Deeznuggs79
420 Member
Does your ph meter for your water stop working after a couple months i cant tell if its working or not i keep having deficiencies even though it says the ph is good maybe its not accurate any more?
PH help
- Thread starter Deeznuggs79
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Johnny5thesim
Well-Known Member
It doesn’t stop working on a schedule. But it can definitely go out of calibration. You can get calibration kits to ensure it’s good. A higher quality ph pen will likely go longer without needing adjustments.
It’s also a great idea to store it in a proper solution. Mine gets stored in a KCL or whatever it’s called.
I always keep a cheap ph color test kit around as a backup!
I also use known sources for checking against. I use a distilled water for cleaning/rinsing bulb. So when I pull it out and the ph is off on my distilled water. I know something is up. And it’s time to check calibration.
It’s also a great idea to store it in a proper solution. Mine gets stored in a KCL or whatever it’s called.
I always keep a cheap ph color test kit around as a backup!
I also use known sources for checking against. I use a distilled water for cleaning/rinsing bulb. So when I pull it out and the ph is off on my distilled water. I know something is up. And it’s time to check calibration.
Mastrmasn
Well-Known Member
I tried using ph meters a long time. Having to keep calibrating it turned me off them. Bought the drop kits. Been happy with that ever since.
Johnny5thesim
Well-Known Member
I have a nice Apera instruments one. Seems to stay bang on always. But comes with a calibration kit. Making it easy and quick to stay on top of.
I wouldn’t recommend a cheap one. They are garbage!
I wouldn’t recommend a cheap one. They are garbage!
George Mc
Well-Known Member
I have a cheap pH meter from Amazon and it does not say to store it in solution. It says to store it dry. So be sure to read your instructions every one of them is different.
Johnny5thesim
Well-Known Member
Yes, obviously always follow instructions for them.
I wonder how it does PH without a bulb? Probe style or something?
I wonder how it does PH without a bulb? Probe style or something?
jetsgrower
Well-Known Member
I have the cheap yellow one from amazon as well I just use distilled water to make sure its still on point every time I use it
Do you want generic responses which may either help or cause you to damage your meter, lol? Or would you like to post the brand and model number of your pH meter (and provide an image if possible)?
At this point, I don't even know if it's a digital one with a fragile glass bulb on the end (probe) that isn't refillable (and which may or may not be replaceable), one with a fragile glass bulb on the end that is refillable... or one of those 3-in-1 gizmos that are meant for jabbing into a container of soil.
If it's a digital type, try checking the calibration by testing a sample that has a known pH (the pH 4.01 calibration solution, for example, unless it's been opened "quite some time ago" (I seem to remember reading that it isn't stable long-term after being exposed to air, but could be misremembering)). You'll be looking for both a correct reading and for the meter to find and settle on that reading quickly instead of *slowly* drifting to the final number (it can take a few moments, but not long).
If you do not see the correct reading, recalibrate your meter. If it is one that is capable of a two-step calibration, use the pH 7 solution first and then the pH 4(.01) solution for the slope. (Your meter may be set up to use a pH 6.86 solution instead of 7 - check the instructions.)
If the meter is sluggish, try soaking it in storage solution for a couple of hours before calibrating it. If it requires cleaning, you might be able to do so - but use caution because those glass bulbs really are *fragile* and the hole(s) in them that must be clear in order for the thing to actually work are tiny - depending on what it is contaminated with. Some brands (Milwaukee, for example) offer a cleaning solution. But try the soak in storage solution and calibrating your meter first.
Oh and make sure your meter's batteries are still adequate; some cheaper meters might not have a low-battery indicator.
Another thing: A lot of pH meters don't have any kind of shielding and, therefore, can be affected by nearby "noisy" electrical / electronic devices. If you think your reading is wonky (especially if you have recently purchased some new device or other), try turning off your grow room's master power switch and immediately retesting the same sample to see if you get a different result.
pH meter readings are affected by temperature of the sample, and some cheap meters do not have ATC (automatic temperature compensation). However, for our purposes, this isn't really a factor; if your nutrient solution's temperature is that high, lol, you aren't feeding your cannabis plant, you're making soup out of it.
mojuan
Well-Known Member
I'm still learning the ph game, was using a horse syringe for drops, and went to a insulin syringe for smaller drops, made my swings from 8.5 to 5.3 with 1 drop of ph up and ph down more manageable, i also had to go back and read ALL the instructions about the ph meter. Good info from torturedsoul.
LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
You can't check a ph meter with distilled water. Here's why:
Johnny5thesim
Well-Known Member
Oops, my bad! I use a specific brand of spring water as a check guideline. The distilled is for rinsing it. Distilled has such low dissolved solids it doesnt ph correctly, I believe!
LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
That's correct. It's of low conductance due to too few ions, so a meter, which relies on it, can't measure properly, plus atmospheric gases eventually dissolve in it and add their own contribution. I do use it for rinsing off before putting away in its cap with a sponge moistened in KCL storage solution.
LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
if you are not storing the probe in pH meter storage solution, it's possibly knackered from the glass probe drying out. Get a pH7 calibration fluid and see if it will calibrate to it... it should read 7. If you don't have them, you need pH meter storage solution, deionized water to rinse and calibration fluid pH of pH7. After setting up and after every use you should rinse under the tap, swill it in a bit of distilled or deionized water, then put its cap on which should have a sponge in it which you soak with storage solution. Its continued accuracy depends on you being consistent with this sort of routine. A probe should be good for two years or so. It's a good idea to get a chemical pH test kit as backup when you are in doubt at times like now. They aren't expensive.
Gazoo
Member
LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
Pipettes are cheap and very quick and measure 3ml in 1/2ml marksI'm still learning the ph game, was using a horse syringe for drops, and went to a insulin syringe for smaller drops, made my swings from 8.5 to 5.3 with 1 drop of ph up and ph down more manageable, i also had to go back and read ALL the instructions about the ph meter. Good info from torturedsoul.
mojuan
Well-Known Member
Ok, I'm new so what are pipettes
mojuan
Well-Known Member
Awww, looked it up
Uh... Wouldn't it be easier to cut some pH Down 1:1 with distilled water for a 50%-strength solution, lol? Or 1:4 for a 20% strength, et cetera? One thing you definitely don't want to do is overshoot your target, then you get to chase your tail by adding a little pH Up and OOPS now it's too high, better add more pH Down so you can get back to OOPS AGAIN, where'd that bottle of pH Up go? And now your reservoir is full of more phosphoric acid, potassium carbonate, potassium silicate, et cetera than your plant needs.
Yeah, I'd get a clean bottle with a tightly fitting lid, figure up what percentage strength I want to "reduce it" to, and cut it with distilled water. But I'm kind of lazy and don't want to end up chasing my tail. I'm also kind of poor and don't want to waste stuff. YMMV, of course
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mojuan
Well-Known Member
I was fixing to start throwing stuff till my wife got involved, up down up down up down, I'm using RO water, first time, like I said newbie learning the hard way, trying not to make the same mistakes over and over.Uh... Wouldn't it be easier to cut some pH Down 1:1 with distilled water for a 50%-strength solution, lol? Or 1:4 for a 20% strength, et cetera? One thing you definitely don't want to do is overshoot your target, then you get to chase your tail by adding a little pH Up and OOPS now it's too high, better add more pH Down so you can get back to OOPS AGAIN, where'd that bottle of pH Up go? And now your reservoir is full of more phosphoric acid, potassium carbonate, potassium silicate, et cetera than your plant needs.
Yeah, I'd get a clean bottle with a tightly fitting lid, figure up what percentage strength I want to "reduce it" to, and cut it with distilled water. But I'm kind of lazy and don't want to end up chasing my tail. I'm also kind of poor and don't want to waste stuff. YMMV, of course
Mountain Goat
Active Member
I agree with Jo
I also use a Milwaukee EC meter......this has ceramic tip (not so finicky) and stored dry.......but I also always rinse off with distilled water and give it a blow before putting it to bed. Don't want any salt sitting on probe. I am a bit fanatical about PH and want to set everything on every feed to the exact PH.
I agree with Johnny.......I have a Milwaukee.......keep it with probe storage solution......sponge in the bottom of the cap with solution.....hang the whole thing in its tube upright. I replace the storage solution once a month. Before I use it, I rinse off with distilled water. I calibrate once a week using the 7.01 and 4.01 buffer solutions. I always rinse off and blow bulb dry before storing back in the storage solution again.
I also use a Milwaukee EC meter......this has ceramic tip (not so finicky) and stored dry.......but I also always rinse off with distilled water and give it a blow before putting it to bed. Don't want any salt sitting on probe. I am a bit fanatical about PH and want to set everything on every feed to the exact PH.
