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Ph Pen suggestions needed
- Thread starter Danks2005
- Start date
I have Blue lab combo meter. I have never had any issues that you describe. The unit is extremely accurate the best unit I have ever owed..IMO these are lab grade PH meters. I bet if you exchanged it your issues would disappear. ..these units use BNC connectors you can buy probes that cost very little or probes that cost 200$. The cap on the probe is adjustable you can make it as lose or as tight as you would like. Make sure your cal solution is good. make sure you let it stabilize for 2 min in ea cal solution. If you want the best value for your buck and accurately-calibrated pH meters, buy the little one-time-use foil packs. Buy only what you will use in a year or so, and don't accept any that will be more than 2 years old for the 4.0 and 7.0, at the time when you will get around to using them.
The pH 7.0 standard is somewhat more susceptible to absorbing CO2 from the surrounding air.
Seems that ph pens failing hasn't changed.
In the past I used an Oakton and never had a problem so I bought one for this go round. Keeping 2 pens and paper is what I did in the past and will do again.
Calibrate them at least once a week, keep em' moist when storing and make sure one of them is waterproof and you should be good. If you can't do 2 meters do 1 meter with the paper. Use the paper to back up the meters once in awhile. I would also take readings with both pens after calibrating now and then just to make sure they are on the same page.
Enjoy the Holidays
In the past I used an Oakton and never had a problem so I bought one for this go round. Keeping 2 pens and paper is what I did in the past and will do again.
Calibrate them at least once a week, keep em' moist when storing and make sure one of them is waterproof and you should be good. If you can't do 2 meters do 1 meter with the paper. Use the paper to back up the meters once in awhile. I would also take readings with both pens after calibrating now and then just to make sure they are on the same page.
Enjoy the Holidays
Used the pH drops from GH for years... also pH pens.
With a little practice, the drops are more than accurate enough. Helps to have a pen to dial in your pH colors but not absolutely necessary.
Stay Safe!
With a little practice, the drops are more than accurate enough. Helps to have a pen to dial in your pH colors but not absolutely necessary.
Stay Safe!
As this thread proves, pH pens and meters are basically toys and a crapshoot at best. Ya' pays yer' money and ya' takes yer' chances. Sucks but, it's just the cost of doing business.
While they can (when they work) make readings easier, they are in no way necessary. A $5 test drop kit will do you just fine. They kept my marine aquarium going for years. An environment hundreds of times more sensitive than weed. If drops or strips are "too much work" get a pen but, know it's a toy that can crap out at any second.
While they can (when they work) make readings easier, they are in no way necessary. A $5 test drop kit will do you just fine. They kept my marine aquarium going for years. An environment hundreds of times more sensitive than weed. If drops or strips are "too much work" get a pen but, know it's a toy that can crap out at any second.
Oakton PH2 -
Oakton PH2 -
I started using these.. $58.00.. they last a couple years and Throw them away and buy another.. cheaper than most replacement probes.
http://www.amazon.com/Oakton-35423-10-pH-Tester-EcoTestr/dp/B004G8PWAU
and if, like has been said above, if you can to get a nutrient strength that produces the ph you desire, you shouldnt need one too often, as long as you do not increase the PPMs, which would lower the ph.. except for silica... if environment is good, 600-800ppms is all that is needed to maintain a desireable ph.
Oakton PH2 -
I started using these.. $58.00.. they last a couple years and Throw them away and buy another.. cheaper than most replacement probes.
http://www.amazon.com/Oakton-35423-10-pH-Tester-EcoTestr/dp/B004G8PWAU
and if, like has been said above, if you can to get a nutrient strength that produces the ph you desire, you shouldnt need one too often, as long as you do not increase the PPMs, which would lower the ph.. except for silica... if environment is good, 600-800ppms is all that is needed to maintain a desireable ph.
My blue lab is not a toy... IMO PH is a must know in hydro... I dont grow hydro I use organics but I still use my blue lab to measue the PH/EC.. Not knowing how hot my mix is bothers me. I have seen more PH problems then I can count here.
pH is a must know but, pens and meters are in no way required. Far be it from me to get between a boy and his new toy at Christmas but, a toy is what it is and this thread is the proof.
I will agree to disagree. My blue lab is not new have had it for awhile now.. This thread proves nothing to me.. I will continue to use my lab quality meter..I also had a reef tank and used PH,salinity,calcium,alk probes. I had thousands of dollars invested in that tank. For me to risk the ecosystem on drops or paper was not an option.. I used this controller with lab grade probes.. These also work very well for hydro setups
http://www.saltycritter.com/aquarium-controller/neptune/apex-aquacontroller-combo.htm
http://www.saltycritter.com/aquarium-controller/neptune/apex-aquacontroller-combo.htm
S
sweetypie
i use those cheap ass checker pens and keep at least three on hand, one new in the box. if one is off real bad its not hard to tell.
And these forums are full of posts declaring the bluelab to be useless. Heck, we got owners saying it right here.
