pH Meter - What to buy

[Campesino]

So, I have decided to get a pH meter to replace the GH test kit. The GH test kit requires being able to discern if the yellow is slightly orange or slightly green. I am colorblind, so this is nearly an impossible task for me. My wife often has to come to help discern the color, so she has agreed that a pH meter is an appropriate expense (She has loosened the purse strings considerably now that she sees real marijuana being produced!). I avoided this earlier because cleaning and storage solutions and calibration fluid all seem like PITAs. But, I am going to jump into this and will do it.
So, should I get a cheap meter like the Vantakool (about $20) and then buy storage solution separately. Or is it worth it to invest in a complete kit like the Apera combo kit offered in the link below

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B077Z6LF91/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

If you have had experience with these, I would love your input!

[UrbZ]

I bought a cheap one. TBH if you take care of em and keep calibration fluid around the cheap ones work just as well as pricier ones. All the same tech.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Yeah, the cheap ones work ok, but if you are serious, you can get a BlueLabs on Amazon for a decent price, and they last a long time,plus they are the best ,most accurate an easy to use.

[Campesino]

I can't decide how serious I am...
If others are having good luck with using and maintaining cheap ones, I may start there.
I use bottled water, which consistently starts at 6.9 (-ish, I am using a vial to test!). That has made my job easier (possible!) because I know specific recipes. For example if adding 1/2 tsp Cal/Mag I know I need 4 drops of pH down. I use graduated (tsp and CC) oral syringes to measure nutes, I cannot imagine doing it any other way (couldn't count drops!) Week 8 nutes didn't need any adjustment. Week 9 nutes took the two of us 30 minutes of holding a vial in front of toilet paper to determine if it was just above or just below 6.0 - which has lead to the current thread.

[starramus]

I bought a cheapie, and it is still working. I use distilled water to calibrate the meter. Distilled water is usually at pH 7.0. You can't get any cheaper for a calibration reference. I am getting by with this method, and can only defend myself with "i toopid".

[DoctorJohnson]

I bought a cheap one. TBH if you take care of em and keep calibration fluid around the cheap ones work just as well as pricier ones. All the same tech.

Agreed. They're very simple devices (to see just how simple, just look here) but the bit about calibration fluid is critical; it's not a optional accessory but a critical component of a system. And the delicate glass probe will last much longer and give more accurate results if you store it immersed in calibration fluid. I keep my pH pen in a sealed peanut butter jar with half an inch of calibration fluid in the bottom, which makes that pretty easy.

By the way, General Hydroponics make pH 7.01 calibration fluid that you can buy at Amazon. Fancier meters use two point calibration with pH 4 and pH 7 calibration fluid, but that level of accuracy isn't necessary for our purposes.

[Chefbjy]

pH fluctuations from 5.9-7 have little to no effect on your grow it's actually recommended to let it go up or down a little. If say you are safe with the color blindness. If it's red it's too low if it's dark green it's too high the slight difference in yellow margins should be fine. As long as you keep it in between it shouldn't matter. Honestly drops can be just as accurate and you don't need solution or calibration. If it's a little green the first time you feed them your next watering should be around the same pH next time let it be a little Orange. Nutrients are absorb at different levels so it's okay to let it swing a hair. As long as you're not outside 5.9-7 you should be fine. Just means you have to check your run off which you can be between 5.9 and 7 as well. If you water with the same variables the run off should be the same which can lead to deficiency. But some people have success with the same pH every time, as long as it's within range they never have to adjust. Different strains require more potassium for example which means more calmag or the right range of pH to absorb it.

[Campesino]

I am growing in Coco, so I am working to keep it in 5.6-5.9 range. I thought about the pH range issues and agree that some variation is no problem and may help. The vial test really has worked fine so far, it just seems like it is designed to target my weakness.
I have a cheap meter and storage solution in my amazon cart now... along with a few other things I struggle to pull the trigger on. hmmm

[DoctorJohnson]

> I have a cheap meter and storage solution in my amazon cart now...
Just FYI, don't confuse storage solution (which is usually potassium chloride solution) with calibration solution. You can store a probe in calibration solution, but you can't calibrate it with storage solution.

[Campesino]

The meter comes with powders, but if I can simply store in the calibration fluid I wouldn't mind doing that route. But it begs the question of what role in the market storage solution plays. I mix water (and thus will be using this) daily during grows. I will then store for a couple months this summer. I think the calibration fluid would be fine for daily, so am leaning that way.
The best option there seems to be the kit with both 7.0 and 4.01. Could they both be used as storage?

