benonhands
Member
hello just curious if anyone has calibrated a TDS meter to zero using distilled or deionized water and if its accurate in future. if not what's the preferred level to calibrate a meter to either ppm or ec.
calibrating TDS meter with distilled or deionized water
- Thread starter benonhands
- Start date
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
Distilled water doesn't work for calibrating an EC meter
You need calibration fluid
You need calibration fluid
benonhands
Member
thanks billy ill get some. I've just recently discovered I've been measuring ph so wrong having my pen horribly calibrated and my plants have been suffering. im about wrapping up my first grow
benonhands
Member
for my first time growing im just using the vivosun ph and ppm bundle which isn't horrible although cheap the ph just needs calibrating often. im going to invest into better pens after having been educated lately on here about the importance of it. thank you for the response
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't trust cheap meters. Everyone I know that I told to buy a Hanna or bluelab but instead bought a cheapie ran into issues. It's like using black and decker tools to build a house. .... You know what I mean.? That small investment will save you time, and money. Imagine you ruined your entire crop because of a false reading from a faulty cheap meter? No thanks. Honestly you'd be better off using the ph test strips or drops. You can buy them at any pet store. Thousand times more reliable than that cheapo meter imho and cheaper even.
benonhands
Member
I get you im researching those atm. what do you recommend without breaking the bank. I see bluelab and hanna the most. not trying to break the bank but im considering the quality before the price. and do those meters measure just ph or do you need a separate pen for TDS and ph?
70's natureboy
Well-Known Member
A Truncheon stick and PH drops tells me exactly what I need to know.
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
HM Digital Com-80 is $30
Unlike the vivosun junk, it can be reliably calibrated.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Yep bluelab Hanna is what I have exp with. I know they work and they are reliable. So I recommend them. I hear of lots of guys using Milwaukee but I have no exp with that brand so I can't say one way or the other. Yes generally you would need 2 seperate meters unless you buy something that does both which is a bit more money. Take a look at the bluelabs website they have tons of diff meters. Don't be stuck on a pen style. The other ones are great too and have replacement probes you can buy. Everything has it's pros and cons it's you who has to decide which products pros outweigh the cons and decide.
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
Yep. I run a Bluelab pH meter these days but a cheapo TDS meter...doesn't even have calibration on board. This combo has been working for me.
Yeah, it's not horrible... It reads about the same as my other cheap meter.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
You can certainly get by with a cheaper TDS meter
Just buy some calibration soultion. Doesn't matter what brand. It says the EC on the bottle. Dib it in and see how close it is, then adjust accordingly
waterproof808
Well-Known Member
Just save up for a blue lab truncheon and you will never have to spend money on calibration solution again. Thing is built like a tank.
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
I have a few (different colors!) of the cheapo EC meters and the problem I had was none of them could be reliably calibrated
If calibrated in 1000ppm(2EC) cal. solution, they would be off by 30-40% testing with 342ppm cal. solution. (or vice-versa)
The $30 com-80 is pretty good across the range after calibration.
Good to know, I only have one cal. solution. I bought two used com-80's off ebay for less than $20 and calibrated.
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
The com-80 seems like a great value; the screen sucks, but the measurements are reliable.
