A "how-to" guide on acidification

[Steve Johnson]

Thank you Steve! Very informative article, I learned a lot.

You're welcome!

[AirWreck]

I am so astounded at how much things have changed in 20 years. 20 years ago I studied up on growing cacti. Now I'm revisiting the information and finding that everything I was told back then was wrong. I'm a bit sad and dispirited. But that's the way science goes: as new data comes along understandings and practices change. Lay people get upset about "the scientists and experts" constantly changing their minds- but that's how science works.

I used to try to use a pH meter but could never get it to work- readings were all over the place buffer fluids or not, and that's when the battery worked. I had just as much problems with having a working battery as I did with wild readings. Then there's the times the battery leaked and completely ruining the meter, forcing me to have to buy a new one. I'm going to go with a pH strips and I've been meaning to for sometime; I just keep forgetting to buy some. yeah sure, I may not be able to measure tenths of a pH but so much less instability with strips.

[Steve Johnson]

I used to try to use a pH meter but could never get it to work- readings were all over the place buffer fluids or not, and that's when the battery worked. I had just as much problems with having a working battery as I did with wild readings. Then there's the times the battery leaked and completely ruining the meter, forcing me to have to buy a new one. I'm going to go with a pH strips and I've been meaning to for sometime; I just keep forgetting to buy some. yeah sure, I may not be able to measure tenths of a pH but so much less instability with strips.

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with your pH meter. My bad experience involved a Milwaukee Instruments pH 600, but user error on my part -- nothing wrong with the meter itself. When the last one crapped out on me, here's the meter I've been using for a year:

https://www.amazon.com/Poniie-PH2022Plu ... 776&sr=8-1

2-point calibration vs. the pH 600's 1-point calibration -- much better, and I get more accurate results with the Poniie PH2022 Plus. However, the calibration procedure is a bit labor-intensive since the meter has to be recalibrated unless it's used all the time (I use mine only 2-3 times a year). However, there's nothing wrong with test strips as long as they're giving you reliable results. After comparing results among a number of products, the best I've found are the 17 in 1 Pool and Drinking Water Test Strips made by MedLab Diagnostics. You can buy them on Amazon.