Not another PH meter thread...

[Mr. Marijuano]

It’s that time again, boys and girls. Another goofus that doesn’t know how to use the got-dang search function! Or am I just looking for up-to-date advice? Who really knows...

So, what is the current top dog under $100? I know Hanna, BlueLab, and Apera make good meters, but I’m looking for model specific and some kind of reasoning as to why it is better performing than a $15 meter. There are dozens upon dozens of meters and I know nothing about their technology or recent (if any) advancements, so I come to you, RIU.

I currently use a cheapo Vivosun ph meter that has been tested vs a medical grade ph meter and gotten decently accurate readings (all things considered), but it can be finicky at times and requires constant recalibrations. I would like something that can give me +/-0.1 readings without having to constantly restart and recalibrate. I swear I have to recalibrate this thing every week or I’m off by 0.5 or more.

Will $100 even get me what I need? My grandfather was born during the height of the Great Depression. He was a “frugal” military man that raised my father to be the same way. In turn, my father raised me like it was 19 fucking 32. We were eating protein style burgers before the low carb crowd took them mainstream. Despite our vastly differing financial situations, you can see why I shed a tear every time I open my wallet. I already had to bite the bullet to get the $15 meter, so buy once cry once is already out the window, but I don’t want to buy a new $15 meter every quarter either.

What will satisfy me?

Bud shot of some outdoor Gorilla Glue Auto for lulz. I think we’re about 3 weeks in. You can see a couple gnats that got stuck; had to get a toothpick and get them off the plant. Never growing outdoors without a screenhouse, again.

 

[Octastich]

if you're only growing outdoors organically with good amended soil you shouldn't need to ph anything

 

[Mr. Marijuano]

if you're only growing outdoors organically with good amended soil you shouldn't need to ph anything

I have been growing organic, in-ground outdoor for many years now. My food garden has completely taken over the outdoor 35x20 space, so my bud garden has been scaled down and brought inside. Besides, the neighborhood isn’t what it used to be, and theft has been an issue around here over the last couple years. I would hate for them to shift from stealing bikes and packages from the neighbors to ripping my garden.

I was running amended soil from the yard for the first 2 grows. While I was pleased with the results, I feel like there was untapped potential that simply wasn’t unleashed due to the nature of soil grows.

I’m currently running FFOF (since it seems to be a relative standard) for a few trial grows to compare to my amended mix, but would like to shift to coco-perlite and experiment with dwc in the near future. Just collecting data and running a couple trial grows before deciding to pursue soil or take a turn to hydro.

I don’t believe ppm/ec to be enough data to properly nourish my plants with how hard I have been pushing them. I need ph control, or at least the data.

 

[Mr. Marijuano]

i have a no brand $25 ph meter for about a year now and i calibrate it once a months and every month its pretty much on point plus you should calabrate once a month regardless how good your ph meter is. id say its not a ph meter problem its a you problem. no need to be so gosh dan fussy hahaha but i can understand the obsession.

Well, I’m not positive that a ph pen should take 8 minutes to climb by .01 increments from 6.0 and settle on 7.1, or continue to climb from 6.2 to 9.0 when I know my degassed tap is always under 7. It does this almost every day, and will often start slightly lower than real ph, and climb to a ph higher than real ph. A reset (or 3) and retest (or 3) will often fix this (I think). I shouldn’t have to recalibrate every other weekend when I thoroughly clean the probe and store it in solution, as per manufacturers recommendation. I do not drop the meter, I do not tap the meter to dry, I do not bump the meter on my watering can. Don’t even get me started on trying to recalibrate this piece of excrement.

Today it read some fresh bottled water at 7.8 when both a ph dropper and strip both read ~7. After a reset I got 7.1 which I believe to be accurate, but I shouldn’t need to take 5 tests on the same solution to reach an indefinite conclusion. That is what threw me over the edge with this thing; knowing that I plan to experiment with hydro, where ph balancing is critical, and dealing with this pen long enough to realize that these cheap pens are all the same, low quality garbage that will end up costing me more, anyway. I don’t know if it’s the quality or design of the electrode/glass, I don’t know if it’s a software issue, I don’t know if it’s all the same until $200+ or whatever. Maybe a bottom of the barrel Apera is the same rebranded trash as this Vivosun; I don’t know, that’s why I’m here.

I was raised to treat my property well and maintain all of my tools with the care and respect that they deserve, as they are what allow me to do my work and create wealth. I am an inspector, former carpenter, so I know my way around tools, testing equipment, and data collection, and I sure as shit know a bunk tool when I see it.

Not really looking for a personality assessment or virtual brow beating, just some model-specific info on ph pens and their technology/performance benefits, if any.

 

[hotrodharley]

Litmus paper. $11 a roll. Never needs batteries or calibration and is more than adequate for our purposes.

 

[z3rgling]

Hrh beat me to it. Litmus paper is the ticket. Disposable, accurate, and easy. A roll lasts longer than a cheap small bottle of calibration solution and costs less. A perfect solution to scratch your penny pinching itch

 

[xtsho]

The Bluelab that I have had for over a year always reads 7.0 when I check it in 7.0 solution. It hasn't gotten out of calibration yet.

 

[Chip Green]

Go one step further.
Get a Blulab handheld, with the Leap pH probe.
Reads in liquid, and all media types.
Big investment yes, but I'll never work without one. I had concerns the probe replacement could be too frequent, all those ideas have proven false, with proper care.

 

[horribleherk]

Go one step further.
Get a Blulab handheld, with the Leap pH probe.
Reads in liquid, and all media types.
Big investment yes, but I'll never work without one. I had concerns the probe replacement could be too frequent, all those ideas have proven false, with proper care.

