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Location

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Date Posted

Austin MN

What brand and place is best to get one from? Looking to use it to measure pH of ferts before applying.

5/5/2018 9:54:22 AM

Rhode Island

ron has a good one we use. email him at wallace wow .com

5/5/2018 10:58:09 AM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

Come on PAP tell us all please

5/5/2018 1:20:15 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

tanner, I have been using the ecotester ph1 in my hydrogrows for the past two years without issues. If you get a ph meter also get 4 fluids. These are electrode cleaner, electrode storage solution and ph reference fluids (i have both 4.0 and 7.0). My ecotester has been reliable, even though at times, i have let the tip dry out. I have a habit of rinsing in my reverse osmosis after each use so don't have too much problem with the the tip corroding. If you are going to measure fert solution the benefit will depend on what type fert you are using. If you are using salt based fertilizers..ph meter is very valuable. The past few months I have been switching to liquid organics. From what I have read...ph'ing this is not valuable. As soon as the nutrients reach the microbiology the ph will change. I am still going to ph my water outside. From the tap it runs about 7.4, I am going to acidify it down into the 6 range.

5/5/2018 1:58:00 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

HM Digital makes a wide array testing units. PH Meter and TDS (total dissolved solids) Meter are awesome.

http://hmdigital.com/product/ph-80/

http://hmdigital.com/product/tds-ez/

5/5/2018 4:34:31 PM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Any local grow shop has them tanner blue lab is one brand google it like all things now a days.. amazon... I would say a good one is probably around 300 bucks ... just a guess ..

5/5/2018 5:02:49 PM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Isn’t a tds meter stand for.....total dissolved salts not solids .... they don’t work with organic ferts as I was told..

5/5/2018 5:04:03 PM

Rapid City, SD

THIS IS WHAT RON W. HAS
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bluelab-Growers-Toolbox-pH-TEMP-Pen-Tester-Meter-waterproof-meter-LCD-Display/282124273866?epid=1300393711&hash=item41afeac8ca:g:ZrkAAOSwtnpXpMGp

5/5/2018 5:11:29 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

@ Big City Grower, a TDS meter reads “total dissolved solids” and will record anything dissolved in the water...including organic fertilizers.

“Total dissolved solids (TDS) is a measure of the combined content of all inorganic and organic substances contained in a liquid in molecular, ionized or micro-granular (colloidal sol) suspended form.”

5/6/2018 12:03:08 AM

Torrance, Ca.

I also use the one Ron has from bluelab. If you've used them for a few years you already know but if your new to the ph meter ( the nicer ones ) its a lot more delicate then the other meters we use (ec\ppm, soil salinity probes, etc ). Make sure to keep that little clear ball clean that takes the reading and " ALWAYS " use the ph probe KCI storage cleaner you put in the top.
I learned the hard way and I'm on my 3rd one in 3 years. I finally called the company and got the whole tutorial and listened for once.:) lol
Very important when applying some of the fungicides we use to have the right ph.

5/6/2018 1:49:24 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Great info Chris, I’ve always relied on the testing results done by the local water authority and my PH meter is still in the box. We are in a new community now on “community water” which is basically artisan wells, collected, treated, tested. It is usually 7-8.

5/6/2018 11:11:02 AM

Lymington UK

Just to be the devils advocate I really think an e.c metre is a more important tool for the patch.
Ian

5/7/2018 5:55:54 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Agreed Ian, Richmond Dave uses one.

5/7/2018 9:39:13 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

As a follow up, Ian would you mind explaining the difference between the EC Meter and TDS Meter. It always confused me that when using an EC Meter you end up converting tp PPM (parts per million) anyways. Why would an EC Meter be your choice over TDS Meter?

5/7/2018 10:27:23 AM

Berlin, Germany

I`am using this apliance since many years,....very recommend:
https://www.conrad.de/de/bodenanalyse-set-ph-wert-voltcraft-ph-212-kalibriert-nach-werksstandard-ohne-zertifikat-101122.html

5/7/2018 1:26:53 PM

Lymington UK

We have a pH meter but a good EC meter is normally the tool of choice for most comercial growers.
We actually have two EC meters.
One for measuring solutions which is extremely accurate and the other does the soil which is less accurate.
When you get your soil sample back you will normally have an EC value so a meter will give you a direct comparison.
A TDS metre does measure the EC it's just converted into a different number.
I can see how all this is probably a little confusing and it would probably also come down to cost.
I think if you can get your head around EC an EC meter will be a great tool for the patch.
Our EC meter will probably come out of its box most days of the week and all of our staff know how to use it.
I hope this helps a little Ian

5/7/2018 7:01:00 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

One thing i will caution growers about...EC is accurate. When you see what the meter shows for ppm it is dependent on the what percentage the meters converts to. Some meters are 50% and some are 70%. PPM works if you are using the numbers for only your grows and to compare but if you tell someone to set the ppm of a solution at 1200ppm..their meter and yours could be really different strengths. My current EC/ppm meter has an adjustment feature...I can set it at either 50% or 70%. Depending on where i have it set..I have to use a different Calibration Fluid. For best practice...we should all be using EC. It is the same meter to meter.

5/7/2018 7:49:48 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Richmond Dave found me this great link regarding the EC vs TDS and ppm details. Thanks Dave, questions answered.

https://www.hydroponics.net/learn/debate_over_ec_and_tds.php

5/9/2018 2:42:51 PM