please help!! trouble getting an accurate PH reading.

to make a long story short I have 2 strains (brainstorm & AMS), each 1 month old, growing in individual 5 gallon dwc buckets. The AMS is growing beautifully. A little short but VERY bushy and lots of leaves and good color. It was standing at about 6" when it was growing its 5th & 6th leaf set and I topped it using uncle bens method. The Brainstorm was growing longer and less leafy. It ended up developing brown spots on nearly every leaf and the growth seemed to just stall completely even though it was still drinking water. It was maybe 7" when I topped it and had considerably less leaves on it than my other plant. So there is the background story and here is my problem.


After consulting with some people I decided to check the PH level usingt different methods to make sure my PH meter is accurate. I read online that poland springs water has a PH of 5.0 and tyhats what ive been going off to make sure my meter has been accurate. So I grabbed the liquid PH test thing that came with my GH PH kit and tested my well water with both. The meter is claiming the PH is 4.8 while the GH liquid test is telling me the PH is between 6.5 & 7.0. I tested the water in the DWC bucket and the meter says its where it should be but the GH tester said the PH wass above 8.0. I am doing a test right now and adjusted the brainstorm PH level last night so its 5.8 according to the GH test and for the first time in nearly 2 weeks I seen some areas actually grow some.

Has anyone experienced this? What tester should I go by? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I dont know what to do since im getting 2 different PH readings and 1 plant is growing without problems and the other is badly affected. If you guys want pictures please let me know and I will add them tonight since im in my dark period right now.


the PH meter I am using.
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-Instruments-PH600AQ-Tester-Calibration/dp/B005H78ZI0/ref=pd_sim_hg_11

I use the same ph meter and everytime i calibrate it it is no more then 1 point off.Good meter.Calibrate it once a week and keep it in a glass of tap water when not in use,But! Go with the bluelabs ph and ppm pens.Amazon sells both together at a kickass price.Way cheaper then if you go to a hydro shop.That will be my next buy.Stay away from those Hanna brand pens.They suck...not worth it.

Do you know why there would be such a huge difference between the liquid drop test and the Ph meter?

a lot of ph testers are fuckin useless. I bought some ph thing from the pet store for aquariums for my dwc that you submerge in the water and it constantly shows the ph. Only prob is it's way off. I've never used the gh ph kit, but I was thinking about buying it because I thought it would be accurate. Only thing is to make sure your ph pen is properly calibrated.

have you got over riding proof that the spring water has a ph of 5.0. i think it would be better to get some ph 7 calibration fluid