Okay, I know I should delve into this and learn more, and (Terp) I know others are in the same boat!

Whats the best way to test? I keep finding PH testers for soil but not water! Is there a difference? How expensive are they? Details? I'd love some details!

Honestly it has been enough figuring out mixes and watering and placement and... and... and.....

Any hope would be appreciated! Thanks!

Bromthymol blue test kits, available for cheap at any pet shop, can give a general idea of pH levels between 6 and 8...but for an accurate reading you should get a pH probe. Pinpoint and Hanna are 2 brands that come to mind...both can be obtained at reasonable prices on eBay. I have always tested the pH of the fertilizer solution prior to watering, but I have heard that it is more informative to test the water that drains out of the pot....I haven't quite got around to doing that yet..and I don't think that I will as long as my paphs are growing well. Take care, Eric

Never buy the soil probes that don't require batteries, and look like a long meat thermometer. They NEVER work. Open them up, there is nothing inside. Eric is right, either get a good chemical kit, or 0-14 test papers, or one of the digital meters that can be calibrated.

Thank you both! anyone have a brand/source? If I am going to get something and spend money on it, I'd like to be sure I am getting the right/best thing.

Me too! It's time I take that next step...and become even more obsessed! :twisted: And, spend more money...and take even more time watering... Thanks for this post Paphgirl !

I work with pH probes for a living. I agree that color changing indicator types (paper strip or liquid indicators like Brom blue) are not very good to work with. I have a Corning pen type meter at home, but if I didn't get it for free, I'd only use Orion equipment. I believe there is also a site called "Einsteins garage" that sells used lab equipment. I generally only test the pH of my fert. mix, but periodically I let a pot sit in drain water for a day or so, so that I can test what is coming out. Water generally drains out of paph mixes so fast that you may not get a good idea of the mix chemistry with what's flushing out.

Please Rick, stay out of my garage. You never know what you'll find there.
Combo PH/TDS meter. TDS can be a good thing to know

A combo pH/conductivity meter would be great.

We bought a Corning combo meter for our lab and its been a piece of junk though. It's never worked right except when its at the shop for repair. Cole palmer has a good catalog. you might identify a good model in there.

Ouch! These babies are expensive, no? I found a nice Hanna one but almost $200! It's digital PH/TDS though, I defiinitely think a combo one would be best.

Damn, this is one expensive "hobby"! :?

Keep looking. You can find that Hanna combo meter for less than $180. Not sure if there aren't any used ones out there. The TDS feature does come in handy though when flushing coconut chips or checking the status of the RO water quality.

You know you spend more than $200 a year on plants :twisted:

Just got the new Cole Palmer catolog. The combo meters are kinda pricey, but they have pH pens for as low as $80 and TDS pens at $63

You know you spend more than $200 a year on plants :twisted:

Yeah, but think of all the plants I could buy w/ that $200!!
Actually, $100 doesn't go very far these days, now that I've learned I like big mature, well bred plants...sigh....

For seed sowing, I use a Hanna Checker 1 to check the pH of my media. I find it works well. I do a 2 point calibration before each use, but it does stay calibrated most times. It was cheap, US $22.50 plus shipping from a aqurium supply store.

I've never checked my fertilizer, what should the pH be for watering/fertilizing paphs?

Kyle

Hi, Heather. Here is the web address for the instruments I bought. I've been pleased with their performance, except (there's always an "except") that the round flat camera-type batteries that the pH meter runs on do not seem to hold their charge while installed in the instrument - they run down quickly it seems. When I get around to replacing them this time, I suppose I'll try to take them out between uses.

Has anyone else had experience with these instruments? They run around $50 each.

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=CDH5021&Nav=greee02

HTH,

John