THE TRAINWRECK. Brought to you by thcfarrmer…..

[JIMKSI64]

 

[Florida_Mike]

Good question

In water, ppm means “parts per million by amount”, usually treated like milligrams per liter for dilute solutions.

So ppm is not literally counting salt molecules one by one.

Also, once salt dissolves, it usually breaks apart into ions. Table salt, for example, splits into:

Na⁺ and Cl⁻

So in a saltwater solution, the ppm number is talking about the total dissolved stuff in the water, not intact little salt crystals or whole salt molecules floating around.

And with an EC/TDS pen, the “ppm” is even more indirect:
it is usually just an estimate based on how well the dissolved ions conduct electricity.


So the clean answer is:

PPM = how much dissolved material is in the water

 

[Grownsince95]

I hope not because i use RO water with tapwater added to get 70'ish ppm

Ok so that runoff number is the organic stuff breaking down. If your plants are healthy, no burnt tips etc, it's just means your soil microbes are working really efficiently and breaking down more than the plant needs.

 

[Putthataway]

Poontang.
Most misspelled word ever

They smell different.

 

[Grownsince95]

I hope not because i use RO water with tapwater added to get 70'ish ppm

What's the EC going in compared to what's coming out?

 

[trygrowup]

What's the EC going in compared to what's coming out?

Oh you got me on that one. Thats why i wanted to learn about EC.
But i put 70 ppm and get 1200 out if that helps(last 2 waterings)
Before it was about 40 ppm

 

[Vick_Vinegar]

That was actually also nice to know. Makes sense.
I can't really make enough runoff in my small pots to measure.
BUT i just read the runoff on my milkyway (almost ready) it said 1200 ppm and i find that od because i hardly gave it any nutes. Two times in 75 days i think.

Mate, my runoff comes out at like 3500ppm. To fix it, I just ignore it haha. The joys of amendments and shit.

 

[expat]

I told Alexa to stop talking to me like I'm retarded and asked her to explain EC to me. Then I asked her to start talking to me like I'm retarded again.

 

[Hossgrows]

I was going to use that example; you beat me to it

Another example is welding. In salt water on steel hulled boats and barges, you can weld from boat A with grounded welder, to boat B by only pulling the hot lead over. In fresh water the two vessels must be grounded together with a cable

Then u also have to deal with stray current, from other boats. I work on boats...stray current is the one that causes people to drown in marinas.

If it needs work, it comes outta the water, or I go home.

 

[Grownsince95]

Mate, my runoff comes out at like 3500ppm. To fix it, I just ignore it haha. The joys of amendments and shit.

It's only a problem if the plant isn't healthy. Absolutely ignore it otherwise. And that goes for everything else too.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[trygrowup]

Mate, my runoff comes out at like 3500ppm. To fix it, I just ignore it haha. The joys of amendments and shit.

Yeah i also just remembered that the topsoil was so dry last week that i took me two days to moist it.
That might have released some nute too.

 

[Putthataway]

I told Alexa to stop talking to me like I'm retarded and asked her to explain EC to me. Then I asked her to start talking to me like I'm retarded again.

Did she give you the punani after?

 

[Grownsince95]

Oh you got me on that one. Thats why i wanted to learn about EC.
But i put 70 ppm and get 1200 out if that helps(last 2 waterings)
Before it was about 40 ppm

Are your plants healthy? If yes then you've nailed it. That's my runoff number feeding 900 in hydro and my plants are happy like pigs in shit

 

[cpurola]

How about this mindfuck. Fill a bathtub with RO water. Grab a toaster, plug it in, turn it on and jump in the tub with it. You'll be fine. The RO water will not conduct electricity.

Just don't pee while you're in there

Edited to add: even if you stood outside the tub and peed into it, you'd get the shock of your life right where it counts!

OMG!!!! OMG!!!!
I nearly peed my pants!
You get the daily 'funny as fuck' award. LOL LOL LOL

 

[Ninjadogma]

Oh you got me on that one. Thats why i wanted to learn about EC.
But i put 70 ppm and get 1200 out if that helps(last 2 waterings)
Before it was about 40 ppm

See, that's where this data can tell you some things. If your output is higher than input then you know there's already an excess of nutrients in the soil. If it was hungry then your output comes back lower... But you can be tricked by false runoff if your not pushing an adequate volume of water through. It's never a bad idea to collect some of that water a second time and compare the two numbers and see if it's rising or falling. If it's rising then you're not pushing enough water usually. If it's slightly higher than input and falling a little, then that's good.

 

[trygrowup]

Are your plants healthy? If yes then you've nailed it. That's my runoff number feeding 900 in hydro and my plants are happy like pigs in shit

I wouldn't call them healthy but this is the one i measured today. Those burns are old probably from when i feed it.

 

[Florida_Mike]

See, that's where this data can tell you some things. If your output is higher than input then you know there's already an excess of nutrients in the soil. If it was hungry then your output comes back lower... But you can be tricked by false runoff if your not pushing an adequate volume of water through. It's never a bad idea to collect some of that water a second time and compare the two numbers and see if it's rising or falling. If it's rising then you're not pushing enough water usually. If it's slightly higher than input and falling a little, then that's good.

In my recirculating hydro system, the runoff and reservoir stay the same bc feeders run continuously during lights on and keep the roots awash in full strength solution that they can pull whatever they need from. Currently going through 12 gallons per day with 6 plants. I top with water and nutes every day, with 6 gallons just water added 1/2 way through day shift.

 

[Florida_Mike]

Reminder about the contest.

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[cpurola]

See, that's where this data can tell you some things. If your output is higher than input then you know there's already an excess of nutrients in the soil. If it was hungry then your output comes back lower... But you can be tricked by false runoff if your not pushing an adequate volume of water through. It's never a bad idea to collect some of that water a second time and compare the two numbers and see if it's rising or falling. If it's rising then you're not pushing enough water usually. If it's slightly higher than input and falling a little, then that's good.

I did that! I didn't water as much as I should 'cause I after reading all this I didn't want to overdo it. Read Ga;grows thread and she water 'til runoff. Hmmmm, maybe I should do that. Yep, the poor things had never been watered properly since transplant a month ago.
As important as we stress not watering, we should also stress watering 'enough'. Such a delicate line.

 

[Florida_Mike]

Then u also have to deal with stray current, from other boats. I work on boats...stray current is the one that causes people to drown in marinas.

If it needs work, it comes outta the water, or I go home.

I worked as a Boatman/Tug Captain tending big suction dredges. We were always wet with saltwater. Always welding and always getting shocked and electrocuted, it was part of the job