gumby420
- 346
- 93
So my partner and i have had a ton of problems with PH pens and always end up going back to the drops. How do you guys all PH your nute mixes? what do you think is the most accurate way of checking?
thanks
thanks
K
kushsmoker30
- 468
- 63
i use a blue lab tri meter, works better then the drop imo. what r u PHing at with ur pen or pens? drops in nutes can b hard to read.
gumby420
- 346
- 93
last round i used the drops until like 3 weeks into flower, then me and my partner decided to get a cheap Hanna Ph pen and it ended up giving us nute lock. is it just a normal thing to have to re calibrate pens a lot?
were PHing at 5.8
were PHing at 5.8
P
paulycali
- 2,479
- 163
Soil Or Hydro?
I use a Hanna Combo Meter. Ph/Ppm/Ec. Works great
How are you mixing your nutrients. In what order?
I use a Hanna Combo Meter. Ph/Ppm/Ec. Works great
How are you mixing your nutrients. In what order?
squiggly
- 3,277
- 263
A few tips:
1. The pens are the most accurate and highest quality product, we use this same design in chemistry labs (although probably more expensive).
2. Buy a good quality product to begin with--I recommend a Milwaukee Instruments meter.
3. Read the operating instructions and follow them. (This is where everyone goes wrong). A novel idea, I know, reading the instructions.
Really #3 is the most important.
These pens must be properly calibrated (and the solutions used for calibration properly handled).
Once they are calibrated, they must be stored properly.
Also, their function isn't such that you just drop them in and bam that's your pH. You need to give some time for equilibrium to establish. At least a minute or so for a good reading.
The pen must be kept free of static charge at all times--and as such proper cleaning is very important.
It is not recommended to store the pen in any solution other than one provided by the manufacturer. different electrode solutions and membranes are employed for different products.
The membrane on the pen is permeable. It can dry out, the concentration of the solution inside can change and throw of measurements. For this reason the pen should be regularly calibrated as outlined in the instruction manual, probably something like once a month--but perhaps even once a week if you're using it very often.
If this is a pen which is to be submerged in a reservoir constantly--like a hydro setup--you must be sure to purchase a pen which is intended for this purpose. Many will be thrown off by such a methodology, and some will outright destroy the electrode if you do this.
Good luck.
1. The pens are the most accurate and highest quality product, we use this same design in chemistry labs (although probably more expensive).
2. Buy a good quality product to begin with--I recommend a Milwaukee Instruments meter.
3. Read the operating instructions and follow them. (This is where everyone goes wrong). A novel idea, I know, reading the instructions.
Really #3 is the most important.
These pens must be properly calibrated (and the solutions used for calibration properly handled).
Once they are calibrated, they must be stored properly.
Also, their function isn't such that you just drop them in and bam that's your pH. You need to give some time for equilibrium to establish. At least a minute or so for a good reading.
The pen must be kept free of static charge at all times--and as such proper cleaning is very important.
It is not recommended to store the pen in any solution other than one provided by the manufacturer. different electrode solutions and membranes are employed for different products.
The membrane on the pen is permeable. It can dry out, the concentration of the solution inside can change and throw of measurements. For this reason the pen should be regularly calibrated as outlined in the instruction manual, probably something like once a month--but perhaps even once a week if you're using it very often.
If this is a pen which is to be submerged in a reservoir constantly--like a hydro setup--you must be sure to purchase a pen which is intended for this purpose. Many will be thrown off by such a methodology, and some will outright destroy the electrode if you do this.
Good luck.
gumby420
- 346
- 93
i grow in soil so the pen is only used a few times a week, not submerged in a reservoir. the nutrients are mixed into an almost full 5 gallon jug then shaken up and left to sit for a while to settle and mix in before phing.
P
paulycali
- 2,479
- 163
Ph the solution first. Then wait a while. Then water. That's where your going wrong
K
kushsmoker30
- 468
- 63
thats ur prob, if ur PHing at 5.8 up PH to 6.2-6.5 some say 6.3 is the magic number 4 soil.
no offence but theres a bigger probability that u've been reading ur drops test wrong all along, over ur pen bing wrong. it can b easy to do so when ur trying read a color when nute water is a dark color it self, u may of thought u were PHing at 5.8 but really it could of been at over 6.0
K
kushsmoker30
- 468
- 63
how long would u recommend waiting 4?
P
paulycali
- 2,479
- 163
10-15 minutes. Just to make sure the ph is stable after i made my mix and ph'd the solution. Basically a double check to make sure the first reading was accurate after ph'ing
LexLuthor
- 2,972
- 263
I don't think its necessary to pH run-off every watering. As long as you got quality soil with limestone and you put in the correct pH (6.2-6.8) the pH of the medium won't drastically change unless something is wrong, but I do check my run-off pH about twice a month just to see where it stands.
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