PinPoint Ph Probe & CF lights

[Ekar_Ogrit]

When I get my ph monitor probe anywhere tank with my cf lights, the thing goes haywire. Anyone found a solution for this. I would really like to keep my Ph monitor on my show tank but...

I have no Heaters/pumps/probes in my tank. The electronic thing in there is a temp monitor.

TIA

Ekar

[Ralph]

I hope that you don't think we are ignoring you. The problem is that we don't know how to help you.
I was going to recommend that you talk to the water quality experts but I doubt that they use those lights. And then I thought about sending the question to some plant experts but they wouldn't be using a pH monitor. What about talking to the monitor supplier? They usually have email tech support.
It is most likely the magnetic field from the lighting fixture and those go through everything so a shield wouldn't help.
Can you get readings when the lights are off? Maybe you can just track it at night.
Sorry I couldn't be more help. How is your 240 gal doing?

[Ekar_Ogrit]

Quite well. My friend brought over his 3800 Digital Camera, and I snapped over 100 pictures this weekend. He is going to burn it to CD, and I should be able to post some here later this week. I like the accuracy of the monitor. If only I could find a Ph test kit with a .1 resolution between 6.0 and 6.5. They say you don't need to be to accurate when dosing CO2, but when you look at the range of values in just the high and low of your guestamits, you can get a huge difference in dissolved CO2(chart). Now take into account that we are keeping Discus, and you need to be even more careful. This is without mentioning a false reading from the test kit.

[ChloroPhil]

Ekar,

I hear that Milwaukee makes a good pH monitor. When hooked up to a solenoid valve they do a really good job of maintaining the CO2/pH level in a tank.

I have no practical explanation as to why your pH probe doesn't work with the CF lighting. That's really weird. The best thing I can come up with is some sort of magnetic thing with the plugs and high radiation of the bulbs.

[shalu]

I use PinPoint PH controller in my planted tank with CF lights. I haven't seen that problem probably because I don't have the probe in the main tank. I used to put it in the sump but it was too close to my CO2 reactor causing solenoid going on/off too often. Now I have it in the prefilter box of wet/dry.

I have read about the problem you are having on the net and the solution was to buy and put a "grounding probe" in the tank to eliminate the "stray voltage" ???the PC light causes. petsolutions (http://www.petsolutions.com/cgi-bin/cgipagls?l=1&c=ABCD&s=grounding+probe) sells one, although I don't have personal experience with this particular product.

[Ekar_Ogrit]

I think I saw that post too, but I am not sure about that solution.

Here is my testing:

Lights on Probe in tank :
reading is -1

Lights off Probe in tank:
Reading is 6.00

Lights on Probe in cup of water on top of hood:
Reading is -1

I will try lights on Probe in cup of water on top of hood with wire in water connect to Earth Ground.

Let you know...

Tks for everyones help!

Ekar

[ChloroPhil]

Are you lighting fixtures grounded?

[Ekar_Ogrit]

I hooked the green wire to the outside of the ballast. I could recheck though. Maybe grab my voltmeter and compare the difference in potential between the ballast casing and ground.

[ChloroPhil]

AHsupply, right? They should be grounded. I'd be interested in seeing the results of your voltage readings, I've been thinking of getting a pH monitor for a while and I use only ahsupply lighting in my tanks right now.

[shalu]

That's really interesting. My wiring was done all according to ahsupply instructions, I am otherwise not good at DIY electric stuff.