TPS Instruments

Today at TPS, we took some time out for an R U OK? Day afternoon tea

We put the kettle on, passed some baked treats around, and shared some resources on how to check in with the people around us - not just at work, but also with family, friends and others in our communities.

A simple conversation can make a real differenc!

Sometimes asking "Are you OK?" can feel a little awkward - but asking the question and taking the time to listen is really important.

Today is a great initiative - and a yearly reminder of how much it means to check in on each other regularly.

Two beakers of water can look like twins - yet be nothing alike...

One could be perfect.
The other could corrode a pump, stress a river, or fail a compliance limit.

You really wouldn't know by looking - which is why water quality testing is so important.

Today, we're running you through five important water quality parameters that we measure - pH, EC, DO, ORP, and NTU.

Interestingly, only one of these parameters sometimes shows a visible sign of its level. The other four give little to nothing away - until you measure them.

● pH - Acidity and alkalinity

Measures how acidic or alkaline water is, on a scale from 0 to 14. Below 7 is acidic, above 7 is alkaline, 7 is neutral.
Even small shifts can harm aquatic life, corrode pipes and equipment, or throw off chemical dosing.

● EC - Electrical conductivity

Measures how well water conducts electricity, which depends on the dissolved salts and minerals in it.
It's a fast way to track salinity and pollution, and to check whether water is suitable for irrigation or process use.

● DO - Dissolved oxygen

Measures how much oxygen is dissolved in water - the same oxygen aquatic life breathes.
Low DO stresses or kills fish and other organisms, and often signals pollution or poor circulation.

● ORP - Oxidation-reduction potential

Measures water's tendency to oxidise or reduce other substances. In plain terms, how strongly it can clean or break things down.
It's a quick check on disinfection strength in treated water, and on corrosion risk in industrial systems.

● NTU - Turbidity

The only parameter in this list that you can sometimes judge by eye.

Measures how cloudy water is, caused by suspended particles like silt, algae or sediment.
Cloudy water can mean poor filtration, sediment runoff, or unsafe drinking water.

Why testing all of these matters:

● They catch problems you can't see by eye.
● They help confirm treatment and filtration are working.
● They protect rivers, lakes and groundwater.
● They support water that's fit for its purpose.

Some kids ask to borrow the car. Moina Macaskill asked to borrow her dad's pH meter!

Back in the 90s, a Year 8 student did something brilliant.

Whilst most kids her age were busy playing Super Mario - she borrowed a TPS meter and probe from her dad, headed to Ringwood Lake in Melbourne, and measured pH and dissolved oxygen for her school science project.

And she nailed it - Science Award winner!
(We've got the newspaper clipping and we could not be happier about it)

Her name is Moina Macaskill, and she might just be the youngest adopter TPS has ever had.

Fast forward a few decades and she's now General Manager of Daintree Scientific Australia - a company that's been proudly serving Aussie science since 1977.

Her project partner Pauline? Also flying - a BSc, research at Melbourne University and the Burnet Institute, and now an incredible science teacher shaping young minds.

From a school project at a Melbourne lake to leading a national scientific supplier - this is what it's all about.

Moments like this are exactly why we do what we do!

Recently, the TPS team rigorously tested an important new addition to our lab… this massive cake! 🍰

To celebrate Australian Made Week (and another year of proudly carrying the Australian Made stamp), Shannon baked this absolute beauty.

We can confirm that it tasted as good as it looked! 🍰👌

At TPS, Australian manufacturing is something we genuinely care about. From designing and building our products here in Australia, to supporting local suppliers, customers, and industries - it’s a badge we’re proud to wear.

Big thanks to Shannon for the cake, and to the whole team for continuing to help deliver quality Aussie-made products.

Did you know?
Our meters are built, tested, and supported from our HQ in Brisbane! 🦘

➔ TPS water quality meters are built in-house by our experienced team.

➔ Our service team is also based in Brisbane - booking an annual service is a great way to keep your gear in top form!

➔ We're proud to support local jobs, innovation, and water quality monitoring across the country.

