Apex probe placement

byronsands · 05/11/2012, 06:28 AM

I see folks building/buying fixtures to hold various probes around the lip of their tanks, etc.

Is there anyone reason not to just just chunk them into the sump, etc and let them lay on the bottom? (conductivity, temperature, ORP, pH)

I currently just dropped the temp & conductivity probes into the salt mix tank and the other 4 into the refugium -- all are just laying on the bottom of their respective tanks. OK or bad methodology?

aquamanic · 05/11/2012, 06:52 AM

I think it's better to keep the top part of the probe out of the water if possible. Periodic immersion is not a problem but over time with continuous immersion the salt water will harden the insulation on the wires eventually leading to cracking and subsequent probe failure.

byronsands · 05/11/2012, 07:10 AM

thanks, Alan. So what is maybe a good method in the mix tank where the water is up and down?
- floating upright probes?
- attached at top of tank and only monitored when tank is compeletly full?

I have 2 tanks: mix and ro/di. When I pump salt mix into the system, I then pump ro/di over into mix tank and add salt, then begin to refill ro/di tank.

Probably no reason to care about period when conductivity probe is of the water -- unless it effects the probe reading later??

Both tanks are 65g -- water change takes the full mix tank.

RussM · 05/11/2012, 07:46 AM

In that mix tank with the highly variable water level, a square of styrofoam sheet would work. Just poke a hole through for each probe. It's not an elegant solution, but it is effective.

aquamanic · 05/11/2012, 09:16 AM

You know, I tried that floating styrofoam method and the problem I had is the probe cables kept hanging up on the side of the sump (all the other wires there prevented them from moving freely) and the probes would wind up high and dry - bad for the probes.

I just keep them in a chamber where the water level is stable and if every now and then they get dunked, it's not a big deal.

RussM · 05/11/2012, 10:37 AM

Good point Alan. The cables would definitely need to be carefully arranged to allow free movement of the foam block.

05/11/2012, 06:28 AM	#1
byronsands Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NE PA Posts: 275	Apex probe placement I see folks building/buying fixtures to hold various probes around the lip of their tanks, etc. Is there anyone reason not to just just chunk them into the sump, etc and let them lay on the bottom? (conductivity, temperature, ORP, pH) I currently just dropped the temp & conductivity probes into the salt mix tank and the other 4 into the refugium -- all are just laying on the bottom of their respective tanks. OK or bad methodology? __________________ byron Current Tank Info: 750g: (DT:465, fuge:150, sump:150)

05/11/2012, 06:52 AM	#2
aquamanic WHO DAT?? Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 5,709	I think it's better to keep the top part of the probe out of the water if possible. Periodic immersion is not a problem but over time with continuous immersion the salt water will harden the insulation on the wires eventually leading to cracking and subsequent probe failure. __________________ I don't work for Neptune. Please put all questions into forum posts and not PM's. Visit the Neptune Community Forums for the latest Neptune updates - forum.neptunesystems.com

05/11/2012, 07:10 AM	#3
byronsands Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NE PA Posts: 275	thanks, Alan. So what is maybe a good method in the mix tank where the water is up and down? - floating upright probes? - attached at top of tank and only monitored when tank is compeletly full? I have 2 tanks: mix and ro/di. When I pump salt mix into the system, I then pump ro/di over into mix tank and add salt, then begin to refill ro/di tank. Probably no reason to care about period when conductivity probe is of the water -- unless it effects the probe reading later?? Both tanks are 65g -- water change takes the full mix tank. __________________ byron Current Tank Info: 750g: (DT:465, fuge:150, sump:150)

05/11/2012, 09:16 AM	#5
aquamanic WHO DAT?? Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 5,709	You know, I tried that floating styrofoam method and the problem I had is the probe cables kept hanging up on the side of the sump (all the other wires there prevented them from moving freely) and the probes would wind up high and dry - bad for the probes. I just keep them in a chamber where the water level is stable and if every now and then they get dunked, it's not a big deal. __________________ I don't work for Neptune. Please put all questions into forum posts and not PM's. Visit the Neptune Community Forums for the latest Neptune updates - forum.neptunesystems.com

05/11/2012, 07:46 AM	#4
RussM Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: El Cajon, CA Posts: 7,818	In that mix tank with the highly variable water level, a square of styrofoam sheet would work. Just poke a hole through for each probe. It's not an elegant solution, but it is effective.

05/11/2012, 10:37 AM	#6
RussM Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: El Cajon, CA Posts: 7,818	Good point Alan. The cables would definitely need to be carefully arranged to allow free movement of the foam block.