Which PH tester?

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nomoreschwag

Member

• Jul 13, 2006

• #1

I'm tired of my crappy $5 ph tester. I'm ready for an upgrade, but I don't know which one I should get. I'm an organic soil(less) grower, and basically just need to check the ph of my nute mixes as well as soil ph. I've been looking at the different Hanna ph testers, but there are alot of different models with a pretty wide price range. Is their basic $30 digital tester all I would need, or should I be looking at one of the more expensive models? What should I be looking for???

 

Verite

My little pony.. my little pony

Veteran

• Jul 13, 2006

• #2

The checker1 model is infinately better than any $5 bimetal probe or litmus paper. Is getting an expensive hanna model infinately better than the checker1? No probably not. Most decent ph checkers are based on a sensor that has an avg accurate shelf life [when properly handled and stored] of somewhere around 3-5 years, beyond that they begin to deteriorate and their accuracy suffers.

I have heard that general use of the checker1 was ok but they seem a bit sensitive to dropping probably due to housing the battery in it. If I was replacing my hanna I would probably pick up a couple checker1's just to have a spare. I have replaced the probe tip on my hanna meter once and it probably cost about the same as the checker1 did.

 

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nomoreschwag

Member

• Jul 18, 2006

• #3

Thanks! The Checker1 is the one I had been looking at. I'll be ordering one of those next payday.

PS - Love the avatar/sig! LMFAO

 

sproutco

Active member

Veteran

• Jul 18, 2006

• #4

You should be looking at whether it can be stored dry or in some sort of solution (that seems like a pain), being able to be callibrated to a known ph standard solution and is that included, temperature in the air automatically adjusted for, waterproof, and replaceble tip (meter is not disposable) Also, accuracy to .1 ph point +- is good.

 

N

Nugs of Science

Member

• Jul 18, 2006

• #5

Sounds like my Milwaukee SM 802 pH/EC/TDS meter. It's pricer but it rocks!
NoS

 

mtnjohn

Active member

Veteran

• Jul 19, 2006

• #6

i got the checker by hanna and that thing is sweet , i paid 20$ and have had it for 2 years...no problems
it did not come with calibration solutions and the electrode must be kept in storage sol. for best results and lifespan.

its a two point calibration 4-7 or 7-10
ive heard a lot of bad stuff about the checker but mine has been very , very good to me also beseball been very very good to me

 

JLP

Active member

Veteran

• Jul 19, 2006

• #7

You guys will probably think I'm crazy but this is the best PH tester I've found for my ebb-flow.No calibration and no batteries.



JLP

 

G

Guest

• Jul 19, 2006

• #8

Another vote for the crazy 3 drop method.

 

RuralRoute420

Active member

• Jul 19, 2006

• #9

^

^

i was with you guys with the dripper till after about a year or 2 of it. got a nice extech ph pen, come to find out i've been running a lower ph than originally thought. wonder if this is where my problem lied...thought it was at 5.5, when in reality it was more like 4.6. just be careful. thought i could read it under cool cfl's, but apparently not. outside light is the best.

there is a difference though between using it occasionally for soil, as to all the time with hydro.

 

Last edited: Jul 19, 2006

minds_I

Active member

Veteran

• Jul 19, 2006

• #10

Yeah, I use these:

http://www.ph-ion.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=205

They work great- no calibrating- no changing batteries and probes. Works in dark murky fer solutions-two color offset to dial in the pH to 0.25 points.

I spend 18 bux and get 240 tests. How much is your pen costing per test? How accurate is it?

Not saying mines better- but it is what I prefer. Also, you have the test strip to compare with other samples.

minds_I

 

pineappaloupe

Active member

• Apr 4, 2007

• #11

Minds_I, I have used many ph test strips, and those look like the best by far. The 2 color tab is a great innovation. I just ordered some. Thanks for the info. I saved some money towards my RO system.

peace

 

Hundredproof

Member

• Apr 5, 2007

• #12

i use the oakton ph2 testr which boasts has an accuracy of .1> while the hannas ive been searching (just dropped and ruined my electrode and i could get two hannas for the price of a replacement electrode alone) have an accuracy of .2> dont know about the checkers but im sure their similar to the hannas.

not sure how much it matters but id prefer a .1 degree swing in either direction as opposed to .2, which means a range of .4, almost half a point. one full point change in ph equals a tenfold increase or decrease in acidity or alkilinty.

(been eyeing some oaktons that claim .01> accuracy and .01> resolution but doubt its worth it for me)

 

G

Guest

• Apr 5, 2007

• #13

Milwaukee sm802

2 years running now, I calibrate it once a month (rarely fluctuates), replaced the probe once in 2 years. Buy the storage solution to keep the probe in and it will last you a long time. Don't go cheap on a meter!

