What pH meter should I buy?

Not sure what I should get. I suppose I want simple and reliable without breaking the bank.

I was looking at the HI98103 pH Checker 1.



I looked at the instruction "manual" (two page PDF doc from Hanna's site) and they mention it should be calibrated with 7.0 and 4.0 solutions. They also mention the probe tip should be soaked in a special solution for when stored after use. Are those things really necessary?

If not the Hanna, what do you suggest? What do you use?

The buffers and calibration is essential, as is storing the tip correctly.

... but the whole thing is a nightmare, so, I use 50p bottles of dye Ph test kits not meters as meters always end up going out of spec and lying to you. Every person I know who has had them has killed several and screwed crops up by giving incorrect readings. Nutriculture do a narrow band kit that allows much finer readings than the GHE kit.

Hanna are a good make, but the cheaper ones do not have such good temperature correction, so you have to wait around longer for a correct reading ... if it is indeed correct. By longer, I mean 1 minute, by which time you could have done several dye readings.

Hawk said:

Not sure what I should get. I suppose I want simple and reliable without breaking the bank.

I was looking at the HI98103 pH Checker 1.

I looked at the instruction "manual" (two page PDF doc from Hanna's site) and they mention it should be calibrated with 7.0 and 4.0 solutions. They also mention the probe tip should be soaked in a special solution for when stored after use. Are those things really necessary?

If not the Hanna, what do you suggest? What do you use?

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that was my 1st ph meter and its crap. lasted about a month and I dont think it ever had the correct reading.

I tried Oakton testr next. it was ok and still works but is now kept as a backup.

I have been using the bluelab truncheon ph the last 3 months or so and love it. well worth the money.

regards,
JT

i use the oakton tester and have found that if i keep the pen in a shot glass of water when im not using it and change the water every few days my meeter stays calibrated very well...the oakton you can also buy replacement diodes...it is my pen of choice and runs about 60 bucks...peace

OAKTON PH AND OAKTON PPM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats the best way to go!!!!!!! And listen to upgradeshafted! knows what he is talking about when it comes to storage!

yeah, that meter pictured is crap. Right now I'm using die because my waterproof hannah took a shit, probably the probe, and I'm going to give paper test strips a try.

I ended up just buying a little droplet kit.

Is testing the runoff the best way to test? I did some practice tests by putting a little soil in a cup, watering with my distilled water, and then testing the runoff. Am I doing that right?

My soil PH seemed to come out to about 6.0. The kit came with PH up and PH down solutions. I added one drop of PH up to an 8.5oz cup of my water and tested the runoff again. It seemed to go up to about 7.0.

Am I using the PH up correctly? What is the ideal organic soil PH for seadlings under CFL's?

thanks

droplet water test kit!!! I personally have bought TWO (2) GrowCheck PH meters (the red one that costs about $110)...they both died. the water droplet test kit has never failed....it will not tell you an exact amount like 5.8 or 6.5, but if you follow the directions and get used to the shade of the test samples and how your plants are doing, you will become accustomed and comfortable not having a digital ph meter.

other people may have had better luck with digital ph meters so by all means don't just listen to me.

oh....you are doing soil..........

i would test and adjust the water before i pour it into the pot. (the pot that holds the plant, of course).

jennee said:

droplet water test kit!!! I personally have bought TWO (2) GrowCheck PH meters (the red one that costs about $110)...they both died. the water droplet test kit has never failed....it will not tell you an exact amount like 5.8 or 6.5, but if you follow the directions and get used to the shade of the test samples and how your plants are doing, you will become accustomed and comfortable not having a digital ph meter.

other people may have had better luck with digital ph meters so by all means don't just listen to me.

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It is a certified fact that if you piled up all the dead Ph meters on the planet they would stretch past Jupiter.

The only luck you can have with a Ph meter is when it dies, at least that way it cannot screw up your plants by lying to you.

The GHE dye kits are [something like...] Ph 4-10 but Nutriculture/Growth Technology do a 5.8-7.8 that allows 0.1 or 0.2 accuracy

get a truncheon ph, they are the best, very accurate, easy to clean and everything!

ChaosCatalunya said:

It is a certified fact that if you piled up all the dead Ph meters on the planet they would stretch past Jupiter.

The only luck you can have with a Ph meter is when it dies, at least that way it cannot screw up your plants by lying to you.

