What’s the best pH meter to purchase. I’m using soHum living soil for my plants. It says to keep a 6/6.5 ph but I’ve read where there is no need to ph this soil. But I’m having issues with a plant. Just want to know which ph meter is best to buy and what to use to ph my water. Thanks
pH???
- Thread starter NewGrow91
- Start date
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
Cheapo meters give cheapo results so if you plan on growing for years to come invest in something good like a Eutech/Oakton or BluLab pH meter. Make sure to get some pH 7 and 4 calibration fluid AND some proper storage sol'n to keep the probe stored in between uses. My Eutech/Oakton pen is around 10 years old, cost me $69 at a garden centre and still works fine. The cap holds the storage sol'n and I just squirt a little RO water into it when it evaporates a bit as the salts are still in there.
Keep a little spray bottle filled with RO or distilled water for rinsing it off between uses or before putting away soaking in storage sol'n. DO NOT leave the probe soaking in pure water as it will leach the salts out of the glass bulb and destroy the probe. Spend the $10 or less on a small bottle of storage sol'n. I still have half mine left and got it when I bought the pen.
You can also get 2-part cleaning sol'ns for pH pens but if rinsed off well after use so no nutrients remain then you may not need them. If the reference pin next to the glass ball goes black then it will need to be properly cleaned. Just be hella careful with that glass ball as they are thin and break easily.
To pH your water before use if it's hard get proper pH down. Don't be using vinegar or baking soda to pH up or down. If you have hard water you should pH down to around 7 before adding nutes then checking the pH again and adjusting if needed. Most of the time especially if using RO or distilled water just add any ferts first, stir well and allow to sit for 15min before testing then adjust if needed. When using RO or distilled water and just want to water your plants then no need to test anything. Both have a neutral pH so no adjustment required.
Keep a little spray bottle filled with RO or distilled water for rinsing it off between uses or before putting away soaking in storage sol'n. DO NOT leave the probe soaking in pure water as it will leach the salts out of the glass bulb and destroy the probe. Spend the $10 or less on a small bottle of storage sol'n. I still have half mine left and got it when I bought the pen.
You can also get 2-part cleaning sol'ns for pH pens but if rinsed off well after use so no nutrients remain then you may not need them. If the reference pin next to the glass ball goes black then it will need to be properly cleaned. Just be hella careful with that glass ball as they are thin and break easily.
To pH your water before use if it's hard get proper pH down. Don't be using vinegar or baking soda to pH up or down. If you have hard water you should pH down to around 7 before adding nutes then checking the pH again and adjusting if needed. Most of the time especially if using RO or distilled water just add any ferts first, stir well and allow to sit for 15min before testing then adjust if needed. When using RO or distilled water and just want to water your plants then no need to test anything. Both have a neutral pH so no adjustment required.
It’s in soHum living soil. It’s a couple weeks old I haven’t pH water. Temps are between 77-81 degrees rH is around 53-mid 60%
Attachments
Water Quality: pH and Alkalinity
Recently, some growers have expressed concern about the "high pH" of their irrigation water and its potential adverse effects on plants. The purpose of this article is to allay some of these concerns by pointing out the difference between "high pH" and "high alkalinity". Alkalinity and pH are...
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
No need to ph the water. Or anything really. The composition of your bagged soil mix sets the actual ph in the root zone. You don’t really need a soil ph meter to check it unless your plants are showing an absorption problem. I’ve been growing in soil for over a decade and never checked ph even once. All you need to do is add active organic materials like worm castings on the regular in order to keep the mix active w/ microbes. They will take care of everything; just let them do all the work. No need to spend hundreds on a soil ph probe unless you are making up your own mix.
The growth appears abormal because your mix is just a little too stout. That twisting/clawing and/or very sharp veining is an indicator of that but the fix is to just water as normal. Next time cut your soil mix down with a little perlite and/or coco coir to make it more palatable to young seedlings. I would top/FIM this but not to get rid of the strange looking growth; just to induce more colas.
Thanks this has been the best suggestion I’ve gotten. So can I go ahead and top or is it to early for it?
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
Sure; I like to wait until the 5th set of nodes emerges. When the topmost growth is praying like hands snip in half or twist em right off.
Okay great!!!