ORP / Redox

Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) or Redox in short is the measurement of ion activity in a solution.

When an atom gain or loose an oxygen electron, a minute voltage is register. Redox is measured in the unit of mili-volts (mV), where positive reading represents the solution that is active and has strong oxidising power.

In aquaria, positive reading represent the presence of Aerobic bacteria which is responsible to reduce toxidity in water, while negative reading represent more anaerobic bacteria which may increase toxidity in water.

Yet Redox is volatile. Therefore, Redox should be measured as a trend by charting results over a period to time. Solution with strong oxidising power makes Redox sensing easy, and results are stabilized within minutes. Solutions with low activity usually takes a longer time. Sometime, the results to stability can be as long as 20minutes.