As part of our continuous efforts to educate our users about how to make the best of their ReefBots, we are writing this article to explain . We have recently examined the support issues we have been receiving regarding calibration, and have found out that it’s almost always due to one of the following three user errors:

1) Elongating the ReefBot’s sample silicon tube.

The ReefBot comes with a 2-meter (6ft) sample silicon tube. We have seen quite a few cases now where some of our users elongate the silicon tube by connecting it to other smaller tubes, in an effort to cover the distance between the aquarium/tank and the ReefBot. This usually results in air bubbles forming when a sample is being drawn from the aquarium/tank, leading to inaccurate test results. So whatever you do, do not elongate the silicon tube!

2) Placing the ReefBot in the wrong position relative to your aquarium/tank.

We have mentioned this issue in a previous article, but today we’ll elaborate more on it by providing a visual demonstration of the dos and don’ts. The ReefBot and the aquarium/tank should be on the same level, that is to say that they should be on the same horizontal plane. If this is not possible for any reason, then you should seek to place the ReefBot less than 70 cm (27.5 inches) above or below the level of your aquarium/tank. If the ReefBot is not placed within the +70cm/-70cm range, it may draw air bubbles with the water sample, similar to what happens when the silicon tube is elongated. Please refer to the diagram below in the setup process.

3) Displacing the silicon tube inside the aquarium/tank.

Yet another common mistake we have encountered is when users pull the sample tube too deep inside the aquarium tank, getting the tip too close to the bottom. This leads to sand and other debris being drawn with the sample, which throws the testing accuracy off. On the other hand, having the tip of the sample tube too close to the surface of the aquarium/tank leads to air bubbles being drawn… So be mindful of this when you set up your tank and make sure the end of the sample tube is somewhere in the middle of tank, not the bottom.

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch with us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

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