New Grower Totally confused about ph testing

[Chanvremec]

We are going to do our first grow and have most of the stuff on hand, but I am just overwhelmed by the different comments and info on how to test for pH. I feel like Robbie The Robot in Forbidden Planet when he's in meltdown mode, LOL.

We are trying to keep this cheap until we know whether we want to really do this on a regular basis. Okay, there are test strips you can get, there are pH meters (cheap to spendy), and then there's the whole issue of testing the pH of your soil.

Can someone point me to a cheap way to test the solutions AND the soil? Or is there even such a thing out there? I need two meters, right? Sorry if this is an uninformed question but I figure you've all been there. :dunno:

Oh yeah, we're going to grow in dirt, if that helps; not hydro.

Thanks!

 

[namvet25]

I would get a good ph tester not the strips that are not very accurate.Iwouldn't worry about soil testers at this point and stick with the reg liquid tester.

 

[Chanvremec]

But I have read that the soil is often at the wrong pH and it seems like if you're going to test the solutions (water, nutes, etc) it's going to be just as important to know where your soil is after you add the liquid. We had thought we would use Sunshine Mix #4 and the basic Dyna Gro chemicals.

 

[namvet25]

http://www.growweedeasy.com/ph#which-digital-ph-tester-cannabis


I have growing for several years and never used a soil tester but just use the reg liq tester and never had problems.If you use organic nutes you don't even worry about ph and this I find is the easiest way.It's up to you but keep in mind that a good soil meter isn't cheap but if it makes you feel better go for it.

 

[Chanvremec]

Good to know. I had already been reading the links from the GrowWeedEasy site; the page itself makes perfect sense - where it gets confusing is when you start reading the reviews of the products on Amazon. I am hesitant to get into the whole soil measurement thing because it seems very complex (not that liquids don't - do you need to keep the probe in liquid when not in use, how often do you calibrate it, have to buy extra solutions, etc). And your point about the soil tester being expensive is a good one. Tyring to keep initial expenses down until we see just how this all goes; for newbies this is important.

Would you guys agree with the GrowWeedEasy site that the Hanna HI99104 is one of the better deals for a pH tester?

 

[organic]

You could buy a nutrient range that takes away the hassle of Ph`ing and will always bring the PH to the sweet spot every time the feed is mixed in the recommended doses.

I have tested this grow just to be sure whats what. But now I am happy the Ph meter has been pushed to the back of the shelf and been made redundant.

 

[Chanvremec]

You could buy a nutrient range that takes away the hassle of Ph`ing and will always bring the PH to the sweet spot every time the feed is mixed in the recommended doses.

Wow, that's interesting. But how does a clueless person do that? (LOL) I mean, if the soil's pH isn't what you want then it's going to affect everything. I see you are in the UK so any specific products you use are probably not available to me. I had picked the Dyna Gro nutes (I just noticed that for some reason in my earlier posts I wrote "Hydro Grow" - don't know where that came from!) because the GrowWeedEasy site said they were some of the simplest for beginners to work with.

I am awfully tempted to just throw some sprouted seeds in the dirt and go; I saw one post from a guy who did just that and got great results but I also know that maybe he was just lucky.

 

[namvet25]

http://www.amazon.com/Oakton-EcoTes...UTF8&qid=1420472128&sr=8-4&keywords=ph+meters This is the one I have used for over two years with no problems.It is better than the one on grow weed easy but cost a little more.You will need a bottle of calibration solution also

 

[turtle360]

You could buy a nutrient range that takes away the hassle of Ph`ing and will always bring the PH to the sweet spot every time the feed is mixed in the recommended doses.

I have tested this grow just to be sure whats what. But now I am happy the Ph meter has been pushed to the back of the shelf and been made redundant.

Nutrient range? What's that? Someone makes nutes that automatically adjusts your ph to a sweet spot? Awesome. Wish I knew about that! Pray tell, what would be an example of that?

 

[Trapper]

Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect line.

The way I understand it, it isn't a case of the nutrients fine-tuning the pH...
Just not modifying (making more acidic or alkaline) the pH that's present in the soil to begin with.
Most nutrients make soil more acidic.

But I could be wrong on how that's working.