Soil ph test

Hi. what is the best way to check the ph of my soil? I was thinking about buying one of these probes(attached image) but i dont know if they are reliable. I also saw that you can mix 1 part soil to 2 parts water as well and do a slurry test. I was going to use bottled water that I use for my plants for the slurry test. EC of the water is 0.08 and ph is about 6.7 which I can bring up to 7 by using ph up because I read that for a slurry test to be accurate, water has to be at ph 7. Let me know which is the best option or if there is any other ways I can test soil ph. Also, do I use soil from the top,midde or bottom of the pot for the slurry test?Thanks

BL2001 said:

Hi. what is the best way to check the ph of my soil? I was thinking about buying one of these probes(attached image) but i dont know if they are reliable. I also saw that you can mix 1 part soil to 2 parts water as well and do a slurry test. I was going to use bottled water that I use for my plants for the slurry test. EC of the water is 0.08 and ph is about 6.7 which I can bring up to 7 by using ph up because I read that for a slurry test to be accurate, water has to be at ph 7. Let me know which is the best option or if there is any other ways I can test soil ph. ThanksView attachment 5181430

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The meter pictured is useless for pH measurement.

Billy the Mountain said:

The meter pictured is useless for pH measurement.

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Okay. So what is the best way to go about checking the soil ph?

BL2001 said:

Okay. So what is the best way to go about checking the soil ph?

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I use coco and have never checked the medium's pH, I always measure the input pH and rarely runoff pH

Use a quality conventional pH meter and use the slurry method or get a legitimate soil pH meter ($$$).

Billy the Mountain said:

I use coco and have never checked the medium's pH, I always measure the input pH and rarely runoff pH

Use a quality conventional pH meter and use the slurry method or get a legitimate soil pH meter ($$$).

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Thanks. I'll do a slurry test. And is the water that i mentioned okay for the test or does it have to be distilled?

Use your normal water source..

BL2001 said:

Thanks. I'll do a slurry test. And is the water that i mentioned okay for the test or does it have to be distilled?

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Yes

Why do you need to test the pH of the soil? Is it a mix you made yourself?

xtsho said:

Yes

The Ultimate Soil pH Testing Guide

This all-encompassing guide will help anyone who is just starting out with soil pH testing. (And experienced growers will be able to learn something, too!)

blog.hannainst.com

Why do you need to test the pH of the soil? Is it a mix you made yourself?

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no I bought it from a grow shop. i want to check it because everytime I check runoff ph is always in the low 5's. I tried flushing it like 2 times and it only get it up to 6.1 and it drops again after a few days and plants are showing a few signs of deficiencies on the lower leaves.

Depending on your budget. An Apera 8500 with a Swiss glass tip is the most accurate one I've found. Measures direct soil, or liquids to within a 100th of a point. A bit pricey, but it has saved my ass a few times on plants going downhill. Plus, I use it every time I mix my nutes, and can adjust ph depending on what the direct soil reading is. If Im 6.3 in soil, I'll mix my nutes at closer to 7 to have it buffer and settle in the mid 6's range.

xtsho said:

Yes

Why do you need to test the pH of the soil? Is it a mix you made yourself?

The Ultimate Soil pH Testing Guide

This all-encompassing guide will help anyone who is just starting out with soil pH testing. (And experienced growers will be able to learn something, too!)

blog.hannainst.com

Click to expand...

no I bought it from a grow shop. i want to check it because everytime I check runoff ph is always in the low 5's. I tried flushing it like 2 times and it only get it up to 6.1 and it drops again after a few days and plants are showing a few signs of deficiencies on the lower leaves

BL2001 said:

no I bought it from a grow shop. i want to check it because everytime I check runoff ph is always in the low 5's. I tried flushing it like 2 times and it only get it up to 6.1 and it drops again after a few days and plants are showing a few signs of deficiencies on the lower leaves

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Runoff pH from soil is worthless as a measurement. Stop checking it and flushing it. What did the plants look like before you decided to flush because of the runoff pH?

I grow in roots organics soil and have been doing so for a few years under HIDs and also quantum board leds lately. These have worked for me from slurrys or by just sticking the probe into the soil. But I doubt it qualifies for the latest science or technology.

If they are worthless then I dont think you can prove it by me. I pretty much rely on them for PH and nute levels for every grow and I seem to do OK by them. Or at least I get some great budsters for the smoke.

I cant find better sativa dominant smoke around here so I stick with what works for me.

yo

xtsho said:

Runoff pH from soil is worthless as a measurement. Stop checking it and flushing it. What did the plants look like before you decided to flush because of the runoff pH?

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first set of leaves at the very bottom were starting to yellow starting from the tip and it started going further down towards the stem and second set of leaves started developing a few brown spots. I managed to find a photo of it. It was either before flushing or a day after. It not the best photo but if you zoom in you can kinda see it. This is the potting mix I use.

BL2001 said:

first set of leaves at the very bottom were starting to yellow starting from the tip and it started going further down towards the stem and second set of leaves started developing a few brown spots. I managed to find a photo of it. It was either before flushing or a day after. It not the best photo but if you zoom in you can kinda see it. This is the potting mix I use.View attachment 5181461View attachment 5181462

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That's a coco/peat mixture. That's not really a soil but more of a soilless mix. It also looks like it has fertilizer already in it. But who knows how much.

There is nothing from the looks of that plant that flushing it based off of a runoff pH reading was warranted. If anything it looks like it could use more light and a proper feeding. You're focusing on the wrong things.