Ph and TDS meter recommendations

[mobudda]

Hey guys just like the title says. I'd like a couple recommendations on a long lasting PH meter. I find TDS meters tend to last, but PH meter die on me I've had the newer Hanna water proof pens, the cheapo old PH meters off ebay. The only one that lasted was the Hanna PH/TDS combination but I'm not really trying to drop 250 bucks on it again after it got confiscated when my friends house was raided.


On one side I'm leaning to another cheap ebay pen just because they are cheap and basically disposable. Also considering a chemical kit at least as a backup.

On the other side I'd love to have something similar to the truncheons but it seems like nobody carries them anymore. I know how to keep them and all I just seem to have bad luck.

Thanks... as a side not any recommendation on an all around awesome high yield strain that kind of has mass appeal as I've been out of the came for about a decade. Thanks

 

[overbudjet]

Try bluelab(truncheon) they are not cheap but last forever
You will find some on EBAY.

 

[robbiedublu]

Just use pH paper. Not the strips, the rolls of paper. Costs about 3 bucks a roll which is enough to test hundreds of times. Works fine for me.

 

[El Toker]

If you go for the cheap gauges, then get at least three, because they don't last long and always pack in at the worst times. Avoid the e-bay sellers from Hong Kong. Last time I bought a truncheon of them they sent it in nothing but the display package, and a small address label.

I've got a pH truncheon at the moment that has lasted longer than any other gauge I've used. Same for the bluelab EC truncheon.

 

[mobudda]

My fear with the original Bluelab PH meter is that they have stopped making them in favor of the larger box style meters with corded probes, which is fine and all but it's new and I'm not able to get a lot of reviews.

I have an old PHEP 5 Hanna PH meter sitting around but the probe is bad and I guess battery is dead. I'm hesitant to replace the probe for 50 bucks or so because if it doesn't work I just wasted 50 bucks.

I wouldn't mind dropping 140 bucks on the old truncheon wand style meter but it's very hard to find only two ebay sellers seem to have it and their descriptions talk about it like it's an EC meter yet the title says PH meter.

The new Bluelab PH meter is about 160 bucks or so and the combo meter which has two seperate probes is about 245. I know they make good stuff but without reviews I'm very hesitant. Probes or long wands (like the old model truncheon) are the way to go though vs these short handheld meters which are harder to get down into the rez.

OHHH the decisions why can't PH meters be simple and reliable like most electronics.

 

[greentrich]

FWIW...I use this meter:

http://www.hannainst.com/usa/prods2.cfm?id=002003&ProdCode=HI%2098129

It's been a reliable meter for me for over a year. If you take care of the PH probe (using the storage and cleaning solutions) it seems to be solid. I even back up the results sometimes with PH strips just to make sure it's on track. Easy to calibrate and maintain. It also has one of the cheapest replacement probes on the market. I bought one just in case and have never had to swap it yet.
You can find it anywhere from 150 to 190 USD.

Hope that helps.
GT.

 

[mobudda]

Welp I have the HI98127 which I believe is nearly the same exact meter but without EC since they use the same replacement probe.

It was an ok meter but first off it's bulky for simple DWC where I'd just want to stick it down into the water through an access hole in the rez. Secondly I don't believe it has a double junction probe which I believe is key to longer life. Thirdly mine at least doesn't have a nifty sponge in the bottom, though that would be easy enough to fix. Still it kind of suggest lower quality workmanship.

I found the old Bluelab for 110 but as I thought it's hard to get these days. The new one is probably just as good quality but that's just a guess and while the odd light read out on the old truncheon works I think I'd prefer a digital readout. So I'm leaning toward the new Bluelab PH for 160 or even the bluelab comgo for 230.

I just hope they are made to the same standards as the old Bluelab PH meter. I watched a youtube video on it and it just seems awesome I guess I could write them and ask if there are any differences. Blue lab replacement probe is 73 bucks vs 45 bucks for the Hannah 98127 and 98129 which you have.

So you do have a good point about the cheap replacement probe and I may wind up just replacing mine and crossing my fingers. Right now it's just a really expensive temp meter that measure the same PH on everything.

Thanks for the help...

Anybody have the new Bluelab PH meter ? They look like this

http://www.getbluelab.com/shop/Bluelab+pH+Meter.html

I fear the probe part seems a little less protected. Also on their site the original is discontinued and it looks like they don't even have replacement probes listed.

I'll email them and ask the differences between the old one and the new one and post back.

 

[Knipple]

I've used Hanna.. still use it for EC/PPMs...

I've settled on the new Oakton PH2: http://www.instrumart.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=25114&gps=1

$60.00.. look around, you can get free shipping...

I've had the older PH1 for about a year...
It has been out of calibration only twice in a year..

At $60.. it cost is about the same or less than a replacement probe for most PH meters.. papers are good too.

Good luck...

 

[the gnome]

I'm alo in te market for something to test my tap water and don't wsnt to drop a C note on one and don't want to use paper ph strips.

loooking on the bay I saw a milwaukee ph 600 digital

anyone use one of these and how does do for ya?
looking at about $23 for it and it comes with the buffer solution.

 

[orangejuice]

i had bad experience with the super cheap ph meters, not milwakee specifically (hopefully someone can chime in on that one for you) but so bad to the point it was near useless and i just threw it away. had good experience with a nutra dip tri-meter (i terribly abused it and it still worked fine) but those are costly, now a days i just use the GH drops and never have ph problems.

