Help me understand PH and PPM Readings!

Joint Monster

Well-Known Member
Hoping someone can help clear up some things for me regarding PH and PPM. So I went and shelled out all my money on quality products (B1ue1ab) PH and PPM meter's, for my med1calgr0w. I know PH, that's pretty simple. PPM on the other hand, I understand High PPM (parts per million) would mean High Nutrient Level content. As PH lowers PPM raises? As PPM lowers nutes are being used? If you start at 1000PPM and you drop to 700PPM your girls have had some nutrients, if you start at 1000PPM and it goes up to 1120PPM then you girl has drank water and not nutrients?



PH: My tap (Hard Water) comes out consistantly at around 7.0-7.3. To help me learn I poured two water samples A and B. (Both tap hard water, one with a lid and other covered with plastic wrap lost the second lid). The first one(#1) started at 7.4 and stayed similar, about 2 weeks later it rose to 7.6 about 0.1 up every few days. The second one(#2) (covered with plastic) started at 7.5, after a week it went to 8.1, then stayed at 8.1. So I guess my water rises in PH over x amount of days?

PPM: Sample #1 after 2 weeks had a ppm...... 8EC (560PPMx700).
........Sample #2 after 2 weeks had a ppm...... 7EC (490PPMx700)
........24 Hour Tap Water (left overnight) ppm.. 8EC (560PPMx700)
........Tap Water Poured and Tested same time..9EC (630PPMx700)
........Bottled Water had a ppm of....................9EC (630PPMx700)

^I thought since it is Hard Water from tap it would have a higher ppm reading.. 400/500's seem high right? I was surprised that the bottled water had a very similar reading?? The BL. PPM Truncheon Meter has EC/CF/PPMx500/PPMx700. WHICH of these numbers are important to me? Am I using x500 or x700pm? CF/EC?? How do I lower the EC/PPM of my water? If I add nuted (Flora Lucas) then it would raise the EC/PPM correct?
 

Sativied

Well-Known Member
As PH lowers PPM raises?
The other way around, if PPM raises (indeed because the plants take up more water than nutes) the PH (usually) drops. If PPM lowers, PH (usually) raises. For similar reasons (PH depending on PPM as well) you adjust the PH 'after' you added nutes (= set the ppm).

How do I lower the EC/PPM of my water?
RO filter usually. I add some distilled water sometimes, especially in my small veg box, to reduce the ppm.

The BL. PPM Truncheon Meter has EC/CF/PPMx500/PPMx700. WHICH of these numbers are important to me? Am I using x500 or x700pm? CF/EC??
The 500 is most common. See the following pdf (use 2nd and last column(s)). http://milwaukeetesters.com/pdf/ph-ec_info.pdf (1000ppm=2.0EC, 500ppm=1.0EC, 250ppm = 0.5EC.)

So I guess my water rises in PH over x amount of days?
Not sure, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but with your tap water test that could be because the chloride evaporating (which some do on purpose, ie. by adding an air pump to speed it up).

400/500's seem high right?
Yes.

I was surprised that the bottled water had a very similar reading??
Don't know, were you? ;) Differs per type/brand of bottled water.

If I add nuted (Flora Lucas) then it would raise the EC/PPM correct?
Yes.
 

Joint Monster

Well-Known Member
The other way around, if PPM raises (indeed because the plants take up more water than nutes) the PH (usually) drops. If PPM lowers, PH (usually) raises. For similar reasons (PH depending on PPM as well) you adjust the PH 'after' you added nutes (= set the ppm).


RO filter usually. I add some distilled water sometimes, especially in my small veg box, to reduce the ppm.
Don't have access to RO Filter/water. Can I use boiled water to balance things out? I plan on running both soil + dwc... Don't think I'll be able to get my hands on that much RO water to balance out all those rezzz.

The 500 is most common. See the following pdf (use 2nd and last column(s)). http://milwaukeetesters.com/pdf/ph-ec_info.pdf (1000ppm=2.0EC, 500ppm=1.0EC, 250ppm = 0.5EC.)
Okay so I don't really need to convert since they give all the different measurements on the meter, but that's good info to learn!

Not sure, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but with your tap water test that could be because the chloride evaporating (which some do on purpose, ie. by adding an air pump to speed it up).
That may be the reason. Should start up pump+res to see how those measurements and how the water fluctuates before any girls go into them.

Yes.

Don't know, were you? ;) Differs per type/brand of bottled water.
Maybe? I'll try another brand and see how it differs :)

Yes
.

Thanks for your reply! bongsmilie
 
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