PH Tester?

Hello: Fellow Growers

I am just getting ready to start my first indoor grow and I am wanting to do everything I can to insure a good grow. I have been looking for a PH meter, but I am unsure what to get. I am growing in Fox Farms Ocean soil, HomeboxGL80 tent, 400w/mh/hps.

Do I want to check the PH of the water I am going to use for feeding?
or Do I need to check the PH of the soil (before and or after watering)?

This is one I found on E-bay, not the cheapest not the most expensive

http://cgi.ebay.com/SOIL-PH-MOISTURE-METER-TESTER-WATER-QUALITY-16-LONG-/260562834792?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3caac15568

I plan to use distilled water, as my house is on a well that has a chlorine system.

I am a heretic - I never measure pH - MJ is very pH tolerant, especialy when grown in soil, as are all plants that have evolved to live now. But lots of kids who can´t get an ounce a plant warn me about noot lockout, whatever that is.

That type of pH meter will only test the soil, you can't stick it in your water to check the pH so you will need test strips if you want to do that.

My tap water has a lot of chlorine in it but all I do is pour it straight from the spicket into a gallon jug and let it sit there for a couple of days with the top off and the chlorine will evaporate.

Those meters are accurate though, I have one and has helped me out.

Ph "IS" important. Homedepot has them for like 15 bucks. Reads PH and fert for soil only. Also for about 7 bucks you can get a water ph tester from any hydro store, little vial, and a bottle of tester chem with the color diagramm on the bottle. PH IS important! Spend the 25 buck, its well worth it. Later down the road if you run into any problems, these tool with help you narrow things down. If you use them and do the right thing, you shouldnt have any problem to worry about.

natelandros said:

Ph "IS" important.

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If you say so - and it is correctly written with a lower case p, capital H - amazing how people who pretend to fuss about it can´t even get the nomenclature right. Don´t know how I got 26 ounces dried from one plant without worrying about measuring it. But then my Grandad grew masses of brilliant tomatoes, and he didn´t know what pH was.

Spanishfly said:

If you say so - and it is correctly written with a lower case p, capital H - amazing how people who pretend to fuss about it can´t even get the nomenclature right. Don´t know how I got 26 ounces dried from one plant without worrying about measuring it. But then my Grandad grew masses of brilliant tomatoes, and he didn´t know what pH was.

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I think if you know what you are doing then you don't really need to constantly test your pH in soil.

Soil is very forgiving and can handle fluctuations in the pH, mine usually stays around 6.5- 6.8 and all my plants do very well. It's when people constantly try to adjust their pH is when problems seem to occur. Consistancy is usually more important than trying to keep your pH at an exact number.

You said it, Wax.