Thinking about buying a Blue Labs

[Old Salt]

what models were your hm's?

PH-200

 

[Virgin Ground]

A lot of folks use the Apera (or Bluelab) pens not realizing they are not anymore accurate than pH test strips.

Ib have used pH test strips, liquid drops a cheap meter and an Apera meter enough that I feel I can make an informed decision. I've been checking water pH for over 20 years for my aquariums. I find the Apera very accurate , drop kit will expire and can be difficult to read. And most fish keepers feel the same way about the test strips as we do about the cheap soil meters. They arent that reliable. You also need to see colors well. This is a problem for anyone who has problems differentiating between colors. You also need to make sure your test strips are clean from any oils or moisture or you will get skewed results. Some brands are better than others as well.
A liquid or strip test can't give me +-.01 accuracy. If they did they would use them in labs for all applications not some, that only require general readings.They dont do that because a litmus test can only give general, limited information.
I realize the situation quite well so I cannot agree with your above statement. I don't feel I've had the wool pulled over my eyes and that Apera or blue lab are less accurate( when cared for correctly) than test strips ( again the same care applies). Your comment made it sound like anyone using an Apera or blue lab pen are naive and are being misled, I hope this isn't the case.
Have a great day.

 

[Old Salt]

Your comment made it sound like anyone using an Apera or blue lab pen are naive and are being misled, I hope this isn't the case.

Some do, and some do not recognize the limitations of these instruments. I was wrong lumping all the Aperas together. Their PH60 appears to be a good accurate unit. I stand by my assessment of the Bluelab pen. It's display is ±0.2pH, about the same as you'd get with a test strip or drops. If they know, and that's close enough for them then all is good. If they don't know, this can cause problems when the displayed value is at the acceptable boundaries.

Many people buy pH pens without checking their accuracy. Many people use these instruments without calibrating them. These are things I want to change.

 

[Virgin Ground]

Some do, and some do not recognize the limitations of these instruments. I was wrong lumping all the Aperas together. Their PH60 appears to be a good accurate unit. I stand by my assessment of the Bluelab pen. It's display is ±0.2pH, about the same as you'd get with a test strip or drops. If they know, and that's close enough for them then all is good. If they don't know, this can cause problems when the displayed value is at the acceptable boundaries.

Many people buy pH pens without checking their accuracy. Many people use these instruments without calibrating them. These are things I want to change.

Ok, thanks for the clarification.
I can't fault you on your feelings of the blue lab. I have a problem with their price point for it's accuracy and disposablity. I do still use strips for my tanks from time to time ,but it is as a quick convenience and to only show trends.
If you aren't keeping your strips closed and dry or your pH pen hydrated and calibrated its all for naught. There seems to be a +- accuracy of the grower as well. Some people just don't bother taking care of their stuff, others are meticulous. They are possibly going to see different results using the same equipment.

 

[EastCoastGhost]

My HM’s where the cheaper models, first one was the hm tds 3 and the second one was hm tds4. The tds4 did hold calibration a little better than the first one but it went crazy all of a sudden lol, it would jump from 4 something to 7 something back and forth and never would stabilize out. Might have been my fault by hitting it against the cup to hard or something, I have been known to tear stuff up but I’m getting better with it lol.

 

[Bud]

Hay guys just following the thread and I must say it’s inlighting. I use a cheep ph pen,$ 15.00 with strips as a backup,the pen is kept in the storage solution when not in use. I placed a peace of sponge at the bottom of the cap and pore the solution to fill sponge and put the meter back in the cap. It’s been doing fine. For 15 or twenty bucks if it f K s up I just get another one. One cheep S.O.B.

 

[Old Salt]

I used one of those too. Accuracy was ±0.05 and resolution/precision was ±0.01 pH. It lasted over two years. I tried to get another, but Amazon sent me the wrong one twice. That's why I'm back to the HM Digital.

 

[Aroxol]

I have some blue lab equipment that I like quite a bit, but I don’t like how expensive they make replacement parts. Another thing I thought was interesting is their pH controller/ guardian monitor came out of the box showing different pH (off each other by .1). I didn’t create stink about it because I’ve run through so many pH pens and know all of them will ultimately fail, but def shows inconsistency in their probes.

 

[Bud]

The prices for replacement parts$$$$ and the price of the pen itself is so unreal for something that’s going to fail eventually anyway. I beleave I get good readings cause I cross check with strips as well as calibration solution.