pH Test Question

[versstef1]

Hi there, I don't know if I have a ghost in my water or what, but after more than a year of easy-peasy testing, I'm having trouble this year with the basic tests.

I discovered that I am unable to do a proper CL test anymore. See here if you care chlorine-consumption-shocking-testing-maybe-not-insects-t63318-20.html This problem is still there - no two test are ever the same...

Now, the pH test is acting weird. I'm not talking about that it's hard to read the color - I've figured that out by now. What happens is this. If I shake the bottle a few times, I read a certain pH, around 8 in this case. Shaking vigorously a few more times, it drops to a lower number, around 7.5. And I know you won't believe me, but shaking it vigorously a few more times, it drops even more, in this case to 7.2!!! No further shaking would change it any further.

I mean, how many shakes is the right amount? I've always just shook it maybe 5-10 times and used that result. And it turns out another 5-10 it changes???

Or what is your experience with haunted water?

 

[harleysilo]

You vigorously shake the PH test?

I just turn it upside down and right side up a few times......

 

[faby3003]

Very strange.

It shouldn't matter how much you shake it.

I would try giving the test vial a good cleaning.

 

[versstef1]

You vigorously shake the PH test?

I just turn it upside down and right side up a few times......

Right, that was my normal operating mode, as well. But then I'm noticing that shaking it up changes it, so naturally now I wonder: When is the 'right' amount of shaking to read the test!

 

[harleysilo]

Well I've never shaken it, since the instructions say Invert. However now i'm going to and see what happens, i should try the speedstir too!

 

[duraleigh]

My impression is you are trying too hard to "fool" this test. After you add the five drops, you shake it well enough for the color to be uniform throughout the column and that's the end of the test.

There is no point shaking it further so I have no idea if that will affect the test result or not. I usually get the column mixed well in about 1 second.

 

[versstef1]

Thanks. I wasn't trying to fool it on purpose, but just noticed that just a few extra shakes change the color significantly. It just doesn't seem that this would be normal ...