth or paper towel will do. If it's a bit heavier build up, might need to soak it in some bleach solution (remove organics) followed by a weak acid (remove calcification) dip and then wiped down after rinsing well in fresh water.

A change in response to something like adding food is normal