Light diffusers? PH Meter?

Hey

#1 im doing a mini ebb sog with a super sun 2. I want to even out my light.

Typicaly i like to get my light super close 14" or lower but its not optimal for even light.. would a spreader help out with a super sun 2? anyone have experience?

What is the optimal height for a super sun 2.. i think 18- 22 or something from the air cooled lighting thread from picco...

IDK that thread is fucking amazing but its a damn unorganized disaster I wish some one would dissect that thread and put all the usefull results in one easy to read post..

#2

Ive been shoping around for a new ph meter. What is a good brand? I have heard bad things about hannah.. and good things about milwakuee.. I was looking at the new milwaukee ph 56.. they are reasonably priced and i like the 2 year waranty...

I also was thinking about those oakton eco testers...

Is it ok to go cheap ebay in this department.. I know some will gripe but it is of my personal opinnion that a lot of shit is made in china and some of the cheap ebay stuff is probly made in the exach same factory as its brand name counter parts.. heck some of the chinese ones look identical to the oaktons..

as far as a tds meter i was thinking about going with HM digital aqua pro.. I have a hm digital cheap meter that has been great I really like it...


any way if anyone could chime in I would appreciate it..

Unless you get into the $500+ range, pH pens are toys at best and a complete crapshoot to work at all. Milwaukee sucks least followed by Oakton with Hanna scraping the bottom of the barrel. I spent my money on an EC truncheon and stuck with test drops from the aquarium store.

There is no such thing as a "TDS" or "PPM" meter. TDS requires you to evaporate the water and weigh the physical residue left behind. PPM requires chemical analysis. ALL nute strength pens and meters measure EC and EC only. An EC meter (such as the Truncheon) displays actual findings. "TDS" and "PPM" meters measure EC and hide the answer in favor of nonsense. Hanna alone uses 4 different conversions meaning they have a 75% chance of misunderstanding each other.

Plants don't care that "TDS" and "PPM" are bogus, they're illiterate. We are not. EC is EC wherever you go, whoever you ask. If you've yet to make the purchase, do yourself and the hobby a favor and stick with EC.

the light diffuser on the adjustawing is a joke, dark under the bulb. a friend had one, I took it off to see the difference it never got used again.
as FB said most meters do suck my hanna never worked and the other ones broke pretty fast. Got a blue lab now, it rocks. Or just get the drops.

Zealious said:

Hey

#1 im doing a mini ebb sog with a super sun 2. I want to even out my light.

Typicaly i like to get my light super close 14" or lower but its not optimal for even light.. would a spreader help out with a super sun 2? anyone have experience?

What is the optimal height for a super sun 2.. i think 18- 22 or something from the air cooled lighting thread from picco...

IDK that thread is fucking amazing but its a damn unorganized disaster I wish some one would dissect that thread and put all the usefull results in one easy to read post..

#2

Ive been shoping around for a new ph meter. What is a good brand? I have heard bad things about hannah.. and good things about milwakuee.. I was looking at the new milwaukee ph 56.. they are reasonably priced and i like the 2 year waranty...

I also was thinking about those oakton eco testers...

Is it ok to go cheap ebay in this department.. I know some will gripe but it is of my personal opinnion that a lot of shit is made in china and some of the cheap ebay stuff is probly made in the exach same factory as its brand name counter parts.. heck some of the chinese ones look identical to the oaktons..

as far as a tds meter i was thinking about going with HM digital aqua pro.. I have a hm digital cheap meter that has been great I really like it...


any way if anyone could chime in I would appreciate it..

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Lol, that pico thread was a giant clusterfuck mess like 2 years ago.

I would say just raise the light some, honestly. I know everyone's like omg inverse square law, etc, but as you see the coverage can suck if you're too low, and I've never felt that I've lost yield from raising it another foot or so - and that's with 400's and 1k's.


As for pH meter, the Eco tester has worked well for me. After about a year I had to replace the batteries and re-calibrate it, and it's still working fine.

thanks guys..

Good to know about ph meters just generally sucking... my 15 $ ph 600 has lasted over a year.. not too bad.. and honestly anything with atc would be an upgrade over this thing.. most meters use same technology? glass bulb filled with gel or whatever?

so out of all these crappy meters milwaukkes are ok? Like i said; they have a year longer warranty than most, that is nice. I had read a post some where in which they replaced the guys meter out of warranty..

whats your take on the ebay ph meters? mfg in same factory as all the name brand ones?

FB... It was my understanding that ppm is simply a equation derived via EC Are you saying that the equation is different per mfg? I assumed it was universal. either conversion factor of 5 or 7? w/e im confused with your hatred with ppm.


The thing I like about ppm is the higher resolution.. IE .. ec 1.0 =700 ppm but ec of only .1 more 1.1 is like 800ppm SO you can get things a little more detailed with ppm down to 725ppm or 775.. etc

imo i would think simply knowing the conversion factor of your tds pen + the wider reading spectrum of ppm = better than the ec pen.

But either way a tds meter measures ec and so does a ec meter? where as a ec meter does not measure ppm. meanwhile the tds pen is usually cheaper.. (though now days ive noticed you can choose ec or tds and price is same)

IDK guys..

which is better ec or ppm? I guess when you are on the internet communicating with people, a single universal measurement would simplify things...

*edit fb i just reread your post. I see what you are saying. Literaly there is no such thing as a ppm meter.. it is a estimation. apparently one that too many mfg are not in sync with...

EC it is

Zealious said:

FB... It was my understanding that ppm is simply a equation derived via EC Are you saying that the equation is different per mfg? I assumed it was universal. either conversion factor of 5 or 7? w/e im confused with your hatred with ppm.


The thing I like about ppm is the higher resolution.. IE .. ec 1.0 =700 ppm but ec of only .1 more 1.1 is like 800ppm SO you can get things a little more detailed with ppm down to 725ppm or 775.. etc

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How do I convert thee? Let me count the ways: 500, 640, 650, 700, 728, 768, 82? and 3 or 4 more I've lost track of. Hanna uses 500, 640, 650 and 700. This means your 550 solution is actually stronger than your buddies 700 solution even though you both use Hanna pens.

Your plants don't care. If you can see numbers moving, you're golden. The problem is in discussion. "PPM" and "TDS" change with the tides. EC is EC regardless of flood or drought.

If you want a bigger number use EC in µS/cm (MICROseimens per centimeter) rather than the more standard mS/cm (MILLIseimens per centimeter. 1000µS=1mS. Example 1187 µS=1.2mS. Think of a metric ruler. 1000mm=100cm=10dm=1meter. They are all the same distance, same scale, same ruler, they just use the smaller hashmarks to provide a "larger" number.

You should search for the Bluelab Combo Meter. $200-300. Being able to take reliable ec and pH readings at the same time has made this some of the best money I've spent.

My thread would be nice and organized if no one else posted in it!

i bought a cms setup that i think was for aquariums . had ph ,tds, and temp. lasted 5 years. wish i had it now or remembered what company . all i remember was it was from canada. but being organic soil guy i really have no need. aoktons only lasted me like 6 months had like 5 of em LOL

cyat said:

the light diffuser on the adjustawing is a joke, dark under the bulb. a friend had one, I took it off to see the difference it never got used again.

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I agree that the diffuser is almost useless when used with a adjust-a- wing reflector BUT when paired with a cheap bat wing or other reflector that has a hot spot directly under the lamp they can be very helpful especially if you are height restricted

BasementBreeder said:

You should search for the Bluelab Combo Meter. $200-300. Being able to take reliable ec and pH readings at the same time has made this some of the best money I've spent.

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Agreed !