Do you have a recommendation for best soil ph tester? I ordered the common two prod inexpensive one and it does not work very well

Grow Cycle
41

Make sure it has a replaceable probe. I know some of the Blue labs didn’t, and that’s why I went with the MW-802.

And this Meter does both PH and PPM.
Ive had it for months now and it has never been out of calibration.

1 Like
42

@Rugar89 thanks for the head’s up mate I will have a look before I fork out for sure :v:

1 Like
43

can that whole probe be submerged @Rugar89 ?

44

Do you mean the entire probe including the handle? Im not sure. But I regularly submerge it up to the handle. The diameter of the handle is bigger then the opening of a 1 gallon water jug. Works great for mixing nutes in 1 gallon jugs. Just drop it in the jug and your hands free. The probe is 3 3/4" from the tip to the handle. Also works great for PHing/PPM of runoff in a saucer that your grow pot is sitting in. Just sit it in saucer and get your readings without having to crawl in the tent to read like you do with the pen style. Ive had it fall in handle and all and it hasnt affected it. But I try not to just in case.

@BIGE

1 Like
45

yea,like hanging it over bucket/jug/saucer

1 Like
46

You could probably just use a clothes pin or something clipped to the lead and bucket to keep it from falling all the way in. It might even be water proof to drop all the way in, but Im not sure. I just try not to just in case.

47

I’m going to try this one, as my budget is stretched but the two-probe testers from garden centers are just plain junk

https://www.amazon.com/Ywillink-Measuring-Instrument-Flowers-Vegetable/dp/B07DCMG76K/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1551075592&sr=8-13&keywords=soil+ph+test&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011

I figure a single probe device intended for PH only is a better bet, though the cheap garden center three way does seem to do all right for light and moisture

I got a lot of confusing answers about testers, since most of them are for hydro or water quality testing - and I’m a soil focused grower

It at least had a five star rating, and ought to be here soon

~Frank out

1 Like
48

Blue lab
Hands down best meter but not cheap
It costed me some serious cash but have had it for a few years and have no regrets
Always accurate and do not have to calibrate it every day
Works great!!

49

I got the above meter, and it turned out to be made by “Testwest”. Ywillink was apparently the seller at amazon

It gives reasonably accurate and consistent readings without any hassle, I’m going to do a litmus paper calibration check on it next month, but it makes the 3-way ones from garden centers look stupid

The 3-way that I was using I clipped the aluminum PH probe off of it with a set of cutting pliers and use it only for soil moisture and light readings now. Having only the copper moisture probe on it means less soil disturbance when I test for moisture content

50

It is remarkably similar to this one:

https://smile.amazon.com/Luster-Leaf-1840-Rapitest-Meter/dp/B0000DI848/ref=sr_1_3?crid=17ENGKLNFN8SY&keywords=luster+leaf+1840+rapitest+soil+ph+meter&qid=1553768299&s=gateway&sprefix=lusterleaf+1840%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-3

I think now that the Luster Leaf unit might even be better

51

So whats the vedict if money not the issue what’s the best all round reliable easy to use ph tester checking soil ph and water plus run off.
So many to choose from.
Can anyone create a best 3 to choose from
Cheers