hey man, welcome to riu!
just buy pH strips from your local hydroponics store or gardening center. i just bought some today for $6.95 and they last forever and are super easy to use... unless you are color blind. (cool that you are getting set up for pH, its one of the most important things for healthy plants. most new growers forget that part.)
the ppm reader i can't really help on. i wouldn't worry about that too much as a first time grower. just go on the recommended usage of whatever product you are using. adjust accordingly as you gain experience. i've done that for years and never had a problem. 1 tbsp/gallon and all that crap. if you are growing in soil it isn't very complicated.
for a first grow i would stick to the essentials (pH being on of them) and keep your costs down as much as possible. hope that helps.