Ph meter went up…suggestions

[blueberrymilkshake]

I have said that. I use simple nutrients that I know the EC of by how much I add so I don't bother measuring the EC I just measure the nutrients. The last grow I just finished I used just MaxiBloom with coco. I mix up 4 gallons at a time. I checked the EC once or twice and the pH the same. The same amount of MaxiBloom to water is the same EC so no need to check every time unless I change amounts which I don't. The same amount of PeKacid lowers the pH to 6.0 where I want it so no need to measure every time. I just mix by measurement and it's always right where I want it to be.

Now if you're fumbling around with some ridiculous feeding chart and a dozen bottles of stuff then you would probably want to at least check the pH as different additives can alter the pH. I don't bother with that nonsense and just feed my plants what they need so once I have a recipe I just keep using it without the need to check EC or pH. I won't bother using my pH or EC meter unless I switch nutes and then only for the first couple of batches to figure out the recipe. After that it's just measure and mix.

I'm glad you saw that, I want to say thanks. It's been a struggle getting to this point, but my water game has improved immensely since I read what you said about not measuring. I don't use the same EC start to finish though, so it's kind of a bitch and adds some flair mixing up muscle memory. But if I didn't read your comment, I would've still been fuckin' around with meters for a few hours a week instead of minutes. I only use maxi though. Makes life easy.

 

[rkymtnman]

Never wrong and never needs calibrating.
View attachment 5157602

not if you're color blind according to PJ.

 

[xtsho]

I'm glad you saw that, I want to say thanks. It's been a struggle getting to this point, but my water game has improved immensely since I read what you said about not measuring. I don't use the same EC start to finish though, so it's kind of a bitch and adds some flair mixing up muscle memory. But if I didn't read your comment, I would've still been fuckin' around with meters for a few hours a week instead of minutes. I only use maxi though. Makes life easy.

I'm not really saying not to measure I'm saying that I don't and why. Some people should measure often because they're using a ton of products and following some ridiculous feeding chart that has you adding different amounts of different things every week. And then many of these nutrient companies change their ingredients and formulas which can alter the final solution pH and EC.

I just use a simple recipe. Water and a one part nutrient.

 

[blueberrymilkshake]

I'm not really saying not to measure I'm saying that I don't and why. Some people should measure often because they're using a ton of products and following some ridiculous feeding chart that has you adding different amounts of different things every week. And then many of these nutrient companies change their ingredients and formulas which can alter the final solution pH and EC.

I just use a simple recipe. Water and a one part nutrient.

That's very egalitarian of you to take the multi bottle bros into consideration.

 

[PJ Diaz]

not if you're color blind according to PJ.

That's an operator issue though, not a product issue. I could always get my wife or kid to tell me what it read in a pinch.

One thing I've wondered though about these drops, is how they interact with nutes that have coloring to them. If you use nutes with a blue tint, does that throw off the readings at all? Colorblind peeps like me don't know about such things.

 

[blueberrymilkshake]

 

[PJ Diaz]

This is kinda irrelevant, sorry. A while back somebody said they don't use a pH or EC meter when they mix because they've been doing it so long. Wish I could remember who it was. Kinda sounds like bullshit to me, but I've been striving to gain that ability since I read the post haha.

I've managed to do it twice since last year, so I know it's possible lol. It's weird, once the proper amount of salts and pH up have been added, I can almost gauge it by the viscosity when stirring, like a sweet spot.

My EC meter is broken, so I haven't used one in months. Just mix the same recipe and go. I will often dip my ph pen just for funzies, after I've added everything including ph up, and I always am in the sweet spot, so don't really need it.

 

[rkymtnman]

That's an operator issue though, not a product issue. I could always get my wife or kid to tell me what it read in a pinch.

One thing I've wondered though about these drops, is how they interact with nutes that have coloring to them. If you use nutes with a blue tint, does that throw off the readings at all? Colorblind peeps like me don't know about such things.

i use spirulina now so my nutes are bluish-green. before they were just brown from the kelp/humic mix.

