New Grower Why EC is a million times better than PPM. Plus a question for all the growers who currently use EC

[Happy Horticulturist]

See this is the part I'm not sure about. Perhaps I've been wrong about this all along.

Shouldn't EC be your total EC? I mean say you have an EC content of 1 in your tap water (background EC) which admittedly is high but I have heard of it before. Now this person reads the EC should be 1.2 for early veg and they add 1.2 EC to their water they've got a total of 2.2 EC. Wouldn't that badly effect their young plant?

DWCocha and ePenguin what are your opinions on this? I'm royally confused over this.

 

[blue]

Interesting!

Just chucking in my method , I include my background water EC in my total (eg my water is 0.5ec and i add feed up to the required strength)

Although i don't include PH down (which effects EC).

So i get to my strength with the water. THEN ec is set for me, and i PH as needed.

Interesting to see how others do it - Although i think remember Pal and DWCoacha adding the required nute strength ON TOP of the background water EC. (whether they account for (non organic) PH down i'm not sure)

 

[DWCocha]

Interesting!

Just chucking in my method , I include my background water EC in my total (eg my water is 0.5ec and i add feed up to the required strength)

Although i don't include PH down (which effects EC).

So i get to my strength with the water. THEN ec is set for me, and i PH as needed.

Interesting to see how others do it - Although i think remember Pal and DWCoacha adding the required nute strength ON TOP of the background water EC. (whether they account for (non organic) PH down i'm not sure)

exactly the same Blue ..but include the BGEC just so the readout you get is what it is (lazy!) My BGEC is only 70 ish so my EC readings are always close.

HH ,I agree EC is best bud ,but doubt all the PPM users will be in a hurry to change ? "AFN smoke out"

- - - Updated - - -

See this is the part I'm not sure about. Perhaps I've been wrong about this all along.

Shouldn't EC be your total EC? I mean say you have an EC content of 1 in your tap water (background EC) which admittedly is high but I have heard of it before. Now this person reads the EC should be 1.2 for early veg and they add 1.2 EC to their water they've got a total of 2.2 EC. Wouldn't that badly effect their young plant?

DWCocha and ePenguin what are your opinions on this? I'm royally confused over this.

- - - Updated - - -

See this is the part I'm not sure about. Perhaps I've been wrong about this all along.

Shouldn't EC be your total EC? I mean say you have an EC content of 1 in your tap water (background EC) which admittedly is high but I have heard of it before. Now this person reads the EC should be 1.2 for early veg and they add 1.2 EC to their water they've got a total of 2.2 EC. Wouldn't that badly effect their young plant?

DWCocha and ePenguin what are your opinions on this? I'm royally confused over this.

In that situation you can kindof disregard the BGEC & yup your final reading would be 2.2 ,but you know you put in 1.2 of nutes & the rest is just crap !... not a nice idea though !... 0.4 is standard for a lot of hydro growers & say you want to start your babys around 0.8 ,you would make the res 1.2.

If your background EC is much higher than 0.4 you need to think about RO or some filtration "My 2 cents":Sharing One:

 

[T.T.Tarzan]

I include my background e.c, but unlike blue I take the reading after iv added p.h down. Didn't realise altering p.h altered e.c too

 

[DWCocha]

I include my background e.c, but unlike blue I take the reading after iv added p.h down. Didn't realise altering p.h altered e.c too

Prob best to take the final reading after getting the PH stable & thats how I should but don't always do it . A good idea is leave the EC 0.1 lower than your final target & let the nutes fully dissolve (which usually makes the EC go up a bit ) & leaves some room for PHing .Ideally you make the res 24hrs before its needed to get this right !

 

[Happy Horticulturist]

HH ,I agree EC is best bud ,but doubt all the PPM users will be in a hurry to change ?

I'm on a quest to convert AFN to an EC only zone I shall not give up this quest till the day I die

In that situation you can kindof disregard the BGEC & yup your final reading would be 2.2 ,but you know you put in 1.2 of nutes & the rest is just crap !... not a nice idea though !... 0.4 is standard for a lot of hydro growers & say you want to start your babys around 0.8 ,you would make the res 1.2.

If your background EC is much higher than 0.4 you need to think about RO or some filtration "My 2 cents"

I have RO water at zero EC. I found I basically have to top my water up with Magne-Cal+ which is basically Cal / Mag plus a bit of Nitrogen and micro nutrients like copper / zinc / molybdenum I think to about 0.4 EC and then add my nutrients.

Plain tap water usually has a good bit of Calcium and Magnesium in it as well as some micro nutrients. The problem is you just have no idea in what dose / ratio these tap water background nutrients are in. Plus it can change from season to season and if you ever move house you'll have a different tap water. Where as with RO water at least you have a zero baseline to start from so it's always going to be the same.

Would be awesome if we all had close to zero EC tap water or RO filters. Or we made it abundantly clear in our grow journals what's up our situation in every post that mentions EC.

I think I'll be the abundantly clear EC crusader now on AFN Hope Ya'll Don't Mind!!

 

[KsjAuto]

I include my bg water as well
But also state my bg water in start of my thread example 200ppm ec 0.4
Im starting to use both ec and ppm in my threads so nobody get confused
:Cheers:

 

[pop22]

EC is perfectly accurate for measuring the strength of a nutrient solution for hydroponics use. It's neither too accurate or too broad. 0.1 EC seems to be the perfect unit of adjustment needed in order to either increase of back off the nutes. Anything smaller than that in my opinion and experience would be overkill.

PPM is on the other hand too accurate and not standardised. Like eP pointed out it would be like a person from the UK and the USA talking in Gallons and both of them assuming the other is the same nationality as them, then they've both got different measurements.

We measure in mls because mls are the best (and standardised) measurement for measuring liquids. We measure in EC because EC is the best (and standardised) measurement for measuring in hydroponics.

Ohh, don't get me wrong, I wish the U.S. could get with the metric system. My sarcasm is for "Americans" because we are just too damned stubborn to convert to metric. the Inches/ feet/yards system has long since outlived its usefullness and needs to be retired. Sure, EC is fine, I just don't care for it personally.

I know someone who dropped out of a Biology class because they couldn't grasp the metric system,,,, What's so hard about multiplying and dividing by ten??

 

[namvet25]

I hate the metric system because I had to go and buy all new metric sockets and wrenches.I also hate centigrade,litres.centimeters,millimeters,kilometers.If it aint broke leave it the fuck alone.God bless America,oh and what the hell is a peep?:slaps:

 

[pop22]

I hate the metric system because I had to go and buy all new metric sockets and wrenches.I also hate centigrade,litres.centimeters,millimeters,kilometers.If it aint broke leave it the fuck alone.God bless America,oh and what the hell is a peep?:slaps:

Yep the good old half assed American way! I too bought metric wrenches back during the Great Experiment...lol! So we made cars (and STILL do.. ) that half the bolts and screws were metric, and half were the usual mix of U.S. Thread and SAE. Because its easier to figure out how many 64ths there are in 27 inches.......VS how many centimeters in 5 meters...
And the problem is it is broke, its an antiquated and difficult system of measurement.

Yes, I understand being comfortable with what your use to, doesn't mean its worth saving!

Funny though, I bet you know the formula to convert grams and ounces lol! :Sharing One:

I asked for a metric tape measure at Lowes......they looked at me like I had three heads.........LOL!