Ive had several meters over the years finally got a blulab 2 years ago very satisfied with its performance

 

[pulpoinspace]

under $100 i would not use a meter i would use drops or strips

 

[Mr. Marijuano]

under $100 i would not use a meter i would use drops or strips

That is the feeling I am getting. Do you know anything about ph meters and their tech?

I have a feeling that all pen style ph meters are the same build, just different qualities. I would probably need to buy a monitor and prove style ph meter to access better tech.

Go one step further.
Get a Blulab handheld, with the Leap pH probe.
Reads in liquid, and all media types.
Big investment yes, but I'll never work without one. I had concerns the probe replacement could be too frequent, all those ideas have proven false, with proper care.

How accurate have you found it to be in soil? I would love to have one for myself, but I’m going to have to talk myself into it...

 

[charsi420]

Get one cheap no name and one from the likes of HM Digi, and calibrate them. Trust the reading only if the reading from both match. If one drifts, recalibrate. And also use drops. Pretty foolproof.

 

[Mr. Marijuano]

Get one cheap no name and one from the likes of HM Digi, and calibrate them. Trust the reading only if the reading from both match. If one drifts, recalibrate. And also use drops. Pretty foolproof.

The problem that I have found with ph strips and drops are the same problems I see at work. If my test material is not clean, my reading is not accurate. If I have some liquid kelp or fish emulsion in the water, the strips and drops are very hard to read to distinguish what is the material, and what is the catalyst. I’m not good with colors.

I do compare my drops to my ph meter though.

 

[dandyrandy]

Bluelab. Three years on the same probe. I bought a spare probe when I bought expecting failures. I've had none. I checked it monthly for calibration for the first year or so. Dead on still. I do rinse it and replace the storage solution when needed. Before bluelab I had several others with issues after a few months.

 

[DaFreak]

Litmus paper. $11 a roll. Never needs batteries or calibration and is more than adequate for our purposes.

This is the best answer you are going to get and you are going to make excuses to not take it. Remember this advice for later when you are ready to hear it.

 

[DaFreak]

You mix 100 buckets of food, how many buckets do you need to test?

 

[Mr. Marijuano]

Bluelab. Three years on the same probe. I bought a spare probe when I bought expecting failures. I've had none. I checked it monthly for calibration for the first year or so. Dead on still. I do rinse it and replace the storage solution when needed. Before bluelab I had several others with issues after a few months.

Do you have any experience with Apera?

This is the best answer you are going to get and you are going to make excuses to not take it. Remember this advice for later when you are ready to hear it.

Maybe you should read the post like an intelligent human being, considering I already said I have drops and strips. I’m trying to be a little more accurate than “kinda this shade, but there’s a lot of compost tea in here, so maybe this one.” You’re trying to push a Bic ball point on me, when I do my reports on my iPad. Been there, don’t that, and got the t shirt to prove it.

You mix 100 buckets of food, how many buckets do you need to test?

I test them all, considering I have a dozen strains, indoor and outdoor, in various stages of life, and various mediums and growing methods. I don’t have 20 buckets of the same clones from the club like some goober. I am well diversified in my garden.

Like I said, I’m looking for referrals and technical info, not a growing critique from someone that uses litmus paper. If it works for you and your style, by all means, have at it. However, what may work for you may not work for another.

The use of litmus paper and ph drops is actually banned by most local governments and ngos that I have worked for, and in some cases is banned from a job site completely, due to the known inaccuracies and deficiencies, such as testing water that contains contaminants.

 

[dandyrandy]

Do you have any experience with Apera?


Maybe you should read the post like an intelligent human being, considering I already said I have drops and strips. I’m trying to be a little more accurate than “kinda this shade, but there’s a lot of compost tea in here, so maybe this one.” You’re trying to push a Bic ball point on me, when I do my reports on my iPad. Been there, don’t that, and got the t shirt to prove it.


I test them all, considering I have a dozen strains, indoor and outdoor, in various stages of life, and various mediums and growing methods. I don’t have 20 buckets of the same clones from the club like some goober. I am well diversified in my garden.

Like I said, I’m looking for referrals and technical info, not a growing critique from someone that uses litmus paper. If it works for you and your style, by all means, have at it. However, what may work for you may not work for another.

The use of litmus paper and ph drops is actually banned by most local governments and ngos that I have worked for, and in some cases is banned from a job site completely, due to the known inaccuracies and deficiencies, such as testing water that contains contaminants.

Nope. I'm sure they are fine. I doubt I'll be in the market after the bluelab. I would imagine it will outlast me.

 

[DaFreak]

Maybe you should read the post like an intelligent human being, considering I already said I have drops and strips. I’m trying to be a little more accurate than “kinda this shade, but there’s a lot of compost tea in here, so maybe this one.” You’re trying to push a Bic ball point on me, when I do my reports on my iPad. Been there, don’t that, and got the t shirt to prove it.

More accurate? I read your post and stand by what I said.

 

[DCcan]

Do you have any experience with Apera?

I have the Apera PH60 and EC60, both spot-on calibrated after daily use for a year. Easy to use, rugged, waterproof, $35 replaceable probes. I like mine, also has Hi/Lo color alert, screen changes color if solution is out of parameters
Just rinse probe and storage solution, then clean every month or so.

The new ones they have out are Bluetooth /app/ data logging.
They cost twice as much, the replacement probes cost twice as much also. Work related things like uploading field test results with attached photos and additional data is possible. They have a new web page on those , not much info out on them.