How I saved my two erratic pH pens

[Budsbunny]

I had 2 Ph. pens that behaved “erratic”.

First one was a Dr.Meter that I used 2 years ago but never since. When I started to grow cannabis last autumn, it gave readings like “14” or “HI”, while my water from the tap is around Ph. 6.7 Tried to calibrate with no results so I bought another one.
This second one, used since October 2019 started to behave “erratic” also, that was beginning January 2020 and I thought already “the weed is going to be expensive”……
So I bought a Blue Pen and the instructions mentioned to keep the sensor moisture with the storage solution dripped on the sponge in the cap, something I did not have with the other two pens. To be honest, I never cleaned (rinsed) those first 2 pens so I am not blaming anyone.
I did a search some time ago to see if I could bring these 2 pens back to life and I found an article from a woman in a lab that explained how to do it, so here we go:

• Rinse the pens well with water and soft tooth brush and place them in calibration solution@4.01, this can take up to 6-8 days. After 2 days, the second pen was “spot on” with my Blue Pen, I cut a little sponge for in the cap and dripped some of the Blue Pen storage solution on it.
• The first pen (DR. Meter) took 7 days in the @4.01 solution and was only Ph. 0.15 off from the Blue Pen reading after that. I have rinsed this pen every day with water and soft tooth brush. I have calibrated that pen but the difference stayed the same, no biggy, this is good enough for me. Cut a little sponge and put it in the cap with a few drops of storage solution.

So I have 3 Ph. pens now.

In the same article was an explanation how to make your own storage solution, you add 1 gram of KCI to 100 ml @4.01 calibration solution. I have not tried it yet as I still have the Blue Pen solution but sure will try it when the little bottle starts to get empty.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Nice! Thanks for the info but what is KCI ?

My experience is I returned the first 2 I bought, searched for a reliable pen (cheapo) bought that one and used it for about 2 months. Inconsistent and not worth my time or money as far as I'm concerned, an expensive one may indeed be a different story.

I just buy the liquid solution by general hydroponics (I hate GH with a passion) but it works and I can be sure every time I check. Someday I should try the red cabbage solution I read about... simmer red cabbage and water, strain and use the same way using the same chart as the GH stuff. I assume RO water would be best.

 

[ganjaguy]

what is KCI ?

A liquid storage solution for pH pen's.

 

[Budsbunny]

Nice! Thanks for the info but what is KCI ?

My experience is I returned the first 2 I bought, searched for a reliable pen (cheapo) bought that one and used it for about 2 months. Inconsistent and not worth my time or money as far as I'm concerned, an expensive one may indeed be a different story.

I just buy the liquid solution by general hydroponics (I hate GH with a passion) but it works and I can be sure every time I check. Someday I should try the red cabbage solution I read about... simmer red cabbage and water, strain and use the same way using the same chart as the GH stuff. I assume RO water would be best.

KCI stands for Potassium Chloride, this substance (sorry for my English, it's not my mother tongue) is in the Ph sensor among others and gets "less" in time. It is a bit like re-charging the sensor with a storage solution that has a small amount KCI in it.

My second pen was a "cheapo" as well and works fine, it is all about cleaning and maintenance I guess.

 

[Budsbunny]

Bedankt voor de "like" ganjaguy

 

[ganjaguy]

Bedankt voor de "like" ganjaguy

eh Nederlander?
Graag gedaan hoor, je had het ook mooi uitgelegd dus was zeker een like waard. gr

 

[Budsbunny]

eh Nederlander?
Graag gedaan hoor, je had het ook mooi uitgelegd dus was zeker een like waard. gr

Yes but live already 20 yrs here in Canada. gr.

 

[ganjaguy]

ah There are quite a few Dutch people from Canada on this forum i noticed Nice

 

[Budsbunny]

just a guy passing by

LOL, I was also "just a guy passing by" when I visited Canada in 1998 for the company I worked for. Two years later I was living there and 3 years after that I had my own company and visited The Netherlands for MY company.

 

[Budsbunny]

I see the moderator moved this thread to another forum.

 

[NOOOBIENOT]

Your company wouldn't happen to sell ph meters by chance -lol

 

[Budsbunny]

Your company wouldn't happen to sell ph meters by chance -lol

LOL NO, but it might be a good idea as I have 3 on the shelf now.

 

[bobrown14]

LOL NO, but it might be a good idea as I have 3 on the shelf now.

Dont forget to keep the probe end wet!

 

[Budsbunny]

Dont forget to keep the probe end wet!

No worries, I have someone who reminds me of that often....

 

[ganjaguy]

LOL, I was also "just a guy passing by" when I visited Canada in 1998 for the company I worked for. Two years later I was living there and 3 years after that I had my own company and visited The Netherlands for MY company.

I too have to stop by just passing by someday right .
So you felt in love with Canada, love at first visit you could say What did you like the most and what made you actually take the big step? Must be a pretty tough choice to make?

And what kind of company did you start if i may ask?

 

[Budsbunny]

I too have to stop by just passing by someday right .
So you felt in love with Canada, love at first visit you could say What did you like the most and what made you actually take the big step? Must be a pretty tough choice to make?

And what kind of company did you start if i may ask?

It was because of love at first site on my first visit to Canada. I worked in R&D for a big international company and on my request they transferred me from Holland to Montreal Quebec. Didn’t like the mentality in QC and after 7 years I moved to Ontario. Quebec and girlfriend gone and never looked back.
I am a designer, I patent my designs and sell licenses to companies who want to produce these designs. But the new administration in the USA makes it almost impossible to ask for patents as a non-American company, the US patent examiner told me that literally on the phone 3 years ago. That’s really ironic, as I have a lot of American Licensees who use my products to compete against Canadian competitors.
I license on a small scale, I am not super rich but I can manage.

Maybe they soon discover that THC / CBD might be a possible cure against the Corona virus and everybody will get a license to grow very quickly.

 

[bobrown14]

Where ya at in Ontario if I may ask.

My wife and I are in the states. Moved to upstate NY so we could be closer to our cottage in Ontario in cottage country which is northeast of the MTA about 3+ hours and south of the Algonquin Park.

People very friendly even tho I'm an American. MY wife is Russian so I get a pass. lol

 

[Budsbunny]

Where ya at in Ontario if I may ask.

My wife and I are in the states. Moved to upstate NY so we could be closer to our cottage in Ontario in cottage country which is northeast of the MTA about 3+ hours and south of the Algonquin Park.

People very friendly even tho I'm an American. MY wife is Russian so I get a pass. lol

I now live about 45 minutes south-east of Ottawa but lived for 3 years very close to Algonquin Park, very beautiful, especially if the trees start to turn colors.
I had US neighbors there, still friends of mine.
If I go to the States by plane I have no problems, but if I go by car (only 40 km's away) it takes me 2 hours (Dutch passport) and each time they turn my car upside down, they ask intimidating questions to provoke you and it is hard to stay polite.

 

[Budsbunny]

I had US neighbors there, still friends of mine.

Perhaps a part of still being my friends is the fact that they buy the 190 proof alcohol from me. Still much cheaper than the Everclear they can buy in the States. Perhaps a bit of Dutch mentality, I would understand that.

 

[Budsbunny]

People very friendly even tho I'm an American. MY wife is Russian so I get a pass. lol

I don’t see any reason here why people here would not like you or Americans in general. I speak to a lot of people and what I notice is that a lot of people don’t like the US administrations actions. But to be honest, I see a shift towards the past mentality all over the world and that includes The Netherlands and Canada as well.