Just wanted to share my thoughts on pH testing with beginners and share what I have learned.
1) Don't need a super expensive pH pen
This is the one I use, it's about $30 and it's awesome
2) Don't need to test every day.
Until you get used to mixing up your feed you should test often, but if you are mixing over 3 gallons the same way ever few days or weeks things don't change that much. I test maybe once a month. I use tap water and there is a shift with the seasons but other than that the pH is very stable. What I added last week for pH up is what I am going to need this week for pH up.
3) Do need to store them right.
Make sure to fill the cap with storage solution or 4.0 or they will go bad pretty quick. That is another reason I like the above pen because it comes with a tiny rubber cap that holds the solution and is water proof. The other ones usually have plastic caps that will leak if they are tipped over. I store mine in a glass jar but it's tipped before.
4) Do need to calibrate them.
When I do my test and it reads where it is supposed to I don't calibrate. If it's working it's working. But if it doesn't read where I think it should be I two point calibrate. Buy the small bottles of the buffers and just stick the pen in. Bottles should last years this way. I will never add more or less pH up and down than I did my last mix without calibrating.
5)Be prepared to replace them.
They don't last forever. I average once a year or two. Some people I've read 4. But at some point you will need to replace it and that's another reason I like the cheap one.
Recently I had to mix 5ml more of pH up to my mix compared to previous mix. I immediately recalibrated my pen and measured again. Same results. I ordered a new one on Amazon and conditioned it and calibrated it and got the same reading. There was nothing wrong with the first pen but this explains my mind process when I see more or less pH up/down being used. My trust for the pen goes right out the window. I often have up to 3 pens hanging around because of this, which may seem odd coming from a guy who says you don't have to test much, and you don't, but when you do test it has to be right.
Last pH mess up I had was a few years back. Plants were showing signs of a pH problem and it didn't make sense to me, the range was where it should be with my pen but the plants said "wrong." bought another pen and again said I was within range. Plants said "wrong". Complete mystery. Bought new pH buffer solution to find out that the 7.0 buffer was actually 8. I have never even heard of that happening!! But I was in a cheap mood and bought some Chinese buffer from amazon thinking, it's just buffer. My point is, tools are awesome and needed but you always have to trust your plants even if your tools are saying one thing. Tools can lie, plants can't.
1) Don't need a super expensive pH pen
This is the one I use, it's about $30 and it's awesome
2) Don't need to test every day.
Until you get used to mixing up your feed you should test often, but if you are mixing over 3 gallons the same way ever few days or weeks things don't change that much. I test maybe once a month. I use tap water and there is a shift with the seasons but other than that the pH is very stable. What I added last week for pH up is what I am going to need this week for pH up.
3) Do need to store them right.
Make sure to fill the cap with storage solution or 4.0 or they will go bad pretty quick. That is another reason I like the above pen because it comes with a tiny rubber cap that holds the solution and is water proof. The other ones usually have plastic caps that will leak if they are tipped over. I store mine in a glass jar but it's tipped before.
4) Do need to calibrate them.
When I do my test and it reads where it is supposed to I don't calibrate. If it's working it's working. But if it doesn't read where I think it should be I two point calibrate. Buy the small bottles of the buffers and just stick the pen in. Bottles should last years this way. I will never add more or less pH up and down than I did my last mix without calibrating.
5)Be prepared to replace them.
They don't last forever. I average once a year or two. Some people I've read 4. But at some point you will need to replace it and that's another reason I like the cheap one.
Recently I had to mix 5ml more of pH up to my mix compared to previous mix. I immediately recalibrated my pen and measured again. Same results. I ordered a new one on Amazon and conditioned it and calibrated it and got the same reading. There was nothing wrong with the first pen but this explains my mind process when I see more or less pH up/down being used. My trust for the pen goes right out the window. I often have up to 3 pens hanging around because of this, which may seem odd coming from a guy who says you don't have to test much, and you don't, but when you do test it has to be right.
Last pH mess up I had was a few years back. Plants were showing signs of a pH problem and it didn't make sense to me, the range was where it should be with my pen but the plants said "wrong." bought another pen and again said I was within range. Plants said "wrong". Complete mystery. Bought new pH buffer solution to find out that the 7.0 buffer was actually 8. I have never even heard of that happening!! But I was in a cheap mood and bought some Chinese buffer from amazon thinking, it's just buffer. My point is, tools are awesome and needed but you always have to trust your plants even if your tools are saying one thing. Tools can lie, plants can't.
