Help buying EC or PPM meter

sunny747

sunny747

Well-Known Member
I started looking at these and got pretty confused. Can anyone shed some light on this for me or point me to a good thread? I want to start monitoring how much nutes I am providing..

What's a good brand of meter and what should I look for in a meter? Cost is definitely a consideration.

Thanks
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
sunny747 said:
I started looking at these and got pretty confused. Can anyone shed some light on this for me or point me to a good thread? I want to start monitoring how much nutes I am providing..

What's a good brand of meter and what should I look for in a meter? Cost is definitely a consideration.

Thanks
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I have had and used my HM Digital PPM meter for almost a year, works perfectly, you generally only get a year or two of accuracy from the probes on any of them.

I had a yellow PH meter, the one with ATC on it but no brand name, it worked ok for a short time, before that I just used the chemical tests, my new PH meter is a HM Digital, seems to be accurate, but only just got it yesterday.

You will get a bunch of blue labs recommendations, but there are two or three other brands of the same quality for a bit less cost, including HM Digital.
 
sunny747

sunny747

Well-Known Member
nomofatum said:
I have had and used my HM Digital PPM meter for almost a year, works perfectly, you generally only get a year or two of accuracy from the probes on any of them.

I had a yellow PH meter, the one with ATC on it but no brand name, it worked ok for a short time, before that I just used the chemical tests, my new PH meter is a HM Digital, seems to be accurate, but only just got it yesterday.

You will get a bunch of blue labs recommendations, but there are two or three other brands of the same quality for a bit less cost, including HM Digital.
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I was pretty bummed when I received my Hannah Instruments ph meter and it didn't have EC. I thought it did when I ordered it..

Do the EC meters require a solution to be stored in like a PH meter? What's the story with Temperature adjustment? Thanks
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
sunny747 said:
I was pretty bummed when I received my Hannah Instruments ph meter and it didn't have EC. I thought it did when I ordered it..

Do the EC meters require a solution to be stored in like a PH meter? What's the story with Temperature adjustment? Thanks
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Temp adjustment is for PH. PH reads different at different temps, the HM Digital shows both temp and PH at the same time...

PPM/EC meter is stored dry. If you want to be nice to it, rinse in distilled water then let dry.
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
I also have a $12 PPM meter from china, it reads a little less accurate (will vary within 100 PPM range testing same water over and over) where the HM Digital is within a 30-40 PPM range. I end up using whatever one is closer, they are both good enough.

Edit make that $14 from China:

China One: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Digital-LCD-TDS-Meter-Tester-Water-Quality-0-1999-PPM-PH-Tester-Set-Filter-Purity-Free/741521967.html

HM Digital PPM: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002C0A7ZY
HM Digital PH: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096N8OWI

Edit again: HM digital PPM is only $17 so ignore china one.
 
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nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
Don't buy PPM calibration fluid, 1g of salt per 1L of distilled water = 1,000 PPM.

A 3 decimal scale will let you make 1L of solution within 1 PPM of perfect, a 2 decimal scale will let you make a solution within 10 PPM of perfect.
 
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DogKnot

Member
I had a Hanna and it worked for more than a year. After it died I bought an Oakton from Amazon and have no complaints. I use a separate meter for PPM/ EC.
 
ghb

ghb

Well-Known Member
bluelab truncheon ec meter.

i paid £70 and have had it for nearly 5 years, no calibration or anything. i mentioned it to the hydro store owner and he gave me a tester kit and sure enough it is still working as well as it did the day i bought it, i mix my res with it and everything.


as for ph testers the hanna has served me pretty well but only lasted around 2 years before it started giving funky readings
think i paid around £40 for mine
 
A

az2000

Well-Known Member
I've used HM TDS-EZ ($18 ) for over a year. I rinse it off and leave it uncapped. If I had to do it over again, I might get the TDS-4 for $4 more. It has temperature compensation.

I calibrated mine once with official calibration solution in a foil packet. It was very close. Recently I dissolved 1g of table salt in a liter of distilled water. By definition, 1g of anything in a liter of water is 1000 ppm. My meter measured exactly 1000ppm. (Maybe 1010). This won't be as perfectly calibrated as professionally-produced calibration solution. But, for my non-hydro use, it's good enough.
 
drekoushranada

drekoushranada

Well-Known Member
az2000 said:
I've used HM TDS-EZ ($18 ) for over a year. I rinse it off and leave it uncapped. If I had to do it over again, I might get the TDS-4 for $4 more. It has temperature compensation.

I calibrated mine once with official calibration solution in a foil packet. It was very close. Recently I dissolved 1g of table salt in a liter of distilled water. By definition, 1g of anything in a liter of water is 1000 ppm. My meter measured exactly 1000ppm. (Maybe 1010). This won't be as perfectly calibrated as professionally-produced calibration solution. But, for my non-hydro use, it's good enough.
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:bigjoint: That is the exact one I had for years.
 
sunny747

sunny747

Well-Known Member
I just received my TDS meter... I think it must have been sent by a drone because I just ordered it on Friday night :)

It's really a neat tool.. My Tap water is 450 PPM. Is that crazy high? I think so..

My botled RO water is .004
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
sunny747 said:
I just received my TDS meter... I think it must have been sent by a drone because I just ordered it on Friday night :)

It's really a neat tool.. My Tap water is 450 PPM. Is that crazy high? I think so..

My botled RO water is .004
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450 is quite high. You need to add a filter or add salt to the water softener and recharge it. 300 or less, 250 or less preferred, but less than 150 may result in the need for calcium supplementation with many nutes.
 
sunny747

sunny747

Well-Known Member
nomofatum said:
450 is quite high. You need to add a filter or add salt to the water softener and recharge it. 300 or less, 250 or less preferred, but less than 150 may result in the need for calcium supplementation with many nutes.
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Yea, for now I am buying water.. I'm shopping for a good undersink RO Filter.. My small grows never require more than 2 gallons of h20 at a time so a home unit will work well..
 
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