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

[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.