EC/TDS/PPM which 1???

[PuraVida305]

I have a bluelab guardian monitor and want to know which method of measurement is best... if any1 has a chart i would appreciate it.. thanks farmers

 

[deacon1503]

U can google and download EC/PPM conversion charts.

in the US the 500 scale is usually the norm but some meters are 750 only so just make sure u know what uve got. PPM aka TDS measures everything in the solution. EC measures nutrient salts. I use EC during flower to gauge how much the plants are actually eating.

 

[Seamaiden]

I would use the EC metric. The TDS and ppm values are derived from the EC value, so save yourself the headache of going through the conversion steps, use the most accurate metric, and learn to work with the EC measures.

You should know that organic compounds cannot be measured accurately using EC (which means by automagic default that neither can TDS or ppm be considered accurate). Conductivity has to do with molecular type and structure, organic compounds aren't always conductive.

 

[PuraVida305]

Ok se EC is the best way to measure what the plant are taking in.... What should i start out with and climb 2... i am growing purple kush in a hydro setup... the plants are in str8 perlite and i use a recirculating system and change out every week...for veg i use AN micro grow bloom,roots excel,align extract,fossil fuel and voodoo juice..... for bloom i use H&G aqua A+B,multizen,F1,fossil fuel,bud candy and AN pk's... thanks for the help

 

[j wizzle]

there isnt a BEST way....they are all the same....you just need to know what kind of meter you have and how they convert EC to TDS...

 

[steelyeyes]

I run about a 1.2 EC in the first week or two of veg. When the plants are small they don't eat much so I generally let my first 50 gallon rez. go two weeks. Then I start climbing to as high as 1.7 or so right before the flip. I'm running H&G Aquaflakes and follow their aggressive feeding schedule so it's a heavy nute load for most of the run.

 

[steelyeyes]

Forgot to add I only measure the EC after the basic nutes are mixed. Add the other stuff after. I'm sure the measured EC goes up but nothing I add after the basic stuff will burn the plants until flower when I add the shooting powder. Then I drop back to a 1.2 EC on the basic nutes, pH the tank, add the shooting powder, then add the rest of the stuff.

 

[PuraVida305]

Thanks a lot bro... so 1.2 to start veg and work it from there.

 

[j wizzle]

Thanks a lot bro... so 1.2 to start veg and work it from there.

it doesnt really work like that....you cant follow someone elses EC readings and expect to get the same results. it all depends on the line of nutes you are using and what additives you are adding to the base.


someone might run 600ppms, another guy might run 1200 ppms and they are getting the same results due to the nutrients.



what you really need to do is come up with what works for you. follow whatever the directions are on the bottle. maybe you start with 75% strength nutes in the first week of flower, then as you get into weeks 3-5 you feed with 100% strength nutes. week 6-8 you start to lower the base back down to 70% and boost P & K until the flush...



then you would use your PPMs that you figured with your specific nutrient line for you next run. then each run, you dial in the nutes and thats how you find out what really works.


i would never just ask what ppms/ec is everyone running, because that wont give you a solid accurate answer

 

[dbahsee]

This is my first hydro grow so i am totally new to all of this. so please bear with my question if it seems silly but i have read so many differnet things that im kind of burnt on data at the moment. so i started a bagseed grow jsut to learn my craft better aby suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Im glad someone put this pot up because today I am having an issue with PPM, I have a tds meter like the one mentoined by the originator of this post, I measured my water today in my hydro aeroponic system and it read 145 and the x10 was flashing.
Im confused as to what that means. can someone maybe help me understand this better. cus I know from my flora nutes guide my ppm should be between 1200 to 1400ppm , I have a 20 gal 4 bucket system with a 5gal res. So ive been adding nutes for 20 gallons and not 25. is this the right thing to do, right now i am in week 7 of my grow and i started flower about 3 weeks ago.

