Digital PH Meter

fortyonenorth · August 30, 2010

Does anyone have any experience using handheld digital PH meters?

I'm gardening on 100% bona fide beech sand. Hence, all my beds and boxes are a combination of various composts, peats and other organic matter - and every one is different. I'd really like a simple solution to test each individual area and a hand held meter seems ideal. But, do they work? I'd be interested in any comments and/or recommendations.

matereater · August 31, 2010

Did you try a search? Seems I recall this subject came up a while back.

Tormato · August 31, 2010

41N,

A few years ago I saw some online ratings of a few digital meters. Everyone thought they were all lousy. One gardener tested the various types of soil he had (sounds like your situation). Every reading came out at 7.0

.

fortyonenorth · August 31, 2010

That's what I was afraid of. I've used the combo moisture/PH meters before - the ones that cost about $15-$20 - and gotten similar results. I was interested in the Hanna product line - they start at $40 or so and go up into the several hundred dollar range. I wondered whether a $100 meter would be worth the cost.

RinTinTin · August 31, 2010

Amazon.com sells various makes/models. They all have user reviews available on-site.

dice · September 1, 2010

I have one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/LUSTERLEAF-Rap.../dp/B002NP0HJE

I tested it with a neutral test solution for calibrating pH meters
(two actually; one bottle is down in the pH 4 range, the other
near neutral). It read .1 low at both ranges.

I used these General Hydroponics solutions to test:
http://www.planetnatural.com/site/ph...-solution.html
(The pH 4 solution is down at the bottom of that page.)

Tormato · September 1, 2010

There's also this possible option...

www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/soiltest.html

fortyonenorth · September 1, 2010

So, I was at the garden center today and saw a few PH meters - I thought, what the heck...

Got home with the "Digital Soil Ph Meter" from Luster Leaf; took a few samples - and it stopped working.

Maybe that's why there's a lack of positive comments.

les matzek · September 26, 2010

i have tried many different meters (grocheck,hana,rapitest,and the only
one i can put any trust is blulab you can buy them either one test units or they come in combo p.h. and
t.d.s. units either way they will give you a dead on
reading.regards.

les

August 30, 2010	#1
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	Digital PH Meter Does anyone have any experience using handheld digital PH meters? I'm gardening on 100% bona fide beech sand. Hence, all my beds and boxes are a combination of various composts, peats and other organic matter - and every one is different. I'd really like a simple solution to test each individual area and a hand held meter seems ideal. But, do they work? I'd be interested in any comments and/or recommendations.

August 31, 2010	#2
matereater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia) Posts: 1,264	Did you try a search? Seems I recall this subject came up a while back. __________________ Steve Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

September 1, 2010	#6
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I have one of these: http://www.amazon.com/LUSTERLEAF-Rap.../dp/B002NP0HJE I tested it with a neutral test solution for calibrating pH meters (two actually; one bottle is down in the pH 4 range, the other near neutral). It read .1 low at both ranges. I used these General Hydroponics solutions to test: http://www.planetnatural.com/site/ph...-solution.html (The pH 4 solution is down at the bottom of that page.) __________________ -- alias

August 31, 2010	#3
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	41N, A few years ago I saw some online ratings of a few digital meters. Everyone thought they were all lousy. One gardener tested the various types of soil he had (sounds like your situation). Every reading came out at 7.0 .

August 31, 2010	#5
RinTinTin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 581	Amazon.com sells various makes/models. They all have user reviews available on-site.

September 26, 2010	#9
les matzek Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Landers, CA Posts: 191	i have tried many different meters (grocheck,hana,rapitest,and the only one i can put any trust is blulab you can buy them either one test units or they come in combo p.h. and t.d.s. units either way they will give you a dead on reading.regards. les