Ph?

[Satyaban]

I bought a Ph meter for liquids, the only name on it is "pH" and if I turn it upside down it reads 'Hd". I also received a TDS&EC meter that came together. My problem is as follows. My tap water is reading 7.9, which I believe is high. I will include a couple of pics and I don't believe they are suffering. I don't trust this meter without corroboration. I use a Nikon coolpix so I don't think I can do much more with detail.

[crucialbunny]

Based on your pics, the dark green leaf color, and overall health I'd venture to say that you're in the golden zone as far as PH goes.

[Satyaban]

Thanks. That means a lot to a first time serious grower. I will test some run off the next time I have some.

[3Berries]

What kind of meters? The cheap ebay ones are junk. I just sent three TDS meters back for a refund.



Got a Apera TDS 20. The old meters would show my well eater at 440 ppm but the Apera show it at 730 ppm. You can calibrate the Apera too easily.

[Satyaban]

That is the one that came with the Ph meter. Is that a Ph meter as well, I have hardly looked at it and worked with the other.

[3Berries]

There are similar looking pH meters they are no good too. The one pictured is just a TDS/PPM/EC meter

[Ckbrew]

Did you calibrate the meter with the solutions that should have come with it?

[Satyaban]

Yes, I used the solution that calibrated it to one tenth.

[Smokesteve]

As is said above use some 7.0 calibration liquid. You will be able to tell if your meter is accurate if not switch to calibration mode and set at 7.

[PRIMO]

Dunk it in a cup of milk, if it reads around 7 you're good.

[Satyaban]

Cool, I am going to try that as a check. It is easy enough to re-calibrate.

[Smokesteve]

This is an inaccurate approach.

[Going2fast]

When I turn it upside down it says hd😂😂😂. You don't smoke weed do you.

[Satyaban]

What kind of meters? The cheap ebay ones are junk. I just sent three TDS meters back for a refund.



Got a Apera TDS 20. The old meters would show my well eater at 440 ppm but the Apera show it at 730 ppm. You can calibrate the Apera too easily.

Seriously, what is that gizmo for? My guess is it would be good for hydroponics. I put the hot soil on the bottom so I don't have to feed them any more. I bought the Ph meter and this came with it on Amazon, junk is junk no mater where it is bought or how much it cost.

[3Berries]

That is a Total Dissolved Solids/EC/PPM meter. You just dip it in the liquid mixture.

[Ckbrew]

I ditched my meter for this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1 much easier.

[Satyaban]

I looked at that and I think I read some reviews, that and the notation that it is not for water caused me to decide not to buy it. If the accuracy is confirmed there isn't anything easier than dipping this in water or liquid. I thought about going to the fish store for a kit but I remembered what I had to do when I had 3 fish tanks with the biggest being 50 gal.

[Ckbrew]

I don't know what you mean by not for water, or maybe I misunderstand you. Yes these papers are designed for measuring pH in an aqueous (water) solution, and while they do not have the accuracy of a properly functioning and calibrated meter, they are accurate enough for growing cannabis. Just dip and read.

[Satyaban]

The damned thing would not stop moving long enough to read it when I stuck it in water, numbers would bounce around and stop at all zeros. To hell with it, I am just going to put lemon juice in my tap, maybe 3 teaspoons for every 5 gallons of water, otherwise I am going to do nothing.

[3Berries]

Don't let that pH probe dry out!

[UndergroundFarmer]

I invested in Bluelab pH meters for liquid and soil and had no issues with them. I haven't used either in six months because I moved to organic living soil. All I do now is let the water stand about 24 hours with an airstone going in the bucket. Most cities' tap water is weakly buffered mildly basic to avoid lead leaching into drinking water. It doesn't take a lot to drop it below 7.0.

[Satyaban]

The tap water where I live:

How do we measure pH?

pH is measured with a probe that is lowered by staff or volunteers into the water at each station location. pH readings are recorded half-way between the water’s surface and the river bottom. We assess the pH data using the State of XXXs instantaneous numeric threshold range of 6.5 – 8.5 (SU pH), which ensures the protection of the ecological health of animal and plant populations in the State’s streams and rivers from harmful acidic or basic pH conditions.

What I didn't include is that this water is collected into reservoirs. I am going to add lemon juice to my water just to be safe.
I just made a short visit to my basement and the plants are literally exploding with growth so something is working right. I will put new photos up in the Runts thread.