Build Your Own Water Quality Monitoring Station with 5 Water Quality Sensors
Water Quality is a complex concept, it related to too many parameters. Therefore constructing a water quality monitoring station is a systematic and complex project. The good news is that with the help of those 5 Grove Water Quality Sensors, you can build your own lightweight water quality monitoring station easily.
No.1 Grove – PH Sensor
As the name indicates, the PH Sensor can detect the PH value of a solution. People use PH to reflect the potential for hydrogen in a liquid. The pH range is 0-14. Acidic liquids have a low pH and alkaline liquids have a high pH.
The Grove – PH Sensor is easy to use(nearly plug and play) and very cost-effective. At room temperature, the pH of pure water is approximately equal to 7. If you get a high or low PH value, then it’s likely that the water that was tested is contaminated.
No.2 Grove - ORP Sensor
ORP Sensor is the short for Oxidation Reduction Potential Sensor, it measures the activity of oxidizers and reducers in an aqueous solution. In the other words, OPR reflect the ability of a lake or river to cleanse itself or break down waste products. So if you want to know about the Water Quality, ORP sensor is definitely necessary.
No.3 Grove - EC Sensor
EC Sensor is the short for electrical conductivity sensor, it measures the electrical conductivity in a solution. Conductivity is an important parameter for measuring water quality, it indicates the concentration of electrolyte present in the water. Its value has a certain relationship with the amount of inorganic acids, alkalis, and salts it contains. It is proportional to the concentration of dissolved solids. The higher the solids concentration, the greater the conductivity. Pure water has very low conductivity.
No.4 Grove - TDS Sensor
TDS Sensor is the short for Total Dissolved Solids Sensor, it measures the dissolved combined content of all inorganic and organic substances present in water. Typically, the higher the TDS value, the more substances dissolved in water. Hence, higher levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) can indicate that water has more contaminants that can pose health risks.
No.5 Grove - Turbidity Sensor
The Grove turbidity sensor can measure the turbidity of the water (the number of suspended particles). The optical sensor of this module can measure the density of turbid water and the concentration of extraneous matter using the refraction of wavelength between photo transistor and diode. The higher the output value, the murkier the water.
Conclusion
Water quality needs multiple dimensions to react, and using these common water quality sensors will basically reflect the quality of the water. It is worth noting that the TDS value is positively correlated with the EC value, and even proportionally in some intervals. So most of the time, you only need to choose one of the two sensors.
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