Electronic PH Readings Way Off

For some reason when I started my new grow in a 5 gallon sterillite container I can't get accurate electronic PH readings. I even purchased a brand new probe and the water is reading between 8 to 25 and the meter is jumping all over the place.

When I test by hand it's PHing very nicely in that 5.0/5.5 range.

Anyone know what gives?

Maybe my Trimeter is broken? However my handheld PH reader had the same exact issue reading the reservoir.

Are you supposed to calibrate the reader? Mine did the same thing until I realized it needed to be recalibrated

i think it is harder to read ph with a very low ppm. try adding your base nutes first. if you already did this then idk

Growdict said:

i think it is harder to read ph with a very low ppm. try adding your base nutes first. if you already did this then idk

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PPMs are almost too high, my plants got a little stunted but we're sitting around 800-900ppm now.

Scratching my head because my PPM meter was getting thrown off as well.

I have a digital ballast maybe 3 feet away, could this be it?

but this wasnt happening on my last run...however I did switch from a dial to a digital ballast before this last run.

do you have a calibration setting and some buffer solution. i calibrate mine usually once a month and anytime it reads off where i normally am for the same nutrients. so, if i normally mix in A,b+C and end up 5.7-5.9 and i do the same next week and it reads 6.4 as a starting point - i calibrate the meter again.

I figured it out. I upgraded to a digital ballast and it's right next to the meter.

It has to be electromagnetic interferance.

All the symptoms are the same as well: PH and PPM levels are jumping around constantly