Best meter/monitor for UC

[UCaliNoob]

I was told by another UC grower that the Bluelab guardian monitor is ideal...

Was curious what you guys use and what works best?

Do you guys pull a sample and check ppm, ph or do you just dunk right in epicenter and mods?

 

[ALLegal420]

We run Hanna meter with PPM, PH, water temp and just leave the probes in the main Rez 24/7 with box mounted on the wall. Works great and water temp is something your gonna wanna keep an eye on as well.

-ALLegal420

 

[deacon1503]

Its nice bc it gives u all 4: EC, PPM (500 &700), ph, and temp. Only the ph probe is replaceable and calibrateable. The downside with bluelab is post purchase. Emailing and scheduling service is a pita back and forth from new zealand. Hanna's service is in rhode island.

 

[UCaliNoob]

Oh I gotcha...

Do you guys take readings from mods with plants or the epi? Do you guys find fluctuation from the epicenter to mods?

 

[deacon1503]

Oh I gotcha...

Do you guys take readings from mods with plants or the epi? Do you guys find fluctuation from the epicenter to mods?

Due to the recirc pump constantly running, once completely mixed all spots will/should read the same.

 

[UCaliNoob]

I just usually get a diff reading in epi thought it might been all the oxygen with diffuser disc

 

[smokie]

The diffuser will through off your ppm, doesn't seem to bother PH reading, if using a Pen i try and hold it in a corner, but have been using the Hannah that is fully submerged 24/7 and just place it under the diffuser.

 

[ttystikk]

I use a Bluelab truncheon and a Hannah pH meter. I use these to check each different system. I only check in the control bucket- aka 'epicenter' since my systems circulate water quickly.

I have digital temp sensors and simple floating fishtank thermometers, and so far I use those- I'm not sure if the digital units are accurate?

 

[dankworth]

I like the 15.00 infrared temp device from harbor freight. I have 2. I always have one with me, so I can lose the other one and still know what temp my res or canopy is.

 

[UCaliNoob]

How do the ones from harbor freight work? Just a probe?

 

[HydroRocks]

Be careful buying the meters directly from China, we found what we thought was a really sweet deal as the tri-meter we use was normally around 300 dollars, this direct connection with china deal was suppose to provide the same exact meter but for 80 dollars. We figured since 99% of this stuff comes from these China places anyhow I thought what the hell. Needless to say it was not an exact replica and we lost several hundred and had to buy them all over again from a better source.

Try and purchase name brand like Hanna and make sure it from a place where you can get a warranty and even return it if you get a dud or something. I lean toward Hanna as we did product testing for them a few years ago.

There are some decent deals on "sleezbay" but again just make sure the source is reliable and reachable if there is a problem.

All the advertisement done with banners here at farm are to represent legit sources so you should check them as well.

Cheers!

On a different note, Dankworth, does that temp probe work well? The one we tried was not calibrated correctly and just gave crazy read out numbers.

 

[HydroRocks]

Due to the recirc pump constantly running, once completely mixed all spots will/should read the same.

What he said, good call Deacon, they should be all reading the same after just a few minutes even. If not, I would start checking for dead spots or faulty gear or "something" that would be causing that different reading.

This is one way to troubleshoot problems or let you know you have a problem.

You hear about from time to time from UC growers, that just 2 or 3 plants are looking sick, and all the other plants in the same system all look great.

9 times outta 10, there is something "off" with the problem modules, and even more often these problem bucket modules will show different readings than that of the EPI module.

 

[desertsquirrel]

more important then the meter is placement and usage.

Unless your epi is a good distance from your hoods and /or ballasts you will have to carry the water to the meter to ensure proper readings. We have found the hoods cause more problems then the ballasts, but in either case make sure your not getting any interference.

If it does work inside your room, make sure it turns off for the night cycle, 1 blue lab can illuminate an entire dark room.

we have 6-8 guardians. they kill.

 

[johnnyrex]

more important then the meter is placement and usage.

Unless your epi is a good distance from your hoods and /or ballasts you will have to carry the water to the meter to ensure proper readings. We have found the hoods cause more problems then the ballasts, but in either case make sure your not getting any interference.

If it does work inside your room, make sure it turns off for the night cycle, 1 blue lab can illuminate an entire dark room.

we have 6-8 guardians. they kill.

Your right I have a blue lab gaurdian at lights out it illuminates the whole room 10x 10 but I have it at the lowest dim setting I emailed the company and by said the green light won't harm the plants DS do you turn them off completely? Are they on a timer?
By the way blue lab gaurdian is the shit very happy with it

 

[desertsquirrel]

We don't even have one in the room, they don't work in there. Plus, why take the chance, its not like your reading it at lights out, if it even is working properly in there in the first place....

 

[UCaliNoob]

My epi is right next to my buckets. Maybe that guardian won't work for me then, was thinking I could shade from light and make it work...


I'm not running tons of lights or anything. So maybe it will work?

Anyone else have the guardian not work in the room?

 

[UCaliNoob]

Also desertsquirrel quick ?

I have my plants in the UC for almost week now, everyone of them have rooted showing out net pots but not getting explosive growth.

Am afraid I'm missing something. Right now in Rez is 1.5ml/gal of each of following

Zone
Cal mag
DM gold a
DM gold b

Ppm is 140
Ph is 5.8-6.1
Temp is 76-78
Rh is 48-55%
Water temp 65-66

Question is you think everything is fine or should I up the a and b nutes?

Plants don't look bad but they aren't really taking off yet, roots or plant wise...

 

[desertsquirrel]

well, just like with H&G the DM isn't going to be a good rooting profile, not enough p for that. However its too late to go to a rooting profile it will just stall your plants.

id add an other 1.5 ml of a and b and a few table spoons of IBA.

 

[UCaliNoob]

That's what I was afraid of but learning. So when I put into UC I should have dosed w dynabloom?

And what's iba?

 

[desertsquirrel]

yeah... just for a few days...