How important is measuring EC with coco?

[bongoman]

I'm really enjoying growing in coco and also learning about growing in coco.

I just grow a couple of females for my head stash as a hobbyist and this summer (Sthn Hemisphere) have realised how important it is to know where your Ph is via a meter. Just knowing you are on track with Ph eliminates one huge variable when troubleshooting any issues as they might arise.

I don't however have an EC meter - is this as important as measuring Ph or can I grow without one?

I'm learning that to grow well it's not just a matter of following bottle labels and grow charts but is a matter of watching the plants very closely and learning to read when you need to pull back on the nutes or turn them up a little. Just watching the relative color of old and new growth is very instructive.

Would having an EC meter be useful or can I grow just as well by watching for signs of deficiency or excess and learning how to listen to these wonderful plants?

 

[AndreNicky]

Aslong as u have a PH meter your good, especially if your using RO water. U can guess Ec pretty accuratly, especially if u you use a nutrient calculator such as http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/fourtwenty/articles/profiles.htm

 

[Cozy Amnesia]

You don't need an EC meter if your just hand watering to waste. If you have a reservoir than it would be much more useful but still not necessary.

 

[bongoman]

Thanks for the info - I'm just hand-watering to waste so sounds like I'm good without one.

 

[Amstel Light]

6 month in and out.. no ec/tds meter just ph meter and GH up&down.