as it will change colour depending if you have to much or to little Co2
I'd say get one, can finde a nice glass one on ebay for a few pounds...
and get 4dkh solution and brothemyl blue ph fluid to use as a checker
a co2 drop checker is one of the most important things you can get for a planted tank, insufficient or unstable co2 is the main cause of algae in the planted tank.