If only can get 1 meter would it be a pH or EC and why

[Brad104]

I’m wondering out of the 2 which is most important if you could only get one good blue lab meter stick would you get a EC or PH

[Somatek]

Always grab a pH meter first, that’s essential no matter what you grow in as the pH affects nutrient availability in any system.  EC meters are great if you’re using mineral salt fertilizers but don’t have much use if you’re growing in fortified soils (aka “living soil” but that’s just too gimicky/marketing heavy for me) or using organic derived nutrients.

I would also suggest a better quality pH pen over the blulab pH pen, ideally one with a replaceable probe as that’s inevitably the part that’ll wear out first.  The blulab had a very flimsy bulb around the probe specifically as seems cheaply built. I personally like Oakton pens as I have a bad habit of letting the probes dry out which isn’t an issue with them.  Although Apera also has some very nice looking gear at better prices last I checked.

[asa.eco]

It depends on your grow style, but the pH is generaly used in more scenarios, although u can go without either;  in soils with a lot of compost/wormcastings, a pH is really not needed, since you are mainly using water only or amendments that dont really change the pH so much since they are organically binded. Composts contain humic and fulvic acids and other humic compunds which work as buffers – neutralising the acids and bases to a soil pH – living/organic soils basicly self restore their pH. No meters needed is the beauty of living soils.

[Brad104]

I truly appreciate your feedback,I am growing in soil so I will get me a good pH pen and I am going to check on Amazon for the pens you suggested.

Thank you for your honest response I do appreciate you!

[Brad104]

I thank you for your help as well @asa eco

[Somatek]

You’re absolutely right that neither is needed as like you said most soils will buffer the pH with dolomite lime or some other soil conditioner and using tap water, where the pH is generally around 8, isn’t basic enough to affect the soil balance.  If you’re reusing your soil though I’d be checking pH as well as having it tested periodically to ensure there aren’t any excesses or deficiencies building up over time.

Humic and Fulvic acid are chealates and help plants by changing the electrical charge of minerals to make them easier to absorb.  They don’t really affect the pH of the soil by neutralizing acids or bases, although they do buffer the soil to make nutrients which are hard to absorb easier.  It makes a lot more sense if you understand cation exchange theory and how plants absorb nutrients, which this video explains much better then I could.

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