Lab-grade pH/mV in the field — ±0.01 accuracy, ATC, auto-cal, IP57 rated.
The Apera SX711 (AI460) is a portable handheld pH/mV/temperature meter built for field-accurate water quality testing in commercial cultivation, hydroponics, and water treatment applications. It delivers ±0.01 pH accuracy with automatic temperature compensation, 1–3 point auto-calibration, and a 100-set data logger — all packed in a rugged IP57-rated carrying case ready for daily grow-floor use.
The Apera SX711 is a portable, handheld pH/mV/temperature meter designed for lab-grade accuracy in field conditions. It measures pH across a wide range of -2.00 to 19.99 pH at ±0.01 pH accuracy, mV (ORP) from -1999 to +1999 mV at ±0.1% FS, and ambient solution temperature with automatic compensation across 0–100°C. The meter ships as a complete kit — electrode, buffer solutions, and carrying case included — so it's ready to deploy without sourcing accessories separately.
The SX711 sits in Apera's SX700 series of professional portable meters, a line purpose-built for operators who need reliable, repeatable measurements outside a benchtop lab environment. The instrument body is IP57-rated for dust and water resistance, powered by two standard AA batteries, and sized at 65×120×31 mm / 180 g for easy single-hand use through a full facility walk.
Commercial cannabis and hemp cultivation runs tight pH windows — most cultivars perform best between 5.8 and 6.5 in coco/perlite media, and hydro systems often require even tighter control. A meter that drifts, slow-reads, or loses calibration mid-grow is a liability. The SX711 addresses that directly: it uses digital filtering technology to accelerate response speed and improve reading stability, with an on-display indicator that confirms when a reading has stabilized — removing operator guesswork on whether to record the value.
The kit is equally at home in large-scale recirculating hydro systems, fertigation mixing stations, reservoir pH management, and sump water checks. Environmental monitors, aquaculture operations, and water treatment technicians who need traceable records will also benefit from the built-in data logging and GLP-aligned output. For any licensed operation where water quality documentation is part of a compliance or SOP workflow, having 100 logged data sets with measurement values, units, and temperature stored on the meter provides a practical audit trail.
Auto-calibration runs 1, 2, or 3 points with automatic buffer recognition, and the self-diagnosis function flags out-of-range values or electrode degradation before they produce bad data. Calibration reminders and calibration-date tracking are built into the menu so teams working across multiple meters can maintain consistent SOPs without relying on physical tags or manual logs.
The lead-free ATC pH electrode included in the kit is designed for field accuracy in general aqueous solutions — the same electrode class Apera supplies for water treatment and environmental monitoring applications. The HD blue-backlit LCD is readable in low-light grow environments, and the auto-power-off function conserves battery on meters left idle between checks. The rugged carrying case organizes the meter, probe, and buffer packets in one unit that travels easily from room to room or site to site.
In a multi-room or multi-site operation, the SX711's portability and self-contained kit format make it a practical per-room or per-technician instrument rather than a shared benchtop unit that creates workflow bottlenecks. The 100-set data logger means a technician can complete a full facility round and download or manually transcribe readings at the end of the shift rather than logging on the spot.
For operations scaling up or adding fertigation infrastructure, having a calibrated, field-accurate pH meter on hand during system commissioning and baseline calibration of inline sensors is standard practice — the SX711 serves as a reliable reference instrument in that context. HSC supplies the AI460 nationally to licensed cannabis and hemp operators through direct accounts with Apera Instruments. Request a quote below for current availability and lead time.
| Model | Apera SX711 / SKU AI460 |
| Measurements | pH, mV (ORP), Temperature |
| pH Range | -2.00 to 19.99 pH |
| pH Resolution | 0.01 pH |
| pH Accuracy | ±0.01 pH (meter); ±0.02 pH (matched) |
| mV Range | -1999 to +1999 mV |
| mV Accuracy | ±0.1% FS, 1 mV resolution |
| Temperature Compensation | Automatic (ATC), 0–100°C |
| Calibration | 1–3 point automatic with auto buffer recognition & self-diagnosis |
| Data Logger | 100 sets (measurement value, unit, temperature) |
| Display | HD blue-backlit LCD with stable-reading indicator |
| IP Rating | IP57 (dust and water resistant) |
The AI460 ships as a complete kit: the SX711 meter body, a lead-free ATC pH electrode, ready-to-use pH buffer packets for calibration, and a rugged carrying case. Batteries (2× AA) are not included.
The meter delivers ±0.01 pH accuracy, which is lab-grade performance for a portable field instrument. For most cannabis and hemp applications — reservoir management, fertigation mixing, coco media checks — this is tighter than the ±0.1 pH tolerance that most consumer testers provide. The digital filter technology and on-display stability indicator further reduce operator error from premature readings.
The SX711 measures mV, which is the raw electrical potential used to express ORP/redox values. The range is -1999 to +1999 mV at 1 mV resolution and ±0.1% FS accuracy. If you need a kit that bundles a dedicated ORP electrode alongside the pH electrode, Apera's SX721 (AI463) is the next step up in the same series.
The meter body is rated IP57, meaning it is fully dust-tight and protected against immersion in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. It will handle splash, rinse-down, and high-humidity grow rooms without issue under normal use.
The SX711 supports 1, 2, or 3-point automatic calibration using standard pH 4.00, 7.00, and 10.01 buffer solutions (included in the kit). The meter auto-recognizes the buffer value on insertion. For commercial cultivation, a 2-point calibration (pH 4 and 7) before each use or at least daily is standard practice. The meter stores the last calibration date and prompts when recalibration is due.
Get operator-direct pricing and availability. We supply licensed commercial cultivators nationwide.
Request a Quote