The GHE dye kits are [something like...] Ph 4-10 but Nutriculture/Growth Technology do a 5.8-7.8 that allows 0.1 or 0.2 accuracy

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Agreed. I tried the expensive ph meters(and I am good with lab equipment), and they died on me. I have since gone to the dye kits, and I am having great success.

I have had meters that went bad screw up my crops too. The worst time was when I was using all of the proper stuff to go with it. I bought the calibration solutions the cleaning solutions and even a bottle of storage solution. I told myself I was gonna treat this thing better than a baby after ruining about 3 previous crops because I was ph'ing wrong when the meter took a dump and I didn't know.

This time I was using one of the best ones IMO, the Nutradip Tri-Meter, and it too went bad on me. And what was jacked up is I had learned to check my meter before thinking it was the plants like before. I cleaned and calibrated the thing with the solutions and it calibrated without a problem, so I never suspected the probe to be bad. Previous probes would not calibrate and that's how I knew they were bad. So, after running through every possibility and going crazy again trying to find the problem with my crop, I finally did a ph dye test against the probe reading. It was way off. I thought I was ph'ing at 6.5 on the meter and the dye kit came in at 5.0. I was like what the fuck........... I couldn't believe my luck after babying the latest one and how it calibrated just fine. The dye never lies!!!!!!!!! So, chalk up another jacked crop.

So, here is what you do or at least what I learned to do. I still like the ease and quickness of a meter. So, I use a meter while mixing and after I check the meters accuracy with the ph dye kit. That way I know for sure I got the ph right and I don't have to do 10 dye reading per mix, just one. And, don't get lazy. Always take a dye reading after because the probes will dump on you when you least expect it.

I have used a lot of them. They are like playing russian roulette. I have had one brand work great and then when I bought another one it was bad straight from the store. That has happened several times with different brands. Before I leave with my new probe I have the store hook one up and check it in 4 and 7 solution and then some tap water. When they come out correct I take it. I have had them take bad ones out right in front of me that wouldn't read right. I told them that's why I have you check it for me. Been there done that too many times with my probes and when taking friends to get theirs.

I use the Tri-Meter which I believe to be the best. The milwaukee pens are good too, a lot cheaper. The key is to know that you have a good one off the bat so you have to visit the store or just cross your fingers if you mail order. And, always store the probe in storage solution, always!!!!!!!!!!!

imho the hanna checkers RULE!!!!

i'm on my second one , my first lasted over 3 yrs till the probe went out
you guys can spend all the $$$ you want to get a nice PH meter and in
the end i'll be using my hanna checker and growing smoke thats every bit
as good as anybody elses .....maybe better

and if my PH meter breaks or quits working it dosent cost me an arm & a leg to get a new one.....fucking priceless imho

so there

hanna checker $29.95 usd
http://sunstoneherbals.com/testers_ph_tds_etc.htm
always get the ph 4 & 7 solutions and storage solution too

apollo 11






mj

imho the hanna checkers RULE!!!!

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Yeah man...my piece of crap Checker lasted a year and a half. It cost me like $20. When it finally died I did upgrade to an Oakton, about $65, and has worked great. I like the buttons on the Oakton and it holds calibration very well. I tried a Hanna pen but the buttons plain and simply sucked.

I wonder why some people have such bad luck, and some such good luck with the meters? My first thought would be bad technique/care/calibration/etc, but I've seen a few people use them who had excellent lab skills(myself included).

Daemon said:

I wonder why some people have such bad luck, and some such good luck with the meters? My first thought would be bad technique/care/calibration/etc, but I've seen a few people use them who had excellent lab skills(myself included).

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good question

i've seen negative & positive reports on just about every meter available.
go figure lol

i dont think i've seen any neg's about the bluelab other than the price tho

i'd love to have a nice expensive meter but with the good luck i've had with the checker , i just cant see parting with 4-6 times as much $$$


also i have a HMDigital TDS-3 tds meter , it was like $20.00 with a 3 yr warrenty. i've had it for over a year now and every time i calibrate it , it's within 4-5 ppms of the cal solution


mj

why not just go with the small ph test kit for like 5 pounds the small bottle the 3 drops and the little vial and colur chart cant go wrong

our kid said:

why not just go with the small ph test kit for like 5 pounds the small bottle the 3 drops and the little vial and colur chart cant go wrong

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i've used them and they actually do ok

but........many nutes have a color to them, and that will alter the resulting test color more or less , depending on the nutes you use



mj

anyone use test strip's by chance since i see alot of test meters going bad?
if so what are the best type to check the ph lvl's?