[D.A.A.S.69]

Yes, you can keep them in water too, all you need to do is keep it in a cup with water.

[RosettaStoned]

I can't attest to the functionality of other units but Hanna dual pH/ppm meter (given to me) works great. My buddy never dual calibrated it, so I did. It reads twice as fast now. As far as storing, they (Hanna) say not wash or store in distilled water. I've heard the 7 works as a storage solution but the not 4. Not to say it doesn't, just haven't heard it used. I just drop a few drops tap water in the cap and put it on. I use twice a day anyway so it's always wet. I like the jar idea though doc!

[Locrian99]

I’m using this one. HM Digital PH-80 pH HydroTester, 0-14 pH Range, 1 pH Resolution, +/- 2% Readout Accuracy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0096N8OWI..._c6tGAbVTRBW19 I’ve been happy with it. Very easy to calibrate and since I’m using well water I like the temperature reading as my water comes out very cold

[Californiakid]

Thats the one that I have too.

[Californiakid]

I bought a cheaper pen. It works well enough. But when I first got it it wasn't working properly. I took it to a grow shop that services blue lab equipment, even though mine wasn't blue lab, they cleaned the probe and calibrated it. It has worked since then with occasional calibration. I would like a blue lab pen because they have replacement parts.
Generic tools will work, but there's nothing like working with high quality tools. One must use what one can afford. I subscribe to the buy once cry once theory, but can't always fit it in the budget.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Yep ,that toothbrush has saved the day a few times for me too.

[RosettaStoned]

You should be able to soak it in storage solution to fix it when it dries out. That another reason I like the Hanna, replacement parts. Quality isn't cheap, cheap isn't quality, something I've learned through the years with tools.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Yeah, but Bluelabs are the sure enough good ones.

[OzBud]

I have and would recommend the Blue Lab pH pen

[Grinder]

I use the Apera Instruments meter. Highly recommend it. Amazon link http://a.co/5GIi84T

[D.A.A.S.69]

Hey Grinder, I heard those Apera, models, were good ones, good company, don't know ,just heard that.

[DoctorJohnson]

> Yes, you can keep them in water too, all you need to do is keep it in a cup with water.
Actually, storing the probe in water is bad for it and will shorten its life. Storage or calibration solution helps to maintain the ion gradient across the probe tip. There is some subtle chemistry and physics going on there, so anything you can do to help maintain the glass electrode is all for the good.

Here's a reference: https://hannainst.com/ph-electrode-m...ibration-guide

[D.A.A.S.69]

Been keeping them in water for years ,no problems. So wrong again

[DoctorJohnson]

> Yep ,that toothbrush has saved the day a few times for me too.
You want to clean the delicate glass electrode very gently. A toothbrush is too much!

[D.A.A.S.69]

Another case of your ful of it.how do you know what kind of toothbrush I use??
Are you that smart, hahaha

[OzBud]

Actually, Blue Lab themselves recommend using a soft toothbrush to remove heavy contamination from their pH pens

[DoctorJohnson]

> The meter comes with powders, but if I can simply store in the calibration fluid I wouldn't mind doing that route. But it begs the question of what role in the market storage solution plays. I mix water (and thus will be using this) daily during grows. I will then store for a couple months this summer. I think the calibration fluid would be fine for daily, so am leaning that way.

Unless you have analytical glassware lying around your kitchen for precise measurements, it's hard to mix those powders to the level of a calibration standard. Better is to buy it.

> The best option there seems to be the kit with both 7.0 and 4.01. Could they both be used as storage?
Storage solution is best.
4.01 is next.
7 after that.
Don't use pure water.

https://hannainst.com/ph-electrode-maintenance-calibration-guide

[Campesino]

Thank you DoctorJohnson I got both calibration fluids, so will plan to use 4.01 as storage.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Supergenius, in his own mind. Nobody elses ,Not to worried ,if it hurts my 15buck meter. I use water.

[RosettaStoned]

Haha I sense some animosity

[Campesino]

Thanks to all for your input and advice!
I got the cheap meter, Vantakool, but also invested in the calibration fluids. I think that if I find using a meter to be far superior I will eventually upgrade, but I am not yet convinced and it seems that $12 is not much of a risk.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Well good, I bet it works just fine.