hanna ph meters

[UberPooner]

Hi, I was looking for a decent digital ph meter. My local hydroponics store had this one in stock

http://www.eseasongear.com/hannahi98129.html

Has anyone used this or have heard anything on this product?

 

[FreezerBoy]

I did serious homework on pH pens and decided that the $3 drop kit from the aquarium store was a superior choice. Pens are a complete crapshoot at best. Milwaukee sucks least followed by Oakton with Hanna bringing up the rear.

If you're growing numbers with multiple res's to check, they make some sense but, for a small grower with a single bucket, they're 5 times the work and no more accurate.

 

[BobbleheadJed]

Test kits are cheap and accurate. They'd drive me crazy though, so I need a pen. (3-4 different nute mixes per watering AND measuring run-off of each pot is no good with test kits.) But if you only do one 5 gallon bucket once or twice a week, Freezerboy is right on, the test kit is probably the way to go. And then just get an EC meter instead of the combo with ph.

I can't say a thing about that pen, but I have good shopping experiences with that store.

Now, anyone with experience with that pen?

 

[cyberwax]

i've had two of both ph and ec hanna pens. They all still work and i use them all to be sure of my readings. The newest ph pen however drifts somewhat and i frequently need to recalibrate it. But all in all they are cheap and durable and compared to those ph kits they are a dream

Just make sure its calibrated at all times! You'll quickly see the pattern of the calibration drift, dont worry.

 

[Bodhita]

Hanna is great... I have had that pen once, it's good. Just make sure you calibrate it once a week or so...

 

[mpd]

I must be the other side. Hannas have been a disappointment for me, while Fluke has been a better choice. Get an extra probe if you can because they can go kafluey in a heartbeat.

Pease out.

 

[rafe]

Hanna meters

Hanna meters

I had two of those pens and I got maybe 6 weeks out of them. Very disappointed.

 

[FreezerBoy]

while Fluke has been a better choice

"If it works, it's a Fluke!"

I didn't know Fluke played with pH. I'll have to check it out. Fluke is great gear.

 

[ogatec]

for me, ph meters are good for about a year, then its time to replace!

 

[Marick23]

I have the hannah PH & EC meters. I bought the drops just to double check as long as you store it in solution and turn it on 5 minutes before you take your res ph. I calibrate it when I replace the nutes. It needs it. IMO if your wanting to micro manage or keeps detailed logs the drops are the way to go. But if your just wanting to make sure you aren't frying plants the hannah is the way to go. Though the drops seem like more work, once you factor in caibrating they are about the same. Just my opinion based on very limited experience. (flowering my first crop)

 

[UberPooner]

Thanks for the responses guys, I ended up getting the hannah ph only meter. Its perfect for what I wanted. Though I did get the non waterproof one. Its kinda scarry putting it in my bucket because if you drop it your f'd, I take scoops of water out now and dip the meter in there.

So you guys really suggest I should callibrate it every week, damn wish i picked up some calibrating solution.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Is it a two-point calibration meter? If so, you may want to consider the following:

7.01 pH solution
4.01 pH solution
probe cleaner solution
probe storage solution

Suppliers sell this stuff in foil packs. These solutions are easy to contaminate so you might want several of each. They're also sold in small plastic bottles (4 oz or 8 oz?) Bottles are a little cheaper in the long run. Storage and cleaner solutions aren't as necessary as the 7.01/4.01 but they help you get faster readings IMO.

I put these solutions in small plastic bottles. If one of them gets contaminated, I trash it and grab a fresh bottle. Old bottles are cleaned and reused.

 

[Marick23]

Is it a two-point calibration meter? If so, you may want to consider the following:

7.01 pH solution
4.01 pH solution
probe cleaner solution
probe storage solution

Suppliers sell this stuff in foil packs. These solutions are easy to contaminate so you might want several of each. They're also sold in small plastic bottles (4 oz or 8 oz?) Bottles are a little cheaper in the long run. Storage and cleaner solutions aren't as necessary as the 7.01/4.01 but they help you get faster readings IMO.

I put these solutions in small plastic bottles. If one of them gets contaminated, I trash it and grab a fresh bottle. Old bottles are cleaned and reused.

Aye I use the 4.o1 and the 7.o1 I don't have the storage solution. I take both solution put them in little plastic bottles put a cap on them when I turn the meter on I let it sit 10 minutes. (I store it in the 4.01 solution)

 

[FreezerBoy]

So you guys really suggest I should callibrate it every week,

Absolutely! That's why strips and drops are preferable in single bucket grows; No calibrating or testing. With multi buckets, pens start to make sense and save time. The bigger the garden, the more time you save. But, only if you're calibrated.