Anyone use a automatic PH controller?

I am looking into automatic ph controllers. Does anyone have experience using them? Are they worth the investment? Are they reliable? Which one do you use and or recommend?

They really are not that expensive I would be surprised if there aren't many people that already use them.

Come on with the advice and opinions.

Got a link to the one you are considering?

"[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular] Most users will be controlling the addition of CO2 into their system with this instrument and there can be disastrous results if CO2, another acid or a base is added to the system in an uncontrolled fashion. It is critical that one pay special attention to the placement of the pH probe in the system. You must frequently check the condition and calibration of the pH probe. We strongly require that you build sanity into your system. Needle valves, and similar devices, should be designed to throttle-down the flow of gases into the system at a reasonable rate."

http://www.americanmarineusa.com/phcontroller.html

Sounds like you can buy a lot of hassle and work for that $189.00. IMO.
[/FONT]

i would think that this contraption would be a huge lifesaver in terms of time spent in the actual growroom... maintenance and trusting the machine to preform properly is the key.... a dont know if i would be comfortable... but i dont ph. im in soil.

Something like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HANNA-INSTRUMENTS-ORP-HI8720T-HI-8720T-PH-METER-CONTROLLER-/150826750995?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231df99413


Or anything like this?

http://www.hannainst.com/usa/prods2.cfm?id=033009


I have know idea what im getting myself into do I?

mr. green thumb 01 said:

I have know idea what im getting myself into do I?

Click to expand...

That's pretty obvious.

hotrodharley said:

That's pretty obvious.

Click to expand...

I am looking at a automatic ph adjuster? right?
Shit its not like a got a grow pro round here to tell me everything I try to learn off the forum and always get smart ass responses.

So here I am looking for help/advice and thats what you come up with.
And btw Hardley Davidson's suck my 1k rocket would dust you.
Man, I need to go smoke now what a jerk.

mr. green thumb 01 said:

I am looking at a automatic ph adjuster? right?
Shit its not like a got a grow pro round here to tell me everything I try to learn off the forum and always get smart ass responses.

So here I am looking for help/advice and thats what you come up with.
And btw Hardley Davidson's suck my 1k rocket would dust you.
Man, I need to go smoke now what a jerk.

Click to expand...

Definitely sounds like a dick, just a little bit. My only experience with dosers of any kind are bad ones. Same reason I hand water... If you use solid pH up and down (I use advanced), you should be fine with pH fluctuation as long as your temperatures are consistent. So, I use a Ti res heater and don't have any major fluctuation in my pH.

NebulasINblooM said:

Definitely sounds like a dick, just a little bit. My only experience with dosers of any kind are bad ones. Same reason I hand water... If you use solid pH up and down (I use advanced), you should be fine with pH fluctuation as long as your temperatures are consistent. So, I use a Ti res heater and don't have any major fluctuation in my pH.

Click to expand...

Thanks you for helpful response. Whats the difference between solid & liquid ph adjusters? Besides the obvious. Is one better for hydro or dirt. I always use liquid in my dwc system.

A ph adjustment machine to add ph when it fluctuates isn't that necessary unless you have a HUGE system.. or a big pool and such.. putting the ph at 5.8 will do just fine if it goes up a couple of notches during the week..

your going to(hopefully) change/clean the reservoir every week or every other week anyways and if you change it every other week just do a ph test with a meter the first week in. if it goes up to lets say 6.2 adjust it accordingly..

also you'll check water levels during that time so you'll add extra water at quarter strength nutrients and it will be ph adjusted also.

Now lets say you have it at 5.8 and for some reason it spikes to 6.8 then you have problems. In this scenario its either environmental, chemicals, or something wonky is happening with the plants.

Yes a ph adjuster machine can be useful but you'll need to check it everyday. And what if the ph did do a major spike(for any reason) but you didn't know because you have it in your mind that your system is ok because of the handy machine.
Then boom your plants are dead and you have no reason why because you left it up to the machine .

Seems like an anti-machine post but just giving you some scenarios. Having a tri-meter that reads ph/tds/temp would do just fine.. keep a log book and write down the values for that day.

People want automation but it takes away from actually taking care of your plants and being prowed you were there every step of the way

mr. green thumb 01 said:

Thanks you for helpful response. Whats the difference between solid & liquid ph adjusters? Besides the obvious. Is one better for hydro or dirt. I always use liquid in my dwc system.

Click to expand...

The only solid pH products I know of need to be diluted in to water anyway. It's just another product on the shelf. Go Advanced. It's about the only good product they make.