RisingStock
Active Member
Ok....ok...deep breaths, deep breaths...
I'm not a newbie grower, but I only recently started using a meter, and I've never had so much trouble!
Bought a pH & EC/TDS meter to test my water. I've never used one (always used the strips) and it's been confusing from the get-go. If you can, PLEASE HELP, as it looks like I'm killing my plants.
DESCRIPTION OF SETUP
Hydroponic DWC with plenty of aeration supplied by several bubblers. Moms are under a 400w MH, and 'blooms' are under a 600HPS.
DESCRIPTION OF TESTER
Hanna Green Air Products pH & EC/TDS tester. Display shows values in ppt/mS/pH
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM
Bought the tester off e-bay. Calibrated it with the respective solutions (7.1 and 4.1 I believe). First question, after calibrating, if you test the meters in the solutions, shouldn't they read exactly 7.1 and 4.1? Because, after calibrating, these solutions didn't read those exact values.
Whenever I test, I dip in the meter, wait for the ATC meter to stabilize and disappear (as per the instructions) which I take is supposed to be the pH. But the meter value never actually stops moving........is that normal? For example....it start at 5.11, gradually move up, then the little clock icon disappears (which is where it says you should take the reading, say 5.8, but continues to move up, gradually slowing at say, 6.35. Am I reading it incorrectly? Is it when the meter finally stops moving that you take the reading, or when the icon disappears (sorry, not exactly sure what the icon is called.)
Anyway, also bought pH up and pH down. When I bought the solutions, in the winter, it took about 8-10 drops to make a drastic change in pH. Now it takes about a quarter of a cup. (In this case pH down, I've never even used the pH up.) My tap water reads 7.6 (if that is even correct, and if I'm reading the meter correctly.) and to get it down to say, 5.7, takes a considerable amount of solution. This can't be right(?)........??
Lastly, I have no idea how to check the EC/TDS. These are the same, right? (Google searched: A TDS meter is really just an electrical conductivity (EC) meter that has a built-in conversion factor that displays the output in parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (TDS).)) Everyone speaks in terms of ppm (parts per meter), with a value of 500 (young) to 1000(mature) then drop at the end. I get that. But I have no idea (and should have asked far earlier) how to get these values when my meter only has 3 values, pH and ppt/mS. I've googled it but haven't been able to find much...just pages and pages of ads for Hanna meters....d'oh! A layman explanation here would REALLY be appreciated. How do I determine the ppm values from ppt/mS?
Which brings me to the current problem.......
I have 2 grow areas at the moment, Moms and 'blooms'.....recently changed their waters, but was a little concerned at the amount of solution it took to get the pH down between 5.5-6.3. Added a VERY weak amount of fertilizer. (I use a 1 liter bottle with about half a teaspoon of fert---shake, then add to 12 gallon reservoir) I use Flora Nova Grow and Bloom....1 bottle of each has lasted a couple years.....hmm, a couple years....could the fert be toxic???
Anyway....was concerned so checked the pH the next day....perfect (IF I'M READING THE METER CORRECTLY) at about 5.7. Came into today, and ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh......see the pictures.
Sorry the was cut off earlier, computer mysteriously started self-shutdown (it has been one of THOSE days) and saved it before losing what I'd typed.
As of right now, and the way my day is going it was the completely wrong move, the plants are sitting in fresh water, with a pH (I THINK) of 7.6, in a much smaller container (about 6 gallon).....for the simple reason I'm afraid to add any more chemicals of any kind at this moment, even pH down, especially as it's taking so much to see any effect.
Any advice would be appreciated (turn off lights, add this, add that)....but bear in mind the area I live in area where it is extremely hard to get what most of you guys can just run down to the store and by. Nothing is in English, and most of the brands are unknown, so most of what I have I've mail-ordered. Soooo...I can get it, it just takes time.
I was just telling a friend that Hydro isn't that hard (done it before) but that was before I ever started mucking around with the pH. Talk about beginners luck. Is all lost? (see pics)
MUCH THANKS!!!
Just noticed pics don't attatch with labels...... first two are of my planys in bloom, and last is of the Momz.
