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Bought a New Tester
- Thread starter smilley
- Start date
I've been using the new ph meter for 5 weeks now and it's done wonders for my plants. I test the calibration eery time I use it and recalibrate it as necessary. There is no premature yellowing and the plants are loiving the ph balanced feeding regime. I don't use the ec meter as the feeding is pretty well dialed in. EC is about 1.3.
Ca++
Well-known member
Seems inexpensive, but Amazon make all the money
$2
In soil, I just like to get the tap down below 6.5 on average. It could be 6.2 one day, and 6.8 the next. I'm just looking at an average, as soil buffers well. I would hope to get within 0.2 though, if making the same tank, every day.
A lot depends on the initial hardness.
Progress looks good
Order your next meters now, if the $1.14 (plus taxes) offer is still there. These cheap pH one's might last 6 months, or until you leave the lid off. The EC one could last indefinitely. It's worth having a spare, when it's cheaper than new batteries.
$2
In soil, I just like to get the tap down below 6.5 on average. It could be 6.2 one day, and 6.8 the next. I'm just looking at an average, as soil buffers well. I would hope to get within 0.2 though, if making the same tank, every day.
A lot depends on the initial hardness.
Progress looks good
Order your next meters now, if the $1.14 (plus taxes) offer is still there. These cheap pH one's might last 6 months, or until you leave the lid off. The EC one could last indefinitely. It's worth having a spare, when it's cheaper than new batteries.
I agree with you on all things Ca++. Wow, that is cheap, I think I will buy a couple of them. If I get 6 months out of the present one I'll be happy.
I put a drop of storage solution in the cap after every use and I test the calibration before every use.
Here's a couple of pics of the crop at 59 days of 11/13. No premature yellowing.
I put a drop of storage solution in the cap after every use and I test the calibration before every use.
Here's a couple of pics of the crop at 59 days of 11/13. No premature yellowing.
Ca++
Well-known member
That's odd. They are saying 13 days, and $1 off if it's late.
This might be because my IP is in the EU. I did tell them USA though. I didn't realise you were Canadian.
At 69c you probably don't care if it ever gets here
Or you would of just found another seller. 69 cents lol
trixP
Active member
Having quality tools helps out
Ca++
Well-known member
The Bastards! lol
At least they didn't send you a picture of one, so there is still hope. It's a bloody long wait though.
I'm not sure if it's being in the UK, but I tend to see 5 days, 8 days, 12 days. Generally meaning the goods are stored in an Ali warehouse. I find myself buying from different sellers, yet the accumulative basket value keeps upgrading my postage. A sure sign it's drop shipping.
Some sellers are still posting stuff themselves though. So we have to trust they actually have it, and it's not coming by 'message in a bottle'
I tend to look down the listings for what's worded "spend £8 for free 12 days delivery" or such like. If you get that offer by spending in different stores, you know it's goods from Ali, who are as reliable as Amazon. This seller set off alarm bells with the crazy price and very slow post. It may still arrive though. Once he has got a big enough order for the factory to supply him.
At least they didn't send you a picture of one, so there is still hope. It's a bloody long wait though.
I'm not sure if it's being in the UK, but I tend to see 5 days, 8 days, 12 days. Generally meaning the goods are stored in an Ali warehouse. I find myself buying from different sellers, yet the accumulative basket value keeps upgrading my postage. A sure sign it's drop shipping.
Some sellers are still posting stuff themselves though. So we have to trust they actually have it, and it's not coming by 'message in a bottle'
I tend to look down the listings for what's worded "spend £8 for free 12 days delivery" or such like. If you get that offer by spending in different stores, you know it's goods from Ali, who are as reliable as Amazon. This seller set off alarm bells with the crazy price and very slow post. It may still arrive though. Once he has got a big enough order for the factory to supply him.
Aliexpress will step in tomorrow and resolve the issue if the seller doesn't respond. I just want my 69 cents back or my meter delivered. If I get my refund, I'll order another with a shorter delivery time. If they screw me out of my money, I'll chock it up to a learning experience and never deal with Aliexpress again.
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Idk mate I’ve used the ph meter and I found it to be incredibly unreliable. I ended up spending 100$ bucks on a lab grade ph meter and haven’t looked back.
With the EC/PPM it was still off but with tester fluid you can see by how much and adjust it in your head. I think some tester fluid is like 15$ on Amazon or something.
The original ph meter and ec meter are still working fine and my wife is very happy with the moisture meter that I gave her. I wanted the new ph meter as a back-up. After my current crop, the ph meter won't get used for 3 - 4 months and that's when the meters seem to fail on me. My tap water is a constant ph and I know exactly how much ph down I need per gallon. I just use the meter to ensure I don't screw up with the measurements.
Lol I didn’t realize how old this thread was when I responded. I saw two pages and figured wrong.
I’m glad it’s working for you, it just didn’t work for me unfortunately. But I use rainwater which is more inconsistent, at least for me.
Ca++
Well-known member
Many pH meters will be ruined in rain/distilled/RO whatever.
It's okay once the feed is in, but not pure water.
I have killed a costly meter learning this.
Checking the pH of such water isn't needed anyway. It will be about 6.5 as water is 7, and it has co2 in it. With so little in it, the slightest bit of something will dominate it. My feed is 4.0 (in the bottle) so in RO I get 4.0 as the water has nothing in it to effect the feeds 4.0
We often speak of buffering, which is the waters resistance to change, but it's not the water really. The tap water usually carries calcium, and calcium has the 8ish pH commonly seen. It's not really the water, but the stuff in it that sets the pH, and how set, is the buffer against change.
I'm saying this, as with RO I use my feed, which leaves the tank at 4.0 and I just use it. I feed coco/soil at that 4.0 as my feeds buffering is weak. The soil/coco has a stronger buffering action. The 4.0 in the top, comes out the bottom about 7. Had I tried to correct the pH, the 'up' required would be minuscule. Leaving the set point weakly buffered, and likely to change with temperature. Also my feed is fine, and adding alkalies to it didn't keep my plants any happier. It started to upset the plants. Even in rockwool I was pouring in 4 and getting out 7. With any acid just not making them happy.
I do see most people use RO then set the pH, but it's worth looking if you actually need to. All feeds are different in this respect. Mine uses just 50ppm Ca hence it's a low pH with little buffering. A high pH feed could actually come out the bottle higher.
But yeah.. killed my meter measuring RO, in one dunk
Interesting my rain water comes out like 9 haha but I get what your saying. I stopped looking at it once I moved to living soil but I break out the Apera meter for some hydro stuff sometimes when doing seed stuff
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
Your mileage obviously varies from mine.
I find the cheapie yellow pH meters last a looooooong time, when I keep them in a jar of R/O water. (on #3 after 5? years. That's under $50) Holds calibration well, reads quickly, works a treat. Keep it wet though.
You will get false readings if you have less than 100 or 125 ppm in the water.
Sorry I should have been more specific I was referring to 9.0 PH, the PPM is 140 or so.
