Question about EC meters

[fishheadbob]

I've had successful hydro grows without benefit of an EC meter, but I've wondered if getting one would result in even better results ? The more I read about them, the more questions. Are they worth it ? Do I worry that it isn't properly calibrated? Again, there are no complaints with the yield and quality I get. Two thoughts go through my mind:
One being if it ain't broke don't fix it, but the other one is would I get an even bigger yield with one ? Or would I be overanalyzing things and violating a principle I follow of K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid.
Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[gonzo`]

its not like its going to cost you 10 grand is it? Its nice for piece of mind. I don't know how you can be doing hydro without an EC meter to be honest! You can monitor exactly whats going in and whats going out...

What are you doing right now? What nute regime etc?

 

[Outportgrower]

Many moons ago I too did not use an EC pen and had no issues. It can be done if you follow the manufactures formula guidelines for concentration and weekly change outs. But I have found that as time goes by you tend to want to do everything you can to increase yields while lowering operating costs.

To do so you really need to monitor your environment. By monitoring levels I have been able to eliminate the need to change out the res from start to finish lowering time spent mixing and money on nutrients. It is really a personal choice, and if you know your system and what you are growing all you really need to worry about is ph level if you follow mixing instructions.

The $100 I spent on the EC pen has saved me thousands in nutrients over the years. For me it was worth the small investment.

 

[FreezerBoy]

I love my Bluelab EC Truncheon. It taught me much and well. It's pretty much a $130 stirring stick these days. I suppose a strict adherence to it's readings might boost yield a bit but, I'm lazy and I got to damn much weed already. Po' Freezer

 

[!!!]

You can find a decent usable TDS meter on ebay, $20-30. TDS and EC meters aren't the same, but for this application you only need a TDS meter. Sell it back if you don't find it useful, but it's good to have around whether you grow anything or not IMO (/geek).

 

[FreezerBoy]

TDS and EC meters aren't the same,

Only in the sense that EC is the truth and TDS is a lie. There's no such thing as a TDS meter. That requires chemical analysis these meters can't provide. So called "TDS" and "PPM" meters measure EC and EC alone. Then they reduce the truth to babbling nonsense.

You can run a garden with them because plants are illiterate. But, why spend money on equipment incapable of telling you what it's found? Go EC and leave TDS and PPM in the dustbin of history with feet and Fahrenheit.

 

[*mistress*]

I've had successful hydro grows without benefit of an EC meter

.....

enjoy your garden!

 

[CranAppleGemz]

Only in the sense that EC is the truth and TDS is a lie. There's no such thing as a TDS meter. That requires chemical analysis these meters can't provide. So called "TDS" and "PPM" meters measure EC and EC alone. Then they reduce the truth to babbling nonsense.

You can run a garden with them because plants are illiterate. But, why spend money on equipment incapable of telling you what it's found? Go EC and leave TDS and PPM in the dustbin of history with feet and Fahrenheit.

 

[fishheadbob]

. I don't know how you can be doing hydro without an EC meter to be honest!

I guess there's no substitute for 38 years of pot growing experience and a lifetime in agriculture. Just growing for personal use now, but the entire science has come sooo far over the years.

Anyways, looks like the EC meter stays on the wish list for finding at a garage sale someday. With just one small crop per year I don't think the nute savings would be worth the cost unless I stumble on one at craigslist or garage sale.
Thanks again

 

[*mistress*]

any gardener can do any/all of the desired calculation by hand...

many formulas for converting npk/nutrient profiles into ppms...
calculating npk/nutrient profile
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=134356

can then convert ppms to ec...

PPM can be converted to EC by dividing by 500.

The number 500 used to convert between PPM and EC is called the Conversion Factor. Different salts will have different conversion factors because some conduct better or worse than others. NaCl's is 500, this seems to be the most common standard used, and is what was used for the calibration solutions.

there is also the 700 scale, or ppm/700...
ec is measured in milli-siemens, which is equivalent to milli-mhos... this is derived from mr. ohm, as in ohm's law & resistance. ohm's law is a fundamental of electrical calculations. an ohm is resistance in circuits. a mho is conductance in electricity...

however, there are different types of ec meters...

example:
gh flora nova bloom 4-8-7 npk

1 tablespoon=15ml
1 gallon=3.785 liters

4% nitrogen
(10xN)÷ 0.256 = ppm
(10*4)/.256=156.25 ppm

156.25/500=0.3125 ec

8% phosphate
P2O5x 0.437=actual P
(10*8)/.256=312.5
312.5*.437=136.56 ppm

136.56/500=0.2731 ec

7% k
K2O x 0.83 = actual K
(10*7)/.256=273.43
273.43*.83=226.95 ppm

226.95/500=0.4539

0.3125
0.2731
+0.4539
=1.0395 ec

this should be the ec for just the npk. does not include ca, mg, s, & micronutes...

hope this helps. enjoy your garden!