Lab-grade pH and mV measurement built for daily production use in licensed cultivation.
The Apera PH700 (AI501) is a benchtop pH/mV meter kit engineered for reliable, repeatable measurement in demanding grow environments. It ships complete with the 201T-F 3-in-1 combination electrode, pre-mixed calibration buffers, and electrode holder — ready to run on day one.
The Apera PH700 (SKU: AI501) is a benchtop pH/mV meter kit from Apera Instruments — a Columbus, Ohio-based instrumentation company with over three decades of water analysis experience. The PH700 sits in Apera's 700 Series and is positioned as an entry-level lab-grade instrument: full-featured enough for professional production environments, without the cost overhead of Apera's GLP-compliant 800 Series.
The kit ships with the 201T-F 3-in-1 combination electrode — a lead-free lithium glass membrane probe that measures pH and temperature simultaneously through a single connection. Three bottles of pre-mixed calibration buffer solution and a compact electrode holder are included, so the meter can go from box to calibrated in minutes. Power is via AC adapter (120V/60Hz) for consistent benchtop use.
Beyond pH, the PH700 reads millivolts directly, supporting ORP measurements when paired with a compatible ORP electrode. This makes it a single instrument for both nutrient solution pH checks and oxidation-reduction potential verification — two routine QC points for hydroponic and fertigation programs.
Any licensed cannabis or hemp operation running a fertigation system, coco or rockwool substrate, or reservoir-based hydro setup needs a reliable benchtop reference meter to verify and anchor hand-held readings. Pocket testers drift; benchtop meters with three-point calibration and ATC give you a fixed, traceable reference point at the mixing station or water treatment area.
The PH700 is well-suited to head growers and cultivation directors who need a low-maintenance, daily-driver pH instrument for nutrient mixing verification, RO or municipal water QC, and batch confirmation before irrigation events. Its IP54 splash-proof and dust-proof housing makes it viable on a working grow bench, not just a clean lab environment. The 50-point on-board data storage also supports basic recordkeeping for compliance or SOP documentation without requiring a separate computer.
Operations running multiple rooms or facilities often station a benchtop unit at each fertigation bay. The AI501's straightforward interface and guided calibration workflow reduce training burden and limit operator calibration errors — a common source of pH measurement drift in high-turnover grow teams.
Automatic 3-point calibration supports five buffer options — pH 1.68, 4.00, 7.00, 10.01, and 12.45 — with on-screen self-diagnosis and electrode slope display. The slope readout lets you assess electrode condition at a glance and know exactly when the 201T-F probe needs to be replaced or reconditioned before readings start drifting.
Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC) runs continuously from 0–100°C, correcting for sample temperature variation in real time. This is particularly relevant in cultivation settings where nutrient solution temperature can shift meaningfully across seasons or between rooms, affecting apparent pH readings on non-compensating meters.
Advanced digital filtering technology stabilizes readings and shortens response time. The display locks with a stable-reading indicator, eliminating guesswork about whether a reading has settled. Connectors are protected by silicone seal caps, and the IP54 housing keeps the internals intact through routine splash exposure — spills, misting, and condensation that are standard in production grow environments.
For new builds and facility expansions, the PH700 belongs at every central nutrient mixing or water treatment station. It is the reference instrument your team calibrates handheld probes against, verifies batch pH before fertigation runs, and uses to log pre-irrigation QC data. One benchtop unit per mixing bay is the standard configuration for compliant, documented cultivation programs.
In retrofit situations, the AI501 is a direct upgrade from consumer-grade pH pens that lack multi-point calibration and temperature compensation. The guided calibration and slope self-diagnosis dramatically reduce the risk of running crop irrigation events at an incorrect pH due to an aged or improperly calibrated electrode — a root cause of nutrient lockout issues that experienced operators know to prevent at the instrument level.
The PH700 pairs logically with a dedicated EC/conductivity benchtop meter (such as Apera's EC700 series) for a complete two-instrument nutrient solution QC station. Hydro Supply Co. carries both; a quote for the complete station can be requested through the same form.
| SKU | AI501 |
| Model | PH700 |
| pH Range | 0–14.00 pH |
| pH Resolution | 0.1 / 0.01 pH |
| pH Accuracy | ±0.01 pH ±1 digit |
| mV Range | ±1999 mV |
| mV Resolution | 1 mV |
| Temperature Compensation | Auto (ATC) / Manual — 0 to 100°C |
| Temperature Accuracy | ±0.5°C ±1 digit |
| Temperature Display Range | 0–80°C (32–176°F) |
| Calibration | 1–3 point auto-cal; buffers: pH 1.68 / 4.00 / 7.00 / 10.01 / 12.45 |
| Data Storage | 50 data sets |
Yes. The kit includes the PH700 meter, the 201T-F 3-in-1 combination electrode, a flexible electrode holder, three pre-mixed pH calibration buffer solutions, and an AC power adapter. No additional purchases are required to begin calibrated measurement out of the box.
Yes. The PH700 reads millivolts (±1999 mV, 1 mV resolution) in addition to pH, which allows ORP measurement when used with a compatible ORP electrode. The included 201T-F electrode is a pH/temperature combination probe; an ORP electrode would be a separate addition for that function.
The PH700's on-screen electrode slope display gives you a direct condition readout every time you calibrate. A healthy glass pH electrode typically shows a slope between 95–105%. As the slope drifts outside that range, response time slows and accuracy degrades — the meter's self-diagnosis will flag this condition before it becomes a measurement problem. Apera warrants the included 201T-F electrode for 6 months; real-world lifespan in production use varies based on sample chemistry, cleaning frequency, and storage practices.
The meter supports five standard buffer points: pH 1.68, 4.00, 7.00, 10.01, and 12.45. For most cannabis and hemp fertigation programs, a 2-point calibration at pH 4.00 and 7.00 covers the full working range of nutrient solution pH (5.5–6.8 for most substrates). A third calibration point can be added for work closer to the 10 range.
The IP54 rating means the housing is protected against dust ingress and water splashed from any direction — appropriate for a working fertigation or mixing station where incidental splash and humidity are routine. It is not submersion-rated, so direct immersion or high-pressure washdown proximity should be avoided. Silicone seal caps protect the electrode connector when the probe is not in use.
Get operator-direct pricing and availability. We supply licensed commercial cultivators nationwide.
Request a Quote