confused about pH

[mathematics28]

Hi everyone. simple 5000 gal AGP with vinyl liner. Using test strips and K-2005 testing kit, I get pH above 8 and TA at around 320. I bought an electrode pH tester from amazon that has great reviews for accuracy and it shows pH is 6.8

Did I get a lemon? I don't have any distilled water yet to clean and calibrate (it says its factory calibrated and don't need to when its new). I am leaning toward the electrode tester not showing the proper results since TA is at 320.

Thoughts?

 

[ajw22]

What model pH tester did you buy?

You must use fresh calibrating solutions to ensure the accuracy of your pH tester.

Neither your test strips or pH tester are reliable.

Do you have a standard drop test pH test?

 

[mathematics28]

Amazon.com

I use the pH test from the K-2005 kit

 

[ajw22]

Get an Apera pH 20 or 60 with pH 7 & 10 calibrating solutions. Those cheap meters are pretty unreliable.

What does the K-2005 pH test tell you?

 

[mathematics28]

telling me the pH is above 8, which makes sense chemically since TA is showing ~320. test strip is also showing pH is at least 8. leads me to believe the pH meter sucks or isn't calibrated properly.

 

[ajw22]

leads me to believe the pH meter sucks or isn't calibrated properly.

yup.