i got one of these about 2 months back now because the shite PH pen i had took literally 5 minutes to settle itself down!

and even then i didn't know it was finally done or accurate

this little beauty is the same size as an EC truncheon & factory calibrated

it flashes its lights when measuring, then holds the lights solid after about 10secs when its happy with the measurement, so you KNOW its done

it has two sets of flashing lights, one set for the whole units and one set for the 1/10's

it is brilliant!

for £30.00 i can't recommend it enough

anyone else use one? and what do you think of it?

Click to view attachment

(ps - mods - if i've put this in the wrong place please move, thank you )

personally i think they shit
you can not calibrate em gone through half a dozen of em over the years never again

Dude where do you buy bluelab truncheons for £30 i,d love one they are usually around £70

many thanks

IME and plenty of other fellow growers they are utter shite

Owd

i have only had it two months i suppose...

i still luv it at the moment and will make the most of it while it works then!!!!!

this can be a product review instead! i'll be back

So what do you use?

I'm researching what to buy - and now am confuddled!

It's not a Bluelab, it's a Chin-Wa knockoff, and you can usually get them cheaper than £30 as well.

If thats a bluelab trunchon ...my one cost me £69.99

picture was of different one to the one i have

changed it now - this one is £30-00, didn't know the bluelab was £70.00

soz

I use Adwa PH pens, they are not long lasting but they are low priced.
I have not yet seen a hobby PH meter last very long even expensive ones fail.

It's *not* a BlueLab - it's a Chin-Wah Chinese knock-off of one - they've been all over FleaBay for a couple of years now, and you can get them for less than £30 if you look around. Personally, from what I've gathered from other people who've used them, I'd not get one and put the money towards getting a decent one that'll last and give reliable results - something like a BlueLab preferably.

well, its doin the do for me at the moment is all i can say

better than any pen i've ever had

Do you still check it with buffer solution? My grow shop was wingeing about the fact you cant callibrate them, and had to return all theres.

even bluelab are they all lose calibration in time
meters i like are Eutech instruments i think they are the business

i'll check it on a monthly basis with buffer like i would any ph pen

but to be honest, soon as it goes wrong i'll go get another at that price

all ph measurement devices are supposed to have the glass probe changed after a certain amount of time, i think its about a year, and an expensive ph measurer's probe will cost more than this whole truncheon, so i still think its cost effective

seems like it could be a piece of crap looking at peoples reactions to this thread, but i've had no problems with it as i've said to date, 2 months use - we will have to wait and see

They're shit. I've owned two and both were amazing for about a day, then broke. Typical chinese shite ime.

In principle yes, I agree, they rule - but even Bluelab themselves can't get a v2 of their pH truncheon right just yet (i.e. reliable). There's a reason why they're not on the market from reputable manufacturers, because the technology isn't quite sorted as yet (afaics). Nearly there - in fact I think v2 is due out soon because I mailed them a while ago and they were working on it.

I'm using a Trident Multi right now, and it's v. sexy...but ime nothing beats the Horticare pH and EC pens for reliability and sustained accuracy.

GN

edited to fix typo

yup agreed they not bad meters much better than truncheon's
but if ya tried eutech i doubt you would use out else

With passive hydro and ro water, you only need to get the pH correct once. From then on, mix the res the same way and the ec/pH will always be the same.

I have one of those and not tested it on a buffer solution, pretty sure you can calibrate it as well. It comes supplied with a magnet which you place on calibration point, not read the instructions though.

yeah, you can calibrate it

havn't needed to yet tho

Dometick - is it still working??! I'm impressed! Make sure you've got a spare old one to hand because it's only a matter of time before it lets you down.

I agree with the other poster...once you've got your mix down you don't need to keep checking the EC (in a handwater to waste mix), but you should do once in a while just to double check (e.g. my tap water tends to fluctuate 0.2EC every few months).

GN

I have had various truncheons and pens dont waste your money I use a blulab combi meter great piece of kit you can get them £120 now with a five year guarantee 916

, after all this i am ready and prepared to replace it pronto!

but in answer to your question

Click to view attachment

5.9

i will notify on this thread when it fails!

my tap water tends to fluctuate 0.2EC every few months

That's why I have an ro unit, not enough variation to make a difference. For growing purposes it can be considered pure water.

Does it get easier than this? For drain to waste using perlite, perlite/vermiculite mix or Fytocell (but not coco) 21 to 22 litres of ro water, 40ml GH micro, 80ml of GH bloom and 15ml of Liquid Silicon as pH up. Feed it to seed plants from the day they sprout until the day before harvest and for young clones, the same volume of ro water but 25ml micro, 50ml bloom and 8ml Liquid Silicon. No meters needed.