try to get GH's test drops, pretty accurate, i actually trust it more than my digital PH...either way i am a big advocate of flushing, you can flush with straight phd water or as when i have a deficiencie, i flush with a 1/4 strenght solution in my water, gets the PH lined up and assures your getting nutes to the root zone, but in this case i would go with regular water just to get everything out of the soil and give yourself a "clean slate" i have had great success with maintenance flushing monthly, especially if your heavy feeding, salts build up real fast and give you control over the plant....another idea is if you dont trust your soil, make a 50/50 mix of perlite and vermiculite, or all perlite, i had good results this way too, the plite dont hold water well but keeps roots happy with oxygen, the vermiculite, i dont think HD carries it, retains a ton of moisture...with these methods you will end up watering often and feeding a weak nutrient mix early on, but you have total control