 

G

Guest

• Apr 5, 2007

• #14

The sm802 gets my vote as well. I've had nothing but good things to say about mine. The only thing it doesn't do that I would like is automatic temperature correction. That gets really pricey, though.

Really, anything is going to be better than the three drop method. That's what I used to use, and while I do have to calibrate the sm802 periodically, the time I save in shaking that little vial more than makes up for it, particularly since these days I'm PHing and TDSing my tomatoes, my mother, my cloner, and my flowering reservoir every day. Four tests go a lot quicker with the meter than with the drops.

Litmus paper might be a good option, though, so long as it's pretty precise. I like to keep my plants right at 5.8 (well, 6.0 to 6.5 for the tomatoes), and that kind of precision doesn't seem to be available with test paper. They do seem to be really easy to use, though.

Get something that registers tenths in PH and measures TDS. Your plants will thank you every day, and you'll see higher yields as a result.

 

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BudZad7

Active member

• Apr 5, 2007

• #15

Hi All ! Nice info !! Tried Hanna.......tried Oakton.....then after strike 1 and 2, I did not want to strike out, so I got smart and now have the Bluelab PH
wand, or Truncheon.....I'm a very happy camper.....;>)....spend the money you can't go wrong, it is the shiznezel.....LOL.... Peace!!!

Good ph will get you from this....

to this.....

and this.........
Ferts used:
Super Veg/Bloom A/B
Pot o Gold
Cal Mag+
Sugar Daddy
Blast Off every week
Liquid Seaweed-Maxicrop every week
Sensizym
Overdrive last 2 weeks flowering
Big Bud
And a special additive 1 tbs Sucanat per gal

all this in a gal with RO water the EC varies from 1.6----2.2

 

Last edited: Apr 5, 2007

G

Guest

• Apr 6, 2007

• #16

Checkers are .2 pH accurate and that's not even close enough for me. As for drops and test strips...sure they work OK but my new Hanna 991300 is .01 accurate. Way out of the price range for most but I have a few res's to check so it's quick and easy. The accuracy on those drops suck as it's up to the users eye and judgement. I don't like to be close...I like to know exactly what it is.

Considering you're organic in soiless you can get away with something cheaper and less accurate. If you running hydro I'd say get something at least .1 accurate.

 

mtnjohn

Active member

Veteran

• Apr 6, 2007

• #17

adversereaction said:

Checkers are .2 pH accurate and that's not even close enough for me. As for drops and test strips...sure they work OK but my new Hanna 991300 is .01 accurate. Way out of the price range for most but I have a few res's to check so it's quick and easy. The accuracy on those drops suck as it's up to the users eye and judgement. I don't like to be close...I like to know exactly what it is.

Considering you're organic in soiless you can get away with something cheaper and less accurate. If you running hydro I'd say get something at least .1 accurate.

Click to expand...

if you are growing ANY kind of plant then .2 is damn sure plenty accurate
you are obviously misinformed if you think you have to have .1 accuracy
jeez...gimmie a break.....all you did was spend more than you had to

i spent $25.00 on a checker1 ...........how does your garden look?

heres mine

 

Last edited: Apr 6, 2007

S

stevr59

Active member

• Apr 6, 2007

• #18

nice work mtnjohn hope this run turns out as good as urs, but i stop checking my ph and so far i have had less problems this run than when i did check my ph. i took lucas advice and just use floranova nute and that it, yes i know i am asking for trouble by not checking the ph but if you use floranova only and change the rez once a week i think one can get a way with out checking ph but the reason i am not checking is because i am out pf calibration sultion for my cheap ass hanna and my liquid gh tester has run dry but i did order the ph strips mids was talking about looks like that will be better for me since i cant tell once color from the other

 

mtnjohn

Active member

Veteran

• Apr 6, 2007

• #19

hey stevr59....sup bubby

if its works for ya bro....then let it flow

i was just trying to halt the "flow" of incorrect info
a ph meter could be .3 accurate and it would still be fine for growing plants
(even in hydro)..my ph swings a bit here and there...it goes from 5.7 to as high as 6.2...i grow in hydro

i have tried keeping my ph at 5.7 across the board for the whole grow
and after all is said and done its no different than letting the ph vary somewhat
i still get my same yeilds and the plants look healthy...the finished product is just great

these are my experiences with ph and hydro



mj

 

Last edited: Apr 6, 2007

G

Guest

• Apr 7, 2007

• #20

nice work mtnjohn hope this run turns out as good as urs, but i stop checking my ph and so far i have had less problems this run than when i did check my ph.

Click to expand...

Great advice to give new growers!