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View Full Version : Help with EC METER



maccaslasher
09-04-2008, 07:22 AM
Hi all
Ive just purchased my first nutrient wand/ec meter. I have an idea on how to use it but would rather hear from some of u guys who are in the know before i take the plunge and risk stuffing things up. Ive heard that i need an EC reading of 1.0 after transplanting and it needs to be slowly raised to 2.0 at the start of flowering stage, but how do i adjust levels to get the readings to what they are meant to be ? I know theyre probably dumb questions but i cant find out any other way.
thnx in advance.

Razz
09-04-2008, 02:33 PM
you need a ppm meter and a ph meter and a water filtration set up, instead of the ec meter. ec meter is good to test how much crap is in your water, such as calcium an what not. i think. but with really good quality water one is not needed.

YukonBikerGuy
09-04-2008, 03:10 PM
I have seen an EC meter reccomended for both measuring crap in your 'pure' water, as well as to roughly determine ppm while adding nutrients. But EC is really rough measure of nutrients. I just use a ppm meter to determine how strong my food is, and after I've crafted the 'recipie' to occasionally check that the original measurments are still accurate and the nutes are still viable. You can buy a pen style meter that measures both ppm and ph if you are willing to pay for it. Although I am using (mostly) hydroponic nutes, I grow in a soiless medium (Sunshine mix #4 and 1/3 perlite) in containers, so I dont need to be as exact as a pure hydro setup, or filter the water. At this point an EC meter can be good to ensure there isnt nute buildup in the medium and to calculate flush times. I only used an EC meter for a short while at the start while learning not to burn my stuff, and now I never touch the thing. Anyway, there is my 2 cents.

fullmeltbubble
09-04-2008, 05:51 PM
EC stands for Electrical Conductivity...PPM stands for Parts Per Million....both will tell you wht you need to know...the way you raise the ppms or ec...is by adding plant food(nutrients) to you res....

maccaslasher
09-06-2008, 01:36 PM
Thnx for the advice guys.