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Post by dToad on Jan 30, 2012 17:17:58 GMT -5
a means of testing pH #$%&$#
I thought that I could pick a meter or test strips up at a local lab supply house, aquarium supply store, water filtration store, or brewing center. It's pretty much a standard test.
Nope, the Lab Supply Houses have moved out of the province, and none of the other stores carry pH test meters. The fine PH test kits for aquariums are not the correct range for our purposes.
I then turned to amazon.ca, and Canadian e-bay vendors, nothing appropriate there either. I'm now looking at amazon.com and a couple of water specialty companies here in Canada.
I'm looking at the PH-200 Waterproof pH Meter 0-14pH, accuracy +/-0 .02, precision +/- 0.01. it sells for $80 on amazon.ca. I won't forget calibration and storage solutions.
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Post by Kase on Jan 30, 2012 18:26:45 GMT -5
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Post by dToad on Jan 30, 2012 19:01:14 GMT -5
If I could have found one of those locally I would have snapped it up.
Having to wait for either of them, I prefer the 0.02 pH accuracy of the PH-200 vice 0.1 pH of the Milwaukee. Between precision and accuracy a reading of 5.6 is 5.57 - 5.63 on the PH-200, and 5.3 - 5.8 on the Milwaukee.
If I really wanted to start tonight, I could do a titration to determine how much NaOH or KOH to add to the media. I have Phenolphthalein and tumeric as pH indicators in house for making Biodiesel.
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Post by lenynero on Jan 30, 2012 19:41:23 GMT -5
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Post by lloyd on Jan 30, 2012 20:02:51 GMT -5
www.ebay.ca/itm/Hanna-Instruments-Checker-pH-Tester-Electrode-HI98103-/150730684219?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23183fb73b(please forgive the link to eBay, a truly annoying place to do business) I know the Hanna Checker 1 seems really dinky. It's cheap but not a toy. I use it mainly to adjust pH for TC. I find it amazingly accurate. Almost all pH meters are really only accurate to 0.1 pH units. I can't think why you would need any more accuracy. I've used the Hanna Checker 1 for years. I had to clean the pH probe once (with 0.1N HCL) and it still works perfectly with the initial probe. Replacement probes are easy to buy. I bought storage solution, Buffers 4.0, 7.0 and 10.0 for two point calibration every time I use it. You can also buy cleaning solution or make your own. The U. of T. medical store in Toronto sells the solutions fairly cheaply (they sell online too). If you want real convenience you might look into the ISFET meters. www.pulseinstruments.net/phmeterswithadvancednon-glasssensors.aspx
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Post by dToad on Jan 30, 2012 21:03:04 GMT -5
Heh, heh...
That was the one that I originally looked at. It has to come up from the US.
I don't particularly like ordering from the US. Shipping costs and customs charges at the border have at times more than doubled the cost of an item. Sometimes, you just don't have a choice.
I'll call a couple of places here in Canada, and if that doesn't work - well I'll have to go south.
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Post by 31drew31 on Jan 30, 2012 21:22:49 GMT -5
If you ask the senders to send through USPS, it takes a little longer, but is much cheaper, and no customs fee's in my experiences.
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Post by lloyd on Jan 31, 2012 0:09:48 GMT -5
I agree with Drew-USPS is fine, often you avoid HST and the $5 brokerage fee. Also some companies know how to get stuff over the border with UPS with no extra charges, you have to check. www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=TEMPHHAC1Here's a really good price for the Checker 1 and they ship USPS too.
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Post by dToad on Jan 31, 2012 3:39:46 GMT -5
Thanks folks. I'll check the local hydroponics retailers before ordering. I forgot about them.
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