 

[PJ Diaz]

i use spirulina now so my nutes are bluish-green. before they were just brown from the kelp/humic mix.

I haven't heard of using spirulina in plant feed. Sounds interesting. You are still using kelp too?

 

[rkymtnman]

I haven't heard of using spirulina in plant feed. Sounds interesting. You are still using kelp too?

nope, ditched the kelp for the spirulina. i read about it somewhere and then almost at the same time read a post here by @Rurumo who also uses it. it was described as "kelp on steroids". the plants seem to like it. no ill effects (yet)

 

[PJ Diaz]

nope, ditched the kelp for the spirulina. i read about it somewhere and then almost at the same time read a post here by @Rurumo who also uses it. it was described as "kelp on steroids". the plants seem to like it. no ill effects (yet)

Are you just using nutritional spirulina or something specific for agriculture? I think it would likely clog up my drip emitters. I'll have to look into it more.

 

[xtsho]

That's an operator issue though, not a product issue. I could always get my wife or kid to tell me what it read in a pinch.

One thing I've wondered though about these drops, is how they interact with nutes that have coloring to them. If you use nutes with a blue tint, does that throw off the readings at all? Colorblind peeps like me don't know about such things.

I found this from a supplier of pH drops. They say the solution should be clear. I don't know. I use to use the drops but switched to a meter years ago as I could never tell what the actual color was due to lighting and my eyesight.




I've also found several sites that address colored nutrients and using the drops while others don't have any mention of non-clear nutrient solutions.

"The cheapest method involves paper test strips. The strips are covered in a pH sensitive dye that will chance color when dipped in a nutrient solution. You then compare the strip to a color chart to determine the pH. While inexpensive, this method isn’t very accurate and it can be made more difficult if you have a nutrient solution that isn’t clear. The color of your nutrient solution may vary depending on the type of nutrients you’re using."

"A liquid based pH test kit is another popular option. This is one of the most popular methods, as it is a bit more accurate than the paper test strip method. To use a liquid test kit, simply add a few drops of pH sensitive dye to a small vial with containing your nutrient solution. The color of the nutrient solution will change, which you will then compare to a color chart to determine the pH level. Like the test strip method, I don’t recommend using the liquid method if the color of your nutrient solution has changed because of your nutrients."

 

[rkymtnman]

Are you just using nutritional spirulina or something specific for agriculture? I think it would likely clog up my drip emitters. I'll have to look into it more.

yep, just a bag of "human" spirulina from Ebay. i use open ended feed lines but i think it would definitely clog emitters.

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

My EC meter is broken, so I haven't used one in months. Just mix the same recipe and go. I will often dip my ph pen just for funzies, after I've added everything including ph up, and I always am in the sweet spot, so don't really need it.

I’ve never even opened my bottle of pH up that came as a package with pH down.

 

[rkymtnman]

I’ve never even opened my bottle of pH up that came as a package with pH down.

i've needed some up every once in awhile. humic and/or fulvic acids were what i thought caused it to drop.

 

[RIS]

The only time I use PH Up is when I use too much PH Down... I think this says enough about my H2O game...

 

[PJ Diaz]

Yeah, I think the kelp and fulvic brings it down. I only use 1 ml of up for every 10gals of solution.

 

[PJ Diaz]

When I used to use potassium silicate I would have to use ph down, but now when I use silica I use mono-silicic acid which is ph neutral.

 

[RIS]

Yeah, I think the kelp and fulvic brings it down. I only use 1 ml of up for every 10gals of solution.

ok... for 10g I used 6ml and it got down to 6.56

When I used to use potassium silicate I would have to use ph down, but now when I use silica I use mono-silicic acid which is ph neutral.

Ok this makes a little more sense.

 

[calvin.m16]

Get normal general hydropoincs drops kit(s) and throw away the devices. Drops never lie and always work, they also don't require batteries or a device.