I need help with nutrient leves, EC/TDS/PPM

When using an EC meter, do I test my plain ph adjusted tap water first, it measures 0.6 EC, and subtract that from the EC of the diluted nutrient solution?

Also trying to figure out the FoxFarm soil feeding schedule, you can get that here.
It lists a week 4 EC range of 2.1-2.3, up from the previous week, but calls for adding less nutrient. How does the EC go up if no extra nutrient?
If you mix a gallon of growbig and it has EC of say 1.8 and then you add some bigbloom to it wont that raise the EC? So do I measure each nutrient seperately?
I have a BluLab truncheon.

try adding a little more GROWBIG. to reach your ec to 2.1 most nutrients in the back should say how much you should add per gallon. and how much PPM it should range out to be.

Thanks, but do I subtract the EC value of the "base" water after measuring?

well if i was to water my plants with tap water. i would let it sit out first for some chlorine to evap maybe over night?. that should lower its ec a little. and yeah subtract the ec from the water. because really what does regular tap water has to offer Nutrient wise?

one other thing are you testing the PH of the water with the nutrient solution? being off a little with the EC wont kill a plant. but being off with PH will be a war. Just take notes.. try doing your own way. add more a little more nutrients if you want. just write things down and observe.

How long are you leaving your tap water out to sit? I've never concerned myself with E/PPM when following the feed chart for soil, in fact, that information was just added.... simply follow the number of tsps to add and for younger plants, half that number. I don't put a lot of faith into that feeding schedule, they recommend that you feed every other watering, yet they also want you to feed twice a week.... when would the soil ever have a chance of drying out?

I've only ever found the need to test for EC when i'm topping up a reservoir, if it's just a fresh batch, i just do as i'm told and it all works out peachy. Some plants you can tell you can give them a bit more, or a bit less, but i've never had issue simply following their quantities

Serapis said:

How long are you leaving your tap water out to sit? I've never concerned myself with E/PPM when following the feed chart for soil, in fact, that information was just added.... simply follow the number of tsps to add and for younger plants, half that number. I don't put a lot of faith into that feeding schedule, they recommend that you feed every other watering, yet they also want you to feed twice a week.... when would the soil ever have a chance of drying out?

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I guess it's all based around a certain size pot containing a certain sized plant. When i was using soil i'd water at least 3 times a week, so would be possible.

yup. yup. worrying to much about PPM and EC will just make you stress out if plants dont do well. =D just observe measure out what you add during that peroid of time on piece of paper so next grow you know how much you can add for it to be at a safe level =D. like i use a measuring cup and add all my nutrients in there to a certain level then add it to the water stir it and pour it in.

Hey, thank you for all the help. To answer a couple of questions;
I do check the PH as well, try to keep the PH of the nute mix at 6.5-7.0
I let the water sit for at least 24hrs before using it from the tap
I am using FoxFarm, but when I add 6 tsp/gal of BigBloom, like it says on the feeding chart, I only get an EC of around 1.6, and my water is .6 to start with.

redbud60 said:

Hey, thank you for all the help. To answer a couple of questions;
I do check the PH as well, try to keep the PH of the nute mix at 6.5-7.0
I let the water sit for at least 24hrs before using it from the tap
I am using FoxFarm, but when I add 6 tsp/gal of BigBloom, like it says on the feeding chart, I only get an EC of around 1.6, and my water is .6 to start with.

Click to expand...

Well, a correction to report, the EC after adding the recommended amount of BigBloom is around 2.0. I was mixing in a 3 quart container, thinking it was a gallon. So, perhaps the EC meter saved me, as the high EC alerted me that something was amiss. (me) LOL

Haha, saved ya bacon maybe. I always check PH (i have a pupette, i don't know why i don't just learn how many ml of down, i'm silly) and gave up on letting tap water sit overnight, it led to many complications (availability when i needed it) so i just run it straight out of the bath straight into my tubs and have not noticed a single sign of issue other than that knowingly caused by my drunked self

the water i enjoy best is from my a/c unit =D i dont care how old that thing gets as long as it keeps taking the moisture from the air for me im happy.

Here I am all sorts of worried about chlorine, flouride, etc, etc, etc......
I have been watering everything else that grows around here with it, ( fresh tap water) with no ill effects. Houseplants, tomatoes, peppers.
But my "special" crop has me up nights!!!

I hear you, while 0.6 is a bit higher than mine, think it's 0.3, i used to worry all sorts about it, i'd actually not water them, even if they thirsted, if i didn't have overnight water. Someone told me that it wasn't so much an issue (other than ph fluctuation, which also doesn't seem an issue for me) so i flipped to using straight out of the tap (only thing is you have to gauge room temp yourself) and i have seen no discolouration or harm to the plants, and if it effected the yield, well, it harvested more than i had possibly hoped so i don't see where i can place a fault

What've you got going atm? Gonna get a journal and some piccy's up?

1st grow, just two plants in a 6x6x7.5 grow room. An Alaskan strain and a New York Skunk Deisel. About a week into veg right now. I am LST'ing on both of them at the moment. FoxFarm nutes, along with Age Old Kelp, Dyna-Gro Protekt, Florablend, Einstien oil and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting, lol. Just one 400 watt light for now, MH for veg.