The amount spent on a pen/meter should be determined in the same way as a loan to a friend. Never put out more cash than you're willing to throw in the trash and don't be surprised if the pen/meter follows shortly thereafter.
you can find any product thats has returns come on dude that means nothing.. If you look you will find negative ratings on every product made lol. That guy did not even know how to adjust the cap so I dont hold any validity to that complaint.. You dont have to use one FB. Like I said I dont agree with your assumption's..
My Bluelab Guardian is probably the best single hydro equipment purchase Ive ever made. The max variation between ph calibrations has been only about .1ph from test solutions. Ive never calibrated ppm because it's always dead on, same with temp. It's not a cheap piece of gear but worth it if you plan to stick with a hydro method.
Agree... 100%
Agree.... 100%
You don't have to do that.
Agreed... although my opinion is only based on what was available in the past. Cheap pens are fine that’s what I used and yes...no pen is fine, when you're a newb.
If you use paper or drops you can easily keep things in the ph range you're looking for. The only thing you miss out on are the conveniences of a pen. The problem with drops and paper comes as you hone your growing skills.
A newb doesn't know an N deficiency from MG problem while a more experieced grower does. I use to battle MG problems now and then. When I was a newb I adjusted the ph if needed or changed the res if ph was fine. When more seasoned...
I raised the ph to about 6.3 from my normal 5.8 range. I had learned that the plant sucked up the mg better with a higher ph. A ph pen is a must to do this since paper or drops are not that accurate.
You're both right.
MPL
Member
This thread really isn't proof of anything.
I do think that you get what you pay for. You pay $30 for a meter and you are going to get a $30 meter. Pay $500 for one and you get a $500 meter.
My last Oakton lasted me a few years before it got destroyed in a fire. My BlueLab has been fine since I picked it up when they came out. It even dried out for a week because I forgot to put the cap on all the way and it still works fine. I use it about every other day and I have to calibrate it every 2 or 3 weeks.
The time savings in drops vs my meter is enough to convince me that the meter is worth the money, even if you gotta replace it 2 or 3 times a year.
Meters are tools, not toys, though there are definite differences in quality. Saying that meters are toys and that drops are more than enough is like saying that air tools aren't necessary and that hand tools are plenty. Too broad and general huh?
I do think that you get what you pay for. You pay $30 for a meter and you are going to get a $30 meter. Pay $500 for one and you get a $500 meter.
My last Oakton lasted me a few years before it got destroyed in a fire. My BlueLab has been fine since I picked it up when they came out. It even dried out for a week because I forgot to put the cap on all the way and it still works fine. I use it about every other day and I have to calibrate it every 2 or 3 weeks.
The time savings in drops vs my meter is enough to convince me that the meter is worth the money, even if you gotta replace it 2 or 3 times a year.
Meters are tools, not toys, though there are definite differences in quality. Saying that meters are toys and that drops are more than enough is like saying that air tools aren't necessary and that hand tools are plenty. Too broad and general huh?
D
dramamine
I'm digging the new bluelab ph pen so far. But also, it's guaranteed for a year...so there's that, too.
S
shuswap
i stated at the start of this thread that i disliked the bluelab i have had and i returned it,well the other day my ppm pen went for a shit so i went down to a hydro store where i have gotten toknow the guys quite well,they toldme that bluelab had nothing but problems with there first few lines of pens,they ended up sellingmea ppm dipstick with a 5 year warranty for 125 bucks,nothing wrong with that at all
stagehand099
Member
The $13.00 Chinese knockoff of the cheapo yellow Milwaukee pH600 pen on Ebay is actually quite accurate if kept in storage sol. and calibrated every 2-3 weeks. I have a $130 Hanna as a reference for testing accuracy. I buy them 2 at a time for $30.00, mark the date of beginning use on them with a sharpie and they rarely drift more than .1 between calibrations. I throw each away at 6 months use (or before, if the pen goes crazy) and get out a new one. Strip the batteries out of the old ones and you never need to buy bats.
The key to any digital pen-type meter is taking care of it, and keeping the probe clean and conditioned. I don't agree with storing in ph 7.01 solution, though. Hanna Storage Solution is all I use. Its around pH 4.0. Also, use the one-use sachets of cal solution and you will never have contaminated solution. 45 cents per calibration.
stagehand
The key to any digital pen-type meter is taking care of it, and keeping the probe clean and conditioned. I don't agree with storing in ph 7.01 solution, though. Hanna Storage Solution is all I use. Its around pH 4.0. Also, use the one-use sachets of cal solution and you will never have contaminated solution. 45 cents per calibration.
stagehand
I think litmus paper or drops is the most foolproof solution. I went from using paper with healthy results, but wanted to try out a pen so I bought the Milwaukee Ph 600. It worked well for about a year. Then just recently the lcd screen was giving errors, so I changed batteries and it still didnt work. But I was worried about its accuracy and now that I'm using litmus papers again, I find that I'm needing less ph down according to the papers. My growth seems healthier than the last few grows so who knows. Maybe I was adding too much ph down with the pen. With papers, it might be hard to distinguish colors, but it doesn't have to be perfect and its reliable.