Whether you’re out on a mine site, a farm, or in the lab - our meters are built to last, built smart, and built local. 💪🌱

A large chunk of calibration issues are to do with buffers - not from the sensor or the meter itself!

Here are three quick buffer habits that can make your calibrations more consistent:

#𝟭 - 𝗣𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 - 𝗻𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲-𝗱𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴!
Dipping the probe straight into the buffer bottle slowly contaminates the whole bottle.

Better habit:
• Pour a small amount into a separate container
• Calibrate
• Discard it afterwards

Your buffer stays clean and future calibrations stay trustworthy.

#𝟮 - 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
Buffers are certified at 25°C, but their pH shifts slightly with temperature.

For example:
• pH 10.00 buffer at 20°C ≈ 10.06

It's a small change, but it matters when accuracy counts.

#𝟯 - 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲
Let the probe sit in the buffer for 30–60 seconds before accepting the reading.

If the probe and buffer started at different temperatures, the reading can drift slightly before stabilising.

Here’s something we see surprisingly often in the water quality world…

A perfectly good pH sensor, quietly losing performance because of how it’s stored.

● pH sensors are a bit unusual compared to most instruments. They actually need to stay hydrated to keep the glass membrane and reference system working properly.

● If they dry out, or if they’re stored in distilled water, performance can slowly start to drift. Calibration gets harder. Response slows down. Probe life shortens.

The simple fix is pH storage solution!

It keeps the sensor chemistry balanced and hydrated, which helps maintain stable readings avoids cutting its lifespan.

It’s one of those tiny habits that can make a surprisingly big difference over the lifetime of a sensor.

We’ve put together a quick carousel explaining why this matters, and why you should sometimes defy common sense when it comes to caring for your pH sensor between uses.

PS: if your pH sensor has already dried out and needs rehydrating, we recommend soaking it in pH 4 buffer solution for a few hours, then soaking it overnight in pH storage solution to increase the likelihood of rehydration success.

Some sensors can also be stored short-term in pH buffer solution - always check the manufacturer recommendations for your individual sensor for guidance!

Out on a civil or construction job site, taking a simple water reading sounds like a quick tick-box task until...

➜ the sun’s blazing,
➜ the excavator operator wants an update,
➜ the foreman’s calling your name,
➜ and your pH is dancing around like it’s got somewhere better to be 🫠

Anyone who’s spent time wrangling water samples on construction pads, drainage channels, tailings dams or discharge points knows the deal - these environments are tough.

We’ve pulled together a short info sheet that lays out the common testing challenges we see and how our Aussie-made Ranger equipment can help.

If you spend your days chasing reliable pH, EC, DO, TEMP, or ORP data in places that chew through gear faster than a demo crew on a Friday, this one’s for you!

Meet Sarra - our new Accounts & Office Administrator at TPS!

We’re kicking off the year with another brilliant addition to the TPS crew. Please join us in welcoming Sarra, who’s jumped into the Accounts & Office Admin role with big energy and big expertise.

As is tradition around here, we hit Sarra with a quick welcome Q&A so you can get to know her a bit better:

𝟏. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐏𝐒?
It's been very exciting to join a company that prioritises a positive company culture and working alongside exceptionally talented people who take great pride in the products they build.

𝟐. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?
Outside of work, you'll find me enjoying the outdoors with my family, usually playing a round or two of minigolf at weekends!

Have you read the new Gympie Region Water Quality Report Card? 📊💧

The Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee has just released the report card - and TPS is honoured to be one of the key equipment providers supporting this long-term monitoring program.

● Our instruments were used to measure temperature, pH, EC, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity across the region - vital parameters that help scientists, councils, land managers, and communities understand the health of their waterways.

● We’re incredibly proud to play a small part in such an important environmental effort.

● The Gympie region is home to some truly unique ecosystems, and the work of MRCCC and its partners helps ensure they stay healthy for generations to come.

You can view a summary of the findings here:https://mrccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GRC_Summary_2025.pdf