# PPM/PH/Temp Testers



## grodude (Feb 11, 2015)

I am looking to buy all 3 of these meters and would like to know all the required maintenence for them. It seems for the PH meter I need PH 4 and 7, cleaning, solution, and storage solution. I also see ph 10 solution, do I need that? If I regularly calibrate it and keep it in the storage solution how often do I have to use the cleaning solution? Do the other meters need cleaning or storage solution or should I just rinse it in water/leave it in water? What do I do in the case I have a 2 in 1 meter? What about a 3 in 1? Thanks


----------



## zem (Feb 12, 2015)

there is a wide range of meters, some are pocket meters and some remain in the res with constant reading, some are more heavy duty, some are cheapo...
normally, you need a reliable pocket meter for ph and one for ec or tds or ppm. these usually have temp reading in them too. there are 3 in 1, but i prefer to have them separate as i find ph meter to break sooner and needs its different calibration fluid. you would not need the 10ph as it is not in the range that you test. check www.eseasongear and choose what u want.


----------



## Hushpuppy (Feb 12, 2015)

I agree with Zem. I do however like and recommend the Bluelab pens. There is a pH pen kit for Bluelab that has the calibration and cleaning fluids for maintaining the pH pen, which is the most important to keep clean and calibrated. I don't use storage solution as most of the time you can use the 4.0 calibration fluid ffor storage. The ppm pen is pretty straight forward and needs very little maintenance. It doesn't have to be stored in any solution but should be rinsed clean after each use to prevent mineral buildup.

The good thing with the Bluelab pens is that they will tell you when you need to recalibrate them. And I think both pens also read the temperature of the solution. I have ffound the Bluelab pens to be very reliable. No I don't get anything for recommending them


----------



## grodude (Feb 12, 2015)

Hushpuppy said:


> I agree with Zem. I do however like and recommend the Bluelab pens. There is a pH pen kit for Bluelab that has the calibration and cleaning fluids for maintaining the pH pen, which is the most important to keep clean and calibrated. I don't use storage solution as most of the time you can use the 4.0 calibration fluid ffor storage. The ppm pen is pretty straight forward and needs very little maintenance. It doesn't have to be stored in any solution but should be rinsed clean after each use to prevent mineral buildup.
> 
> The good thing with the Bluelab pens is that they will tell you when you need to recalibrate them. And I think both pens also read the temperature of the solution. I have ffound the Bluelab pens to be very reliable. No I don't get anything for recommending them



Thanks for the response. Do you know why the blue lab pens are so much more expensive then the rest? Are they that much more reliable?


----------



## Hushpuppy (Feb 14, 2015)

I think they are better made and higher quality, so the reliability is going to be better. It doesn't mean they will always be the "best" as I have talked to a couple people who got brand new pens that were failed out of the box. But I also believe with many things like test equipment that you often get what you pay for.


----------



## bwanabud (Feb 15, 2015)

Lots of peeps like Blue Lab, I've had great luck & service with the Hanna units.


----------



## Hushpuppy (Feb 17, 2015)

I have had good luck with the Hanna units as well. I actually have a Hanna pH pen that I use right now. Since I am only doing a small grow now, I didn't have the extra money for the Bluelab. I definitely do not like the Milwaukee stuff. Everything I have had from them has performed poorly and not held up well at all. But my Hanna pen has been performing quite well for the past 9months.


----------