 

[T1420]

145 X 10= 1450 Just do what its sayin'. once it goes over 999 it starts over and flashes the 10X

 

[PuraVida305]

it doesnt really work like that....you cant follow someone elses EC readings and expect to get the same results. it all depends on the line of nutes you are using and what additives you are adding to the base.


someone might run 600ppms, another guy might run 1200 ppms and they are getting the same results due to the nutrients.



what you really need to do is come up with what works for you. follow whatever the directions are on the bottle. maybe you start with 75% strength nutes in the first week of flower, then as you get into weeks 3-5 you feed with 100% strength nutes. week 6-8 you start to lower the base back down to 70% and boost P & K until the flush...



then you would use your PPMs that you figured with your specific nutrient line for you next run. then each run, you dial in the nutes and thats how you find out what really works.


i would never just ask what ppms/ec is everyone running, because that wont give you a solid accurate answer

I never asked what ppm/ec/tds are people running... i asked where i should start out at and where i should climb to... the meter i use Bluelab Guardian it has the ability to measure any way i choose(EC/TDS/PPM)... the guy your talking about running 600ppm is never going to get the same results as the guy running 1200ppm i don't care what you say... what i am doing is switching to measuring by EC instead of PPM(ppm is the most inaccurate) as it is a more precise indication of the nutrients being consumed by the plants which is what i want to know....Like steelyeyes i to run H&G thats why the EC he is running(more or less) is the starting point i was looking for.

P.S. not my first rodeo...☟☟☟☟ Nutrient pantry
☟☟☟☟ 20k/40 reflector 20 tons AC
:banana1sv6::banana1sv6::banana1sv6::banana1sv6::banana1sv6::banana1sv6:

 

[j wizzle]

no offense...but those plants in the backgroud are droppy and show signs of deficiency in just about every single plant.....a master grower, you are not...



the guy who is running 600ppms is running a hand made, high quality nutrient.....the guy running 1200 ppms is running store bought nutes that dont have the same quality nutrients... therefore the 1200ppm guy has twice the ammount of nutes in his lineup, yet they both achive the same results


showing me 20 ballasts with a bunch of nute deficient plants and asking about where you should start your PPMs at and where you should climb too would suggest you have alot of money, but not a huge understanding of how this all works...



my boy has an investor who wants to spend $100,000 to start a garden....doesnt mean he knows how to grow dank....

honestly, you have 20k and dont understand EC/TDS/PPMs....this might not be your first rodeo, but that doesnt mean youre placing 1st either boss....

 

[j wizzle]

this is under a 200w t5....no need to have 20k to have brilliant plants...

im here to help you, not have a big dick contest. so if you would like your plants to look more like mine, let me know. if not, ill kindly step aside and you can continue to ask rookie questions with a $100,000 growroom...its up to you.


roots are from the t5 as well....i dont even have a chiller....but what do i know...


also, TDS is read in PPMs. to get PPMs, you take the EC and use a conversion rate. one is not more accurate than the other. its the same thing.


its like saying whats better 1 kilometer or 1000 meters.....same thing, just a different way to say it.

 

[TheFarmersSon]

EC is the only way to go in my opinion. I especially prefer it when discussing feeding levels with other gardeners.

 

[PuraVida305]

your right my tree's don't look like yours... thanks for the help i appreciate it :yes

 

[Seamaiden]

also, TDS is read in PPMs. to get PPMs, you take the EC and use a conversion rate. one is not more accurate than the other. its the same thing.


its like saying whats better 1 kilometer or 1000 meters.....same thing, just a different way to say it.

Or, perhaps it's a matter of precision. The more conversions that have to be made, the more chances for inaccuracy or loss of information.

Of course, NONE of this matters if someone's trying to measure organic molecules.

It took me a while, but I got my head wrapped around EC and using that (when growing using chem salt nutes) instead of ppm's.

Also, I personally think that it's better to learn how to read the plants and simply log parameters when you're first learning how to use this equipment. That way you get an idea of where the sweet spots are, and before you know it, knowing where the numbers should be will become second nature.

 

[PuraVida305]

Thanks SM... on the blue lab it tells you under each ECx500=TDS and ECx700=PPM.. EC being the standard and the other readings being derived from it... thats probably why EC/CF are the first readings on the meter... Thanks for the insight.