I need a PH pen,.......

[reckon]

I see LOTS of choices,..and a WIDE range of prices,...

I want to stick the thing in a bucket of water and get an ACCURATE reading,.......

if I have to calibrate it once in a while, no big deal

which one do you all recommend?

as usual the advice given here always gets me pointed in the right direction.

 

[Voodoo]

I see LOTS of choices,..and a WIDE range of prices,...

I want to stick the thing in a bucket of water and get an ACCURATE reading,.......

if I have to calibrate it once in a while, no big deal

which one do you all recommend?

as usual the advice given here always gets me pointed in the right direction.

Reckon, can I amend your question and add: looking for a good PH/PPM pen, something midrange, I don't need crazy professional... What do you guys have?

 

[reckon]

sure hop in,...so far just questions,....

I'm using a liquid test kit right now, and it works, but I'd like something more convenient like the pens, and then I saw the price range from $5 to $250 and thought it best to ask and see what others like,.......

some PH pen guru will chime in here soon enough

 

[phatboyfromla]

I got a Milwaukee digital for like $25 I think. Works well and accurate. Only thing is you gotta calibrate it with a 7ph solution. Best to do that before each use really. You have to stick it in the solution and bring the meter to 7.0 using a small screw.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Just know that pH pens are toys at best and a complete crapshoot as to whether they work at all.

Milwaukee sucks the least, followed by Oakton with Hanna scraping up the rear.

 

[dongle69]

Ph pens aren't toys by any means.
Bad mentor, bad.

 

[reckon]

Just know that pH pens are toys at best and a complete crapshoot as to whether they work at all.

Milwaukee sucks the least, followed by Oakton with Hanna scraping up the rear.

TOYS?

ok so then what do you suggest to check the PH of my water before watering?

besides the liquid test kit I already have

 

[stink.whistler]

Many of the pH meters sold for hobby use do indeed suck, regardless of brand. Don't just buy the cheapest one you can find. I prefer a meter w/ detachable probe rather than a 'pen' type instrument, but you are looking at a couple hundred bucks - however it should be a lifetime investment.

And calibrate that bad boy! Not once in a while, regularly. Store it properly as well.

 

[FreezerBoy]

TOYS?

No, toys (lower case) and cheap ass toys at that. These are not delicate pieces of laboratory equipment. They're convenient for testing multiple sources one after the other. For single tub grows, pens are just extra work.

For accuracy, I stick to drops. They kept my marine tanks going for years, a far more sensitive pH environment than weed. When the solution is DARK yellow (well below 6), I use strips and add 0.5 to the reading because my strips always read 0.5 less than the drops and I trust the drops above all.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Bad mentor, bad.

Should I be looking for the peanut butter and my rubber duckie?

Toys, I say. Doesn't mean you can't use them. The BioniCam is another cheap ass toy that, for $30-$40, works well enough... if you know what you're doing.

pH devices aren't that far off stereo prices. A $200 stereo beats a $20 stereo but, is hardly audiophile quality.

 

[stink.whistler]

...

pH devices aren't that far off stereo prices. A $200 stereo beats a $20 stereo but, is hardly audiophile quality.

Agreed, just like a stereo there is a huge jump in quality between the $20 and $200 price points, and as FB alluded to earlier, growing dope doesn't require 'audiophile quality' pH readings, don't run out and buy a $2000 meter.

The colorimetric pH tests FB mentioned are used by quite a few folks with good success, not a bad choice at all for those who are not colorblind (make sure you aren't before relying on them). Also, if you go this route, be sure to purchase a kit that tests in the relevant range for pot.

As for a specific recommendation, my own meter is no longer manufactured so I'm not basing my recommendation on specific experience with the following meters, but rather feature sets, brand reputation, and pricing.

• The Milwaukee SM102 would be OK, you could buy it +calibration solution +electrode storage solution +case for ~200 bucks.
• The Hanna HI 83141 is a bit more expensive, but comes as a complete package, and is probably the one I would buy if I were shopping for a pH meter today. (You might prefer the 8314, the temp sensor is inside the probe instead of separate, it would be a bit less clunky for you to use)

 

[reckon]

ok I get it,....

thanks everyone for the replies,..I see I should either spend some coin on a QUALITY ph "meter" (guess "pen" was a poor choice of words), or just keep using the drops..........and yes, I have been growing since 1975 and I don't plan on stopping (ever), so a $100-$200 investment isn't really THAT much when you consider I use it ALL the time.

I'll stick to the drops for now till I save enough for a decent tool

I used to work as a color matcher at a custom paint shop, so I'm not color blind, I just really thought the drops weren't that accurate, I see that's not correct either.

thanks again everyone, I really appreciate the input.

 

[Legaldroman]

Try the Blue lab, I've found they work really great.

 

[FlyingHigh]

Hannah 98129, best investment i've made.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Try the Blue lab, I've found they work really great.

Are we talking Bluelab pH Truncheon? The EC Truncheon is considered top rate, the reviews I've read haven't been kind about the pH version.