Indoor Soil PH?

[Buzzbait]

Hi there. Another new auto grower here and need some help on the proper way to check the soils PH. I have a ph meter for water and nute solutions. But do not have one for the soil. I have read that some check the ph of the runoff water. Is this an accurate way to get an idea of what the soil ph is? If using a 5 gallon pot should one get a soil ph reading at different levels of the pot? Can some one please tell me whether I really need a soil ph meter or not and if so, recommend a good one.

 

[namvet25]

I wouldn't bother with a soil meter because unless you spend a lot of money on a professional soil meter the cheap ones are not very accurate.As long as you have a good meter to test your intake water that is all you need.Don't worry about runoff that much or at all.

 

[BillyMadison]

I test the water run off with a 20$ electric ph meter off amazon - it actually might of been 10$ - it works great. Get some general hydroponics calibration with it and you can adjust your water before watering, fert solutions, and test the run off to make sure all is well. here is a chart of absorption of nutrients so you don't get nute lockout

8 bucks, it works great. Seriously.

http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Digital-pH-Meter-Tester/dp/B0054IQCB4


edit - I'm super cheesed out of my mind. Just re-read everything. Yes - I like to test my run off and it works well. With the PH meter listed - works great - easy to calibrate - and 8$ to replace when needed. I've had mine for a while and use it for testing tap water before chlorine evaporation and after, fert solutions and soil run off. Foliage stays lush and green

 

[BillyMadison]

As long as you have a good meter to test your intake water that is all you need.Don't worry about runoff that much or at all.

Makes sense. Also, don't get your ph buffer solution for your fert solution and your ph buffer calibration solution mixed up like I did