Description
The GroLine HI98118 pH/temperature meter is our ultimate pocket meter for measuring the pH of a hydroponic nutrient solution. The HI98118 has a very easy-to-read LCD display that displays both pH and temperature along with calibration values, stability, and low battery charge indicators. All operations are simplified with two buttons, one for turning the meter on/off and one for automatic calibration at one or two points.
FEATURES:
-Operation with only two buttons-Quick
calibration mode using Hanna Quick Cal calibration solution for pH/CE-Removable
fabric bonding to prolong pH electrode life
The GroLine HI98118 pH/temperature meter is an economical way to measure the pH of hydroponic nutrient solutions. Maintaining an optimal pH is essential to maximize growth. The general rule of thumb is that as pH increases, the solubility of minerals and nutrients decreases. It is important that the nutrients are soluble for uptake and use by plants for growth. The pH of the nutrient solution can also affect the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that the plant uses. Each plant has optimal pH levels for growth. Below is a table for the ideal pH range for a variety of plants.
The HI98118 can be used to measure pH in soils as well as in nutrient solutions. North Carolina State University has established a procedure for this purpose. This method is used by collecting 50 mL of leachate from a fully irrigated plant and then measuring it.
To measure soil pH as a suspension, the USDA recommends a mixture of 1 part soil with 1 part water. The suspension is allowed to stand for 10 minutes so that the solids settle and the pH of the upper liquid can be measured.
The HI98118 is an advanced meter with easy operation. The front of the meter has two buttons. One to turn the meter on and off and one to enter calibration mode. There is a third button in the battery compartment that allows the user to customize the meter to their preference. Customization includes temperature reading in °C or °F, selectable automatic shut-off from 8 minutes, 60 minutes or off, and finally the choice to use Hanna’s Quick Cal values for pH/EC, or traditional solution values of pH 4.01, 7.01 and 10.01.
The HI98118 features a removable fabric joint. The reference junction of a pH electrode, also known as a salt bridge, provides an electrical path between the internal reference cell and the sample. Any embedding of the joint will result in an interruption of this electrical contact. When this happens, readings will be erratic and will take a long time to stabilize. With the removable Hanna joint, a small 1/8 “portion is removed to expose a clean surface. With the renewed joint, the scale is removed, allowing the meter to be used normally. The total length of the joint is approximately 1” so it should only be removed periodically.
