Dorky_gearhead
Shohin
So I'm in the market for a PH tester and I was curious if any those testers under $20 are worth buying.
Inexpensive ph testers
- Thread starter Dorky_gearhead
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Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Paper strips (litmuss, lackmuss) are accurate enough for plants most of the times, and 20 bucks would get you a couple of thousands of them.
Digital testers for less than 20 usd usually suck and stop being accurate after a short time. Decent ones can be found though, but it's a challenge. In the pool section of some stores you can sometimes find decent pen-model testers, those don't last very long though. Maybe a year and a half before things get wonky, depending on what you're planning to measure. If you're using organic nutrient mixtures, I'm going to give it a few months. Those mixtures contain a lot of enzymes and proteins, which will block the sensor due to denaturation. Those can be removed with hydrochloric acid to some extent.
Look for ones that need calibration buffers (for calibration) and potassium chloride (for storage) to work properly. Because those are the ones that will give you the most accurate results over a long period of time.
You'll need a glass sensor in it. If it's iron, or some electrical construction you poke in the soil, then you're being scammed.
Digital testers for less than 20 usd usually suck and stop being accurate after a short time. Decent ones can be found though, but it's a challenge. In the pool section of some stores you can sometimes find decent pen-model testers, those don't last very long though. Maybe a year and a half before things get wonky, depending on what you're planning to measure. If you're using organic nutrient mixtures, I'm going to give it a few months. Those mixtures contain a lot of enzymes and proteins, which will block the sensor due to denaturation. Those can be removed with hydrochloric acid to some extent.
Look for ones that need calibration buffers (for calibration) and potassium chloride (for storage) to work properly. Because those are the ones that will give you the most accurate results over a long period of time.
You'll need a glass sensor in it. If it's iron, or some electrical construction you poke in the soil, then you're being scammed.
Gary McCarthy
Chumono
Head to an aquarium store. They have plenty of inexpensive tests for testing the pH of water used in aquariums.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
As noted...you won't get a useful "meter" for under $20.
I've used both pH paper strips and the pH test drops (where you fill a tube to a designated level with the liquid you're testing, then add some number of drops). The drops seem
to be easiest to use for me, but the pH range is usually limited. With pH papers (and I've got some "good" stuff directly from chemical companies) you can get a big range but I often
have a tough time determining the pH with them.
I've used both pH paper strips and the pH test drops (where you fill a tube to a designated level with the liquid you're testing, then add some number of drops). The drops seem
to be easiest to use for me, but the pH range is usually limited. With pH papers (and I've got some "good" stuff directly from chemical companies) you can get a big range but I often
have a tough time determining the pH with them.
Leo in N E Illinois
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In the chemistry lab I used a good pH meter, it was cheap, around $2500 usd. It still required calibration weekly. A cheaper meter you need to calibrate it every use. Read the literature that comes with it about how to condition the probe, and how to store the probe between uses. This will make all the difference in the world as to whether you can get a ''good reading'' or not.
The danger of pH meters is you may end up adjusting pH where in fact it did not need adjusting.
Are you looking into adjusting your water from your well? or municipality? If so, you might start with a water test, work out what should be done to condition your water on paper first, then only use the pH meter to check if it worked, rather than try to set up a system my using the pH meter to figure it out.
For water TOTAL ALKALINITY is Much more important than pH. Look for my posts on total alkalinity. PM me if you want to know more and I'll dig up my references.
The danger of pH meters is you may end up adjusting pH where in fact it did not need adjusting.
Are you looking into adjusting your water from your well? or municipality? If so, you might start with a water test, work out what should be done to condition your water on paper first, then only use the pH meter to check if it worked, rather than try to set up a system my using the pH meter to figure it out.
For water TOTAL ALKALINITY is Much more important than pH. Look for my posts on total alkalinity. PM me if you want to know more and I'll dig up my references.
In my opinion the Oakton pocket pH meters are as good or better than many expensive bench meters. They are almost as precise, as accurate and hold calibration well, the bulbs are easy to switch out.
I used to carry two, one for surface water and one for soil, three bottles of calibration solution and a spare bulb.
They are also waterproof and float.
I used to carry two, one for surface water and one for soil, three bottles of calibration solution and a spare bulb.
They are also waterproof and float.
