Storing the Milwaukee pH controller probe

[An t-iasg]

I have the Milwaukee SMS 122 pH controller. I tore down the aquarium that it was in and now I have to store the probe for awhile. I ordered the Milwaukee storage solution today (MA9015). Has anyone done this? Any tips on what I should do? Right now the probe is still in the aquarium water.

 

[travis simonson]

The probe should be kept sealed and prevented from drying. I use a piece of cotton swab soaked in storage solution to cover the sensor and then put a piece of plastic around it to seal it off. A small balloon works well to cover and seal the tip.

Hopefully your tank will be back up and planted again soon

 

[An t-iasg]

Thanks, Travis! By the sensor, do you mean that glass bubbly-looking thing right at the end? So you don't need to immerse the end a few inches deep in the storage solution? I was thinking of making a hole in a jar lid and inserting the probe through the hole and into the storage solution. Your way sounds easier.

Well, this particular tank has lived its life (goodbye old friend!) Tank version 2.0 will be bigger and better!

 

[travis simonson]

Yes, the glass bubble is the part you want to keep in the solution. I'll admit that I have let mine dry out - accidentally - and it appears to have had no ill effects, but it's better to be safe . . .

Looking forward to 'Tank version 2.0'

 

[An t-iasg]

Thanks again! The Milwaukee website (and literature that came with the probe) says a piece of cloth is in there somewhere and it can't dry out. I've never seen it, just the glass part, but I'll keep it nice and moist until it's needed again!

 

[SparKy697]

You can also use di water to store your probe in.

If let to dry out the unit will just take longer to stabilize the next time you use it. If allowed to dry out for extended periods of time, you may actually begin to see an air bubble form in the bulb.. This is not good.

 

[An t-iasg]

I knew that the directions said not to let it dry out, so I was always too paranoid to let it out of the aquarium even to get a good look at that bulb! You should see me cleaning the algae off the yellow part - one swipe with the paper towel, dip back in the water...pull back out, swipe, dip...lol!

Do you mean distilled water? The abbreviation is coming up deionized. I just wondered if I could let the probe stay in one of my other tanks without turning it on, but then my other tanks are betta tanks. I don't want to make the poor bettas flare over the yellow color!

Sparky, did your probe actually get an air bubble behind the glass? Did it calibrate ok after that?

 

[SparKy697]

Generally when we get a probe at work that forms an air bubble within the bulb, it gets replaced. They will calibrate but it seems that the consistency drops severely.

Distilled, Ro, Ro/DI water is all fine for storing your probe. I really don't think that a few minutes out of water is an issue at all with these probes. It's more the idea that you do not want to store it dry. A couple minutes or even hours is not going to harm it's operation IMO