Recommended PH Meter Advice

Hey guys I need some help on the type of Ph meter I should get for a hydro set up.
I was considering Ph-Test Kits.. but im more of a fan of a solid number.. so digital is the way for me.

HOWEVER! i go on Ebay and I jusdt see chinese knock offs and read bad reviews.. can RIU please help me out..
I need type of ph meter at a reasonable price 10-25$
and please also list the calibrations I should have with it.. I hear I should only have two different types of calibrations.

Thank you so much for your help and time! ima go and smoke some hookah with my friends! peeace!!!

I have 2 of them Chinese knockoffs from e-bay 1 is very good it has automatic temperature control you need to have 2 types of calibration solutions like ph4 and ph7 ,and calibrate it back and forth a few times to make sure its working right. the other is total crap it might work, but its very hard to adjust it dose not have automatic temperature control. I have tested the ATC one with my friends 120$ Hanna ph tester and some Ph paper test strips and it work's very good, I'm not to sure for how long tho.

hmmm haha so you have two of the same yellow lookin chinese ones?

and whats that auto temp control for when used with water? its seriously just a temperature meter too?

I dunno about the ph test strips cuz like.. i want to see an exact number.. not a tint of color.. things get too unorganized that way.. i just wanna be EXACT xD

Spend a little more money and get a pH pen. Automatically compensates for temp, and they are accurate if you calibrate them once a month or so.

Here is the one I have: http://www.greners.com/nutrients-additives/testers-ph-ppm/ph-meters-1/oakton-waterproof-ecotester-ph2.html

I now use a Nutri-Dip tri-meter that I mounted on the wall above the rez. Just a quick glance tells me everything!

Get a Hannah for about 30 on ebay. You don't need any calibration solution at all. Just do the 7.0 calibration with distilled or ro water. Forget the 4.0 calibration.For our purpose there is no need for that second digit after the decimal. Do calibrate often though.

i had a 30 dollar one till i used it three times and accidentally dropped it into a watering bucket. then i went out, got a brian, and got a waterproof one.

Bluelab truncheon. Excelent but pricey.

Blue Lab. Period.

I agree that if you have a dropsey problem get a waterproof. My $30 Hannah is 3 years old. What I did by the way that works well is glue a popsicle stick on the side to give me a handle.

I heard a lot about the hannahs and ppl saying you always have to calibrate.. i honestly dont give a fuck lmfao i think it'd be cool as long as you get super accurate readings.Blue labs, I need to look into that one thanx!So for equipment I have a TDS meter already.. Looking to get a PH meter.. any other types of meters or equipment I need? so far its just those and a spray bottle.. list ANY you can think of because I want to have a really good controlled area and even if it costs a shit load list it anyway so I can put it down on my "Things to get before my plants die" list

I've had a cheap Milwaukee meter for a while, and it works pretty okay. Tends to stay pretty calibrated anyways. A meter that is water proof and has a replaceable electrode is more ideal, on my shopping list anyways.

As far as calibration with 4.0 and 7.0 solutions, here is what my Al B Fuct notes have to say:

"You'll need to calibrate to both values, usually 7 first, then dip in plain water to clean off the electrode, then dip the 4.0 soln. Rinse the tip in water again, then dip the 7 soln again to verify it's calibrated. Rinse and dip 4, verifying the meter reads correctly.

The reason for this procedure is to set the gain of an amplifier circuit which converts the very small electrical signal from the glass bulb electrode into a signal large enough to be processed further in the rest of the metering circuits. You are setting the linearity, making sure the meter has the same sensitivity across the range 4.0-7.0.

Is it a pain to do? You bet it is. Unfortunately, this is how all pH meters work. You should calibrate your meter before each use."

I can atest to what pdillio says, but keep in mind some pH meters only have one calibration potentiometer. The circuits are essentially the same(a precalculated/fixed voltage divider instead of a potentiometer) and you could simply follow the same proceedure for all meters. As for the OP I would get a meter that accepts common reef/marine/lab probes with a bnc connector, as you will need to change your probe every 12-18 months(or whenever you can calibrate it well). You can get good probes from many manufacturers for a good price on the various sites, most of these probes are also ment to be constanly submerged and will preform well with minimal maintanence.

Kdn said:

I can atest to what pdillio says, but keep in mind some pH meters only have one calibration potentiometer. The circuits are essentially the same(a precalculated/fixed voltage divider instead of a potentiometer) and you could simply follow the same proceedure for all meters. As for the OP I would get a meter that accepts common reef/marine/lab probes with a bnc connector, as you will need to change your probe every 12-18 months(or whenever you can calibrate it well). You can get good probes from many manufacturers for a good price on the various sites, most of these probes are also ment to be constanly submerged and will preform well with minimal maintanence.

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wow you seem to know your stuff man. Do you have any specific brands you would recommend that are effecient and cost effective?

A Bluelab or Pinpoint will do you very well, though they tend to be on the higher price side of things. Most meters are all very similar and really only differ in quality of components and at the end of the day its really what shape the probe itself is in and the quality of the probe that will matter the most. As the probe ages it becomes harder and harder to calibrate it until you cant get a stable reading, your ph readings will drift every so slighty which is why regular calibration is recommended. I calibrate mine weekly or when one starts to read quite a bit different then the other meter I use.

only buy the best dont mess with the rest, blue labs for the win!!

I've had my oakton for almost ten years. I'm only on my second probe and works extremely well.

I didn't use it the whole ten years, it sat for 6-7 years in a hot ass garage and still worked fine when i brought it back.

Kdn said:

A Bluelab or Pinpoint will do you very well, though they tend to be on the higher price side of things. Most meters are all very similar and really only differ in quality of components and at the end of the day its really what shape the probe itself is in and the quality of the probe that will matter the most. As the probe ages it becomes harder and harder to calibrate it until you cant get a stable reading, your ph readings will drift every so slighty which is why regular calibration is recommended. I calibrate mine weekly or when one starts to read quite a bit different then the other meter I use.

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sweet thanx! what kinda probes are out there? like single and multi's that average out the readings?

The Blue lab isnt that much more. Specially when u factor in that u have to buy a ph and tds meter. Plus the BL has temp reading on it.

The BL has a 5 year warranty also.

i81two said:

The Blue lab isnt that much more. Specially when u factor in that u have to buy a ph and tds meter. Plus the BL has temp reading on it.

The BL has a 5 year warranty also.

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sweet yeah i already have a tds meter cuz it said like.. EC/TDS i coulda sworn i thought it said ph too lmfao, i just need a ph meter, what do u think would suffice for a super cheap item until i get that blue lab? i just wanna make sure my soil isnt all fucked until i get my pay check. (btw its for hydro but right now i did stupid ass last minute transplant into soil for the season, its still in pot so i can still measure the run off from the pot.)