 

[the gnome]

Ive seen a few Iwouldn't mind getting but the had the ec and tds features on it and I'm not inot hyro, just doing soil and need to check my water.
i have a really nice PH meter but its just for soil

 

[overbudjet]

Never be cheap with your"s girls always use the best

 

[the gnome]

thats one of the 200+ tamale testers I was looking at!
nice but too much for me right now

btw
I can see how you came across your nick hehe

 

[The King Adrock]

I'm alo in te market for something to test my tap water and don't wsnt to drop a C note on one and don't want to use paper ph strips.

loooking on the bay I saw a milwaukee ph 600 digital

anyone use one of these and how does do for ya?
looking at about $23 for it and it comes with the buffer solution.

I use this and it works GREAT. As a matter of fact, I had one for a year till I dropped it in the water and it broke...Since it did well for me for so cheap I got two so now I have a backup ready....still cheaper then most PH meters. I've tested it against another meter and it is accurate, is very easy to calibrate, and hardly ever needs calibration....

Then this may sound stupid but though my ph meter is cheap I have the pricey Trucheon wand for EC....I was sick of meters where I had to worry about calibration, i've had a few break on me, and also had different ones w/ different conversion factors, and it just gets on my nerves. The Trucheon wand, first off, is a cool ass toy! Secondly it's dead on accurate as long as you keep it clean, works as a stirring wand, waterproof, easy to read and shows ppm, tds, ec all together.I love the wand. If they made a ph meter exactly like it I'd spring for it. Otherwise I'm sticking w/ the cheap yellow ph meter and the pricey Trcheon. EC wand.....

 

[Duckmang]

I've had the hannah pH / ppm combo meter for about a year now and it has been a great investment. I got it for around 175$ from the local hydro store with a sale coupon. It was really spendy for me at the time but I don't regret it for 1 second. When you break it down it was less than 100$ per meter being that it is a 2 in 1. I shopped around for quite a bit but realized that the really cheap meters were just false economy.

 

[overbudjet]

I've had the hannah pH / ppm combo meter for about a year now and it has been a great investment. I got it for around 175$ from the local hydro store with a sale coupon. It was really spendy for me at the time but I don't regret it for 1 second. When you break it down it was less than 100$ per meter being that it is a 2 in 1. I shopped around for quite a bit but realized that the really cheap meters were just false economy.

Right on !

 

[CrumpleZone]

I've had a Hanna Tri-meter for three years. So far it's worked flawlessly. My original cost was about usd 120, and replacement probes are 40 I've been very happy with my Hanna, and I'm not going to throw my Hanna away and replace it with a disposable when it dies, I'll just replace the probe. The Hanna meters rock.

 

[mobudda]

I haven't found TDS meter need to be re calibrated often if ever. However I'm leaning toward the new bluelab combo unit just so I can do everything with one meter.

The Hanna tri meter is a great deal and the replacement probes for 45 bucks are unbeatable. Amazon also gives it good reviews, but I kind of just dislike the short stuby pocket meters. They are too prone to drop them into my rez and then having to take the lid off to retrieve them, though certainly I could adapt.

It is a tool I'll be using everyday or every other day at least.

For that matter the 4 in 1 Hanna is convenient because it has just one probe, but then when the PH fails it's more than twice as expensive to replace.

I got my old TDS meter working though I'm not yet sure how accurate it is. I don't feel like buying calibration solution for that also so I'll just go with a rough estimate based on my water PPM which seems correct and the nutrient concentrations. That should be accurate enough as TDS doesn't have to be spot on in fact it's not as if you ever know the exact TDS to give your plants. Temp compensation might be nice but I'm not sure it would make that much difference unless rez temps vary much and they shouldn't with a chiller.

My Hanna Phep4 probably just needs a new probe so I guess I'll try that while I save up for a nice combo unit or maybe just a better TDS meter. When I pulled them out of storage neither worked, but turned out to be just bad batteries in the TDS and a dislodged battery in the PH. PH probe is still no good though.

Maybe if that doesn't work I can buy a tri meter and just use the replace probe as a backup probe. But... the Bluelab is just so darn pretty....

Thanks for all the input guys I wasn't too happy with my Hanna meter but probably just my fault not maintaining it well enough now I see that it turns on and read temps I guess it's viable repair and cheapo TDS meter should be good enough at least for a couple grows. Hell... I don't really even need a TDS meter for that matter just measure the nutes close enough and be a little conservative and that's worked in the past... it just sucks a little to not be able to see the exact progress of your PPM and how fast the nut uptake is and such. My tap water is very stable at 150 ppm, pretty decent just a bit alkaline like most water.

PH, by far, is the important measurement.

 

[desert fox]

I'm alo in te market for something to test my tap water and don't wsnt to drop a C note on one and don't want to use paper ph strips.

loooking on the bay I saw a milwaukee ph 600 digital

anyone use one of these and how does do for ya?
looking at about $23 for it and it comes with the buffer solution.

Had a bad one of these...would not stay calibrated. I returned it for a hanna. Hanna is a little slow to respond but is working rock solid so far.

 

[ShroomDr]

This Hanna 98129 is a pH, ec (and TDS) & temp
$140 on amazon.c0m
I believe this is the most common hand held combo meter.

I have bought 2 in 4 years, and wont not hesitate to buy a third. The pH probe is replaceable, and ive probably bought 3 replacement pH probes ($50)(I broke one probe with an over aggressive qtip cleaning). The ec/Tds side is not replaceable, hence my second purchase.


They say to (baby it,) rinse it completely, store it in special solution, dont let the tip become dry; I ignore all of these things. Sometimes i forget and leave it floating in my res, sometimes i let it dry out. The only hanna solutions i have are the 3 calibration fluids (4.0pH 7.0pH 1382ec[i think on that last one]). Ive dropped it at least 2X from about 5' (onto carpet), I think it takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

(PS DONT USE TDS/PPM use the ec function. Ec is universal, tds/ppm requires a (superfluous) conversion.)