pH meter recommendation?

[april]

Can anyone out there recommend a (not too expensive or complicated) pH meter? I want it as simple to use as possible for my orchid's water.

[ChasWG]

I saw something yesterday at Home Depot in their indoor plant department. It was a dual meter, pH and some sort of nutriant meter. It was a smallish box with two probes sticking out the bottom. It had a switch to go between the different probes and needle type meter with two different scales. I guess it was for putting into the soil or medium. But I guess it could work in water too. It was about $15 or so. I didn't look at it too long. I was in scearch of a temp/humidity meter. Found it! $22 for the Weather Channel out door weather station. Temp and humidity as well as indoor temp. It has a transmiter I place in my enclosure and I leave the reciever on a table not too far from the enclosure. That way I see what's happening on the inside and out side of my orchid growing station.

Good luck!

[camille1585]

Since I have an aquarium, I just use the pH kit or test strips that I use to test the tank water. I thought of getting a pH meter, seeing that it's not something I use a lot, it's just easier to go with the kit/strips. The advantage of the strips I sometimes use is that they measure water hardness (among other things) as well.

[april]

I have an aquarium test kit too but I am getting tired of all of the drops and vials, ect.. After looking into the meter though, it looks like a hassle calibrating it all the time so maybe I will stick to the drops unless anyone out there has a simple meter recommendation. Unfortunately, I don't have a RO system and cannot always store enough rain water.

[camille1585]

I agree, the drops are a hassle, not to mention expensive if you use them regularily. Try the strips then, those are so easy to use! Dip in water for 15-20 seconds, wait a few seconds, look at the color and done!

[kavanaru]

The Drop kits are more accurate than most of the test stripes sold for aquarium (I have detected differences of up to 1,5 units in the past). However, I agree those kits are quiten expensive... M yrecommendation is to use test stripes, but the same kind used in Biology/Chemistry labs (e.g. Roth, Sigma) A good tip (if you are planning also to make pH adjustments) is to buy an "all purpose one" (pH 1 - 14), and also one for the range of pH you want to measure (pH 5,5 - 7,5 or similar - if you are not planning pH adjustment, I would only buy this one)

[april]

Sounds good to me. Test strips it is (but only lab quality) Thanks! April