which ph meter?

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by pure1, May 23, 2012.

  1. #1 pure1, May 23, 2012
  2. #2 DankStar74, May 23, 2012
    i got a ph aquarium test kit from walmart, it does the job just fine for me and its only five bucks, tust me i have used it in all my grows
     
  3. #3 tplat, May 23, 2012
    First link is the the temp/humidity meter I use. I use the same PH Up & Down. What PH meter are you looking at? When I first started I tried a cheap soil PH meter and it sucked, the aquarium drop testers are ok they give you a good general idea of the Ph but if your run off isnt clear like from a nute feeding that can make it difficult to compare to the color chart. Your best bet would be spend some money on a good digital PH meter that auto calibrates for water temp changes. Hanna & Bluelab make some really good PH meters at various price ranges. I personaly like Bluelab as they have the longest warranty on the main unit itself and the standard 6 month warranty on the probe. With a good digital meter you can also controll the PH much better. With that temp/humidity meter it has a 10 foot wire probe that you can streatch along the canopy of your plants to know what the temps are at canopy level.

    AcuRite Digital Thermometer with Temperature Sensor Probe and Humidity on eBay!
     
  4. #4 pure1, May 23, 2012
  5. #5 pure1, May 23, 2012
    oh and for a ph meter, can i stick it directly in the water to read my ph before watering it?

    does it need to be waterproof, or is the waterproof only for the top part of the device
     
  6. #6 tplat, May 23, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: May 23, 2012


    Yes. Water proof ones tend to cost a little more and are good if you ever drop it in the water you wont fry it. Link below is the cheapest Hanna I found, its not water proof or automaticly adjust for water temp changes buts its a good starter one. I have a Bluelab Combo meter and most dont want to spend that much but it have no regrets on it. For the PH meter your gonna need some 7.01calibration solution.

    http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instrum...0VY2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337754857&sr=8-2

    http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Buffer-..._5?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1337755421&sr=1-5
     
  7. #7 pure1, May 23, 2012


    I already have some solution, but I read some recommendations on this one:

    http://www.coleparmer.ca/Product/Oa...3_sup_small_pH_2_Pocket_pH_Tester/RK-35423-10

    think that's good?
     
  8. #8 Russy, May 23, 2012
    Milwaukee's work well if your on a budget ... If not , spend the money on a Blue Lab, its worth it.
     
  9. #9 tplat, May 23, 2012
    I havent read alot of personal reviews on Oakaton here, the few that I did read here some liked them and some didnt but I have yet to read anything negative on Hanna or Bluelab. As for PH calibration solutions use only the type that the manufacturer reccomends. For example your Ph meter calls for either 4.01 or 7.01 use only that not like 4.0 or 7.0. Hanna and Bluelab are probably the most reccomended here for a major name brand meters. I have a Bluelab Combo meter and its fast and accurate and for when I switch over to hydro I have meter that will do that as well. Mine cost $226.00 out the door. One thing with any digital PH meter you pick is to take care of it, clean it once in a while how the manufacturer reccomends, use a storage solution if reccomended, dont drop them or bang them on the sides of a water glass or plant pot. Most probes no matter what manufactuer only come with a 6 month warranty but if you take care of them they will last longer. And for the temp/humidity meter you linked it didnt look like it had a wire probe. I like the wire probe because if you stretch it out along the canopy of your plants you also know the temps at canopy level and that can be an important temp to know.
     
  10. #10 tplat, May 23, 2012
    My first digital meter was a Milwaukee that I paid about $80.00 it worked fine for about a year but I didnt like how slow it was, it took what seemed like a couple of minutes to get a steady PH reading. So for my birthday I decided to splurge and get me a Bluelab Combo meter and have had it for going on 2 years now and just now had to replace the PH probe. The probe probably would have lasted longer if my brother wouldnt have taken it out of the water cup I sit it in and let it dry out about 3 times.
     
  11. #11 pure1, May 23, 2012
  12. #12 tplat, May 23, 2012
    Yep you stick it in the water just dont drop it in the water completely, its not a water proof one. When you get it first thing I would do is calibrate with some 7.01 calibration solution. Then when you goto water and or feed your plants test the Ph and adjust it if neccessary to a PH reading between 6.3-6.8 for soil grows, then water your plants till you have about 20% of the water or nute mix as run off out of the bottom then rinse your probe off in some clean water and PH test the run off. You want to shoot for a PH run off of 6.5. Your PH run off reading is the imprtant reading it will tell you what the PH of the soil is and if you need to make any PH adjustments to the next water or feed day. I gotta goto bed soon but will check back tommorow.
     
  13. #13 in10ceguy, Jun 10, 2012
    Another option would be this one
    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPzSse7Kjg4&list=HL1339303146&feature=mh_lolz]pH and EC monitor for hydroponics - YouTube[/ame]
    [​IMG]
     
  14. #14 N4ma4l, Jun 10, 2012
    Bluelab pen
     
  15. #15 TinTizzy, Jun 10, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2012
    Hanna combo..you're going to want to check ppm/ec also..you can find cheaper used ones on eBay..oh and my Hanna dried out for 8yrs and still worked after soaking it for a bit
     

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