Quote Originally Posted by GROWxMOREx420
Buy a digital 4 in 1 soil tester off of Amazon. I got mine for $30 and it makes growing the plants almost too easy. Look for the KCB yellow one if you decide to go that route. It has a digital PH tester, Soil mosture reader, thermometer, and sunlight meter. It will help you find optimal conditions for your plants.... regardless of what others say.
I've found the analog test meters, the ones with those metal probes that get shoved into the soil, don't seem to work. One that still uses the soil probes yet has a digital display is not really considered a (quality) PH meter. When one hears "digital Ph meter", someone like myself is picturing a digital pH pen. The Milwaukee model is a fine one for a reasonable price of around $20:
Opentip.com: PH 600 PH Pen Milwaukee

It's tests the water, not the soil. You test the water going in and the runoff coming out. From the two you determine the soil Ph very acurately.

Quote Originally Posted by GROWxMOREx420
Those are great nutes to use, but it sounds like you are mixing them too high in small water ratios.

When you mix your nutrient solution, don't try and use 1/4 of the recommended nutrient solution per 1 gallon of water, you do it the other way around. If the label says 1 teaspoon of nutes per 1 gallon, mix 1 teaspoon of nutes into 4 gallons of water to help it dilute properly, then water with that solution every other watering.
I'm sorry but I disagree again, unless you are going to use 4 gallons of nutes all at once. You don't want to mix nutes with water and have them sit around for weeks. They can go stale and rotten. I don't see how they won't "dilute properly" if used at 1/4 dose..... How do the nutes know and why would they not dilute properly? Did they go on strike? Did the Union tell them they can't work????