Question about ph

Scripts said:
I'm in the woods pretty much. Someone came in and drilled a well for my place. My whole place is hooked up to it. I really hope my Ph isn't actually 5. I tested Publix bottled water. Same 5ph.... so maybe it's my GH solution. I went down a rabbit hole and I can't find a good PH pen. Bluelab is expensive and if it breaks you have to pay for shipping to get them to analyze it. I'm not trying to cut corners. But I also don't want to spend like 130$ on a pen.
Click to expand...

If you do get a pH pen get one with a replaceable probe and make sure you get KCi Storage Solution. Your probe will last a lot longer if you keep it clean and wet in storage solution. Change your storage solution out every couple months.

Replaceable probes nice incase of accidents or for some reason it does go out of wack it's a 1/3 of the price of a new pen.

Apera and Hanna also make good meters if you don't want to shell out for Bluelab. I have an Apera pH60 and it's worked great for 2 years, still accurate as the day I got it.

Drops > Cheap pen
 
Scripts said:
I'm glad you are having so much success! I am a newbie and don't have a hydroponic store (to get foxfarm or Roots Organic) and coco is the most affordable option (amazon Hydro Crunch Coco). Lowes has no options. I thought my nutrients might be enough for my plants but I got Calimag just in case because I read so much on online websites that calimag helps.
Click to expand...
Gotcha. Being in the middle of nowhere has it's pros and cons. Wow prices have gone up though. I got my Bluelab pH pen in 2019 for $75. I see it on Amazon now for $103.
 
Scripts said:
I'm in the woods pretty much. Someone came in and drilled a well for my place. My whole place is hooked up to it. I really hope my Ph isn't actually 5. I tested Publix bottled water. Same 5ph.... so maybe it's my GH solution. I went down a rabbit hole and I can't find a good PH pen. Bluelab is expensive and if it breaks you have to pay for shipping to get them to analyze it. I'm not trying to cut corners. But I also don't want to spend like 130$ on a pen.
Click to expand...
Aphera ph pens are reasonable. I think a 75 dollar pen comes with storage and calibration fluid. I use this setup and took a few practice runs learning how to calibrate it. These days I got it down to a science and it only takes a second to do.
 
jondamon said:
Stored in KCi as per recommendations.

calibrated monthly.

Crapped out after a year and wouldn’t calibrate.

Got sent a replacement same thing happened.

this is back in 2010-2012 roughly.
Click to expand...
Damn, that's some bad luck. I bought mine in 2016, so maybe the improved between those time periods. I barely ever even calibrated mine.
 
rmax said:
Ask a neighbor kid to take it to science class. Make up a story about a friend who has dying guppies.
Click to expand...
You can take it to almost any college or ag department and tell them you're a home brewer and want to test your water.
 
jondamon said:
Could be they’ve changed something, it just really put me off tbh especially with me loving the truncheon so much.
Click to expand...
Are you using old solution to calibrate? That's usually the reason they won't go into CAL mode
Happened with my b-lab ppm pen I emailed them and they told me to get new solution. I did and it calibrated fine after.
 
Jjgrow420 said:
Are you using old solution to calibrate? That's usually the reason they won't go into CAL mode
Happened with my b-lab ppm pen I emailed them and they told me to get new solution. I did and it calibrated fine after.
Click to expand...

My solution was brand new with the pen at the time.
But dude we’re talking a decade ago lol.

i just use pH drops now.

as long as I’m between 5.5-6 on my colour chart I’m happy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top