Which type of pH meter to get...

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herb84

Member
One that measures soil pH or liquid pH?

I am about to buy a really nice Hanna digi pH meter that measures water pH. I heard the cheapo meters are a waste of money so i'm not even going to bother with them.

Right now I can only afford one meter and I was wondering if it is even necessary to buy/use a soil pH meter.

Wouldn't a water pH meter basically cover all the bases if you regularly check the runoff pH?
 
Boneman

Boneman

Well-Known Member
I have a digi hanna probe I got from ebay for 25 bucks. Works wonders! Just make sure you look around and get the one with calibrating solution. They need to be calibrated quite often.
 
H

herb84

Member
Boneman said:
I have a digi hanna probe I got from ebay for 25 bucks. Works wonders! Just make sure you look around and get the one with calibrating solution. They need to be calibrated quite often.
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Thanks for the response but you didn't really answer my question. I pretty much just want to know if a pH meter that measures liquid pH is all you need and if testing runoff pH is as good (or better) than testing soil pH.

*edit* BTW Boneman, does your Hanna meter measure liquid or soil pH or both? 25 bucks sounds like a steal. I obviously don't know shit about pH meters... I am under the impression that there is either one that measures soil or one that measures liquid pH and not a 2 in 1 combo type deal but again, I am a uneducated noob..
 
Relaxed

Relaxed

Well-Known Member
The important consistant aspect is the ph correct going into your plant with water and water/nuts. Many check the runoff water for soil ph. but if the plant is doing well and water/nuts are with correct ph going in to plant then really who cares what the run off is? Dude your asking something your most likely not going to get a solid answer about. The $30 hanna ph dig. meter measures liquid ph. Nothing solid. Some say they stick the meter in the soil for measure but I haven't and haven't had the need when the plants are doing well. YOu need the ph dig. meter to be successful in this hobby. Possible is you are a horticulturist my nature/profession you can handle it without but I doubt it.
 
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herb84

Member
Relaxed said:
The important consistant aspect is the ph correct going into your plant with water and water/nuts. Many check the runoff water for soil ph. but if the plant is doing well and water/nuts are with correct ph going in to plant then really who cares what the run off is? Dude your asking something your most likely not going to get a solid answer about. The $30 hanna ph dig. meter measures liquid ph. Nothing solid. Some say they stick the meter in the soil for measure but I haven't and haven't had the need when the plants are doing well. YOu need the ph dig. meter to be successful in this hobby. Possible is you are a horticulturist my nature/profession you can handle it without but I doubt it.
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So you're saying that the soil itself has no effect on the water/solution that you are pouring into it? So after the water passes through the soil/root system it should be the same?

Wow, this confuses the hell out of me since I have read (from multiple sources on the web) that the soil changes the pH of the water/solution that you add to it and that the runoff was a more accurate way to tell the pH of the soil or more specifically the pH of the liquid that is being absorbed by the plant's roots. Am I right?
 
Relaxed

Relaxed

Well-Known Member
Well, start using ff Ocean Forest soil that comes correctly balanced in ph & nuts. needed for veg. and you won't need to talk about this subject. If you don't then you better keep researching the subject...The stuff is made for this plant. Nothing else is made for this specific plant...
 
H

herb84

Member
Relaxed said:
Well, start using ff Ocean Forest soil that comes correctly balanced in ph & nuts. needed for veg. and you won't need to talk about this subject. If you don't then you better keep researching the subject...The stuff is made for this plant. Nothing else is made for this specific plant...
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I'm currently using FF Happy Frog and as far as I know it is pH balanced. It says it has dolomite lime to balance pH on the bag. But this still doesn't really answer my main question...

As quoted from the original post: "Wouldn't a water pH meter basically cover all the bases if you regularly check the runoff pH?"
 
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