I'm not a newbie grower, but I only recently started using a meter, and I've never had so much trouble!
Bought a pH & EC/TDS meter to test my water. I've never used one (always used the strips) and it's been confusing from the get-go. If you can, PLEASE HELP, as it looks like I'm killing my plants.
DESCRIPTION OF SETUP
Hydroponic DWC with plenty of aeration supplied by several bubblers. Moms are under a 400w MH, and 'blooms' are under a 600HPS.
DESCRIPTION OF TESTER
Hanna Green Air Products pH & EC/TDS tester. Display shows values in ppt/mS/pH
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM
Bought the tester off e-bay. Calibrated it with the respective solutions (7.1 and 4.1 I believe). First question, after calibrating, if you test the meters in the solutions, shouldn't they read exactly 7.1 and 4.1? Because, after calibrating, these solutions didn't read those exact values.
Whenever I test, I dip in the meter, wait for the ATC meter to stabilize and disappear (as per the instructions) which I take is supposed to be the pH. But the meter value never actually stops moving........is that normal? For example....it start at 5.11, gradually move up, then the little clock icon disappears (which is where it says you should take the reading, say 5.8, but continues to move up, gradually slowing at say, 6.35. Am I reading it incorrectly? Is it when the meter finally stops moving that you take the reading, or when the icon disappears (sorry, not exactly sure what the icon is called.)
Anyway, also bought pH up and pH down. When I bought the solutions, in the winter, it took about 8-10 drops to make a drastic change in pH. Now it takes about a quarter of a cup. (In this case pH down, I've never even used the pH up.) My tap water reads 7.6 (if that is even correct, and if I'm reading the meter correctly.) and to get it down to say, 5.7, takes a considerable amount of solution. This can't be right(?)........??
Lastly, I have no idea how to check the EC/TDS. These are the same, right? (Google searched: A TDS meter is really just an electrical conductivity (EC) meter that has a built-in conversion factor that displays the output in parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (TDS).)) Everyone speaks in terms of ppm (parts per meter), with a value of 500 (young) to 1000(mature) then drop at the end. I get that. But I have no idea (and should have asked far earlier) how to get these values when my meter only has 3 values, pH and ppt/mS. I've googled it but haven't been able to find much...just pages and pages of ads for Hanna meters....d'oh! A layman explanation here would REALLY be appreciated. How do I determine the ppm values from ppt/mS?
Which brings me to the current problem.......
I have 2 grow areas at the moment, Moms and 'blooms'.....recently changed their waters, but was a little concerned at the amount of solution it took to get the pH down between 5.5-6.3. Added a VERY weak amount of fertilizer. (I use a 1 liter bottle with about half a teaspoon of fert---shake, then add to 12 gallon reservoir) I use Flora Nova Grow and Bloom....1 bottle of each has lasted a couple years.....hmm, a couple years....could the fert be toxic???
Anyway....was concerned so checked the pH the next day....perfect (IF I'M READING THE METER CORRECTLY) at about 5.7. Came into today, and ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh......see the pictures.
Sorry the was cut off earlier, computer mysteriously started self-shutdown (it has been one of THOSE days) and saved it before losing what I'd typed.
As of right now, and the way my day is going it was the completely wrong move, the plants are sitting in fresh water, with a pH (I THINK) of 7.6, in a much smaller container (about 6 gallon).....for the simple reason I'm afraid to add any more chemicals of any kind at this moment, even pH down, especially as it's taking so much to see any effect.
Any advice would be appreciated (turn off lights, add this, add that)....but bear in mind the area I live in area where it is extremely hard to get what most of you guys can just run down to the store and by. Nothing is in English, and most of the brands are unknown, so most of what I have I've mail-ordered. Soooo...I can get it, it just takes time.
I was just telling a friend that Hydro isn't that hard (done it before) but that was before I ever started mucking around with the pH. Talk about beginners luck. Is all lost? (see pics)
MUCH THANKS!!!
Just noticed pics don't attatch with labels...... first two are of my planys in bloom, and last is of the Momz.
