Calling Randy-ORP

[nothingfishy]

Hi Randy, and others who wish to help

I have read a couple of books in the last few months, as well as some trustworthy blogs (Fenners, etc) and seem to have been convinced the importance of ORP and monitoring it.

However, when speaking with two local, seemingly very knowledgeable lfs owners, who I have been going to for years, laughed when I mentioned it. In short, they both made it sound like something of the old school of thought, and that really no one other than zoos or aquariums, monitor anymore.

One of the guys has a 220 sps dominant tank, for years, and the acros grow like weeds. He then said to me, I have no idea what the orp is in that tank, and quite frankly don't care to know.

Is this assumption true of the industry, that most hobbyists have little to no real reason to monitor this? They were strictly speaking of ORP and ozone, and nothing else.

[daplatapus]

Have a read of this article Randy wrote a bit ago.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/

I bought a used Apex a while ago and just got it hooked up a month or so ago. It had the ORP probe so I hooked it up for giggles. Now I've always had a bit of an algae issue I've never been able to beat. And there's always been issues of one kind or another in this tank. I have a feeling there's something either leaching out of my rock, or the silicone... something. Anyway, my ORP hovers around 270-290. Now, all I know is there is either there's something seriously wrong with my probe or my tank :(

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is this assumption true of the industry, that most hobbyists have little to no real reason to monitor this?

I agree with that. I measured it for years, then decided it just wasn't worth it. I never once did anything because of an ORP reading.

When using ozone, I think it is very useful to know that you are not using too much. Aside from that, the benefit is limited to such things as possibly knowing something died and is rotting somewhere in the tank.

[wolfblue]

my ORP hovers around 270-290. Now, all I know is there is either there's something seriously wrong with my probe or my tank :(

270-290 is pretty good. I don't think many people will pass 300 without ozone. 240 is starting to get on the low side but you still could have crystal clear water and a healthy tank even there and lower.

We don't worry about the number, but look at it as a trend thing..."my tank is usually X and now its not".

--John

[daplatapus]

270-290 is pretty good. I don't think many people will pass 300 without ozone. 240 is starting to get on the low side but you still could have crystal clear water and a healthy tank even there and lower.

We don't worry about the number, but look at it as a trend thing..."my tank is usually X and now its not".

--John

Hmmm, well that's good news. For some reason I thought I'd read I should be closer to 400. I did know from Randy's article that I should be looking for trends and not a specific number, and over the last month I've definitely been trending upwards, so that's cool.

Thanks to the OP for posing the question and you guys for chiming in :)

[d2mini]

I agree with the others.
I only monitor ORP because I run ozone.

[madadi]

so what can increase ORP reading of your tank other than dosing ozone? and does ORP increase mean also available oxygen? and the reverse? a sudden decrease means a reduced available oxygen? maybe my fuge light on reverse cycle broke. will I see a decrease in numbers for that night? can carbon change ORP reading? what about UV light?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Decreasing organics (dissolved or settled debris) can boost ORP.

Increasing O2 itself doesn't, at least not at normal levels.

Of course, adding oxidizers can boost ORP. Things like permanganate, maybe even certain metals or additives such as Lugol's.

[madadi]

Decreasing organics (dissolved or settled debris) can boost ORP

I like that. I will start using filter socks next week and will make sure to install an ORP probe. curious to see if it will cause it to rise. I have significant amount of detritus build up.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Let us know what happens! :)

[Zoodiver]

I agree 100% with Randy.
ORP is something to measure if you are doing something to change it (like ozone injection). That is the reason zoos/aquariums watch it closely. Ozone injection gone wrong can get VERY bad VERY fast, so routine checks are done. We never checked it on systems we weren't hitting with ozone.

[LobsterOfJustice]

I wouldn't go out of my way to monitor ORP, but if you already have an aquarium controller, it's one more thing that you can monitor to alert you of potential disaster.

[Jack5746]

I monitor orp in my system, running around 380 to 400. Something to watch for is ph drops your orp will go up and vice versa. I use to run ozone but stopped, now I am using an algae turf scrubber and things seem to be doing pretty good.