... the Accurate 8 isn't that type of meter, it works on the same principle as the cheapie skinny soil pH probes you see at garden centers, etc.,.. it's just bigger and better built--> the long probe is the A 8 -->
hsoil:... just stick it in and wait a bit for a reading,...
.... I'll still take the pH reading with a grain of salt, (not your fault, it's the drop test kits limitations), but if that's what the calculation is, it's within OK range,... What dosage did you use on the epsoms? ppm's aren't alarming on run-off, considering,.... and given that pH, and you having flushed recently (BTW, how much water did you put through?), I don't think this is a salt build up/pH lockout issue, likely still lack-of defc.'s, or damage from preflush conditions..? Not an easy diagnisis, with what we know so far,... that the little one is also suffering has me wondering,...but at least consistency is showing! --that can help,... feed well, and look into a PK booster, maybe mootch some off a friend, just to try? ...one last remote possibility, how old are the nute's, have they been exposed to hot/cold conditions, maybe gotten cross contaminated,... point being, sometimes the chemistry goes bad in the bottles!