NoviceKing
Active Member
wont be ablt to abtain a mew pen till timorrow plants meed watering today!!
Ph pen just broke! Plants need watering asap! What do i do??
- Thread starter NoviceKing
- Start date
Roger A. Shrubber
Well-Known Member
guess. if they have to be watered today, draw on your experience....i check mine after i do an initial adjustment now, and i'm usually close enough. have to adjust a little more once in a while, but not too often.
and one time of it being slightly off won't do any damage.
and one time of it being slightly off won't do any damage.
macsnax
Well-Known Member
I mix three different nutrient mixes for various stages, and I'm usually pretty damn close, within .5 on the pH. Trust yourself, even if it's off a little, you should be fine. And buy backups of all your epuipment, an item here and there so it's no so expensive. I had a fan go out last night, walked over to the shelf and pulled a new one out.
chick3n2011
Member
Just water them with plain PH neutral water, until you've had chance to check the PH levels?
Skoal
Well-Known Member
That is great advice. I had a MH bulb blow on a Sunday at 3pm. You try finding a hydro store open. I had to drive one hours each way in a rush. Lol
Johnny Lawrence
Well-Known Member
^ this
I keep a shelving unit packed with extra air and water pumps, bulbs, air stones, clip-on fans, etc.
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
Skoal...hope you bought two so you are prepared for next time.
@NoviceKing ...yup, the guys set you straight. Always pay attention to such volumes so you can be free of your meter if needed.
About a decade ago I had an ebb&flow table that was very stable, so just for fun...I did an entire grow with no meter. Turned out great.
Cheers,
JD
Skoal
Well-Known Member
Lol. I didn’t buy two. Haha I’m replacing the MH with a led strip build soon. Ballast is over 9 years old. So I’m anticipating replacing. It’s a hard wired magnetic ballast too.
Going back on topic, buy a mediocre ph pen. Shit is bound to break. I had a $200 Hanna break on me. Was also old. Now I’m just buying a $40-50 ph pen. High end shit sometimes not worth it.
Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
You know those industrial grade HANNAH soil meters I use for the farm?
Well, having several around, and one that basically sits on the shelf in the grow.
I broke down and bought a liquid probe for it.....Sits on my shelf and now I use it over the pen when I need it.....Expensive probe but less maint. and more stable. Hell, have that half K meter around. Might as well use it!
macsnax
Well-Known Member
30 bucks, and it hasn't needed calibrated since it was new 3 months ago. Best meters I've used are in this price range. I do thorough research before buying though.
Dr.meter 0.01 Resolution High Accuracy Pocket Size pH Meter with ATC, 0-14pH Measurement Range https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ST3VTQ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yYJMCb0F887EE
Dr.meter 0.01 Resolution High Accuracy Pocket Size pH Meter with ATC, 0-14pH Measurement Range https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ST3VTQ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yYJMCb0F887EE
Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
Don't buy a "multimeter" high priced pen!
These are accurate but require more care and if you fail to keep the probe damp... The replacement probes are COSTLY!
This is the best low cost and the toughest pH pen I have ever come across!
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1311.R2.TR5.TRC0.A0.H1.XHM+pH+pen.TRS0&_nkw=hm+digital+ph-80&_sacat=0
This thing can dry out for over a year. Simply soak it in pH 7 test solution or storage solution for a few hrs and re-calibrate.....Good to go!
Calibrate often! Even with a solid meter like this..
Skoal
Well-Known Member
That’s one I was looking at haha. Cause damn the Hanna one was such a shame. does this meter use two point calibration, 4 and 7? I have both buffers and storage solution.
Do you guys rinse your ph probe before putting it in the solution you want to measure ph? I was rinsing my old one with tap water before measuring the water in order to get the storage solution off and not to mess with my ph reading.
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Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
Yes it does....
Mine gets only water from my RO res as the storage liquid. pH is 6.9 - 7 so it works just fine....I know my solutions normal, seasonal pH averages and how much up/down is needed to get where I want it to be. If in a metering it seems different. I calibrate, or at least check the pen's calibration......I get anal about equipment performance.
macsnax
Well-Known Member
That's impressive in its own right.
Skoal
Well-Known Member
You rinse probe before measuring your solution? Or does it matter? I was risning my probe from being stored before using it to measure
macsnax
Well-Known Member
You know coming from someone that usually thinks they have all the bases covered I've never thought of that. Now you got me thinking....
Roger A. Shrubber
Well-Known Member
no, i rinse it off good when i put it away, don't see any reason to rinse it again before i use it
Skoal
Well-Known Member
Lol sorry man! I just thought about the storage solution causing a weird reading for the solution you are measuring. I have two part solution to use to clean after use before storage. But wasn’t sure on the consensus of people rinsing off storage solution before taking their reading lol.
Roger A. Shrubber
Well-Known Member
i use mine at least every other day, so i just rinse it off and cap it, if i only used it once a week i'd use the storage solution