If you’re new to hydroponics and have NO clue what all of the terminology means, this video is for you. Even if you’re an intermediate grower and want to know what EC is, what TDS means, which you should use, and how it all connects to pH, make some time to watch this one today.
The truth is that EC or electrical conductivity is the purest way to measure your nutrient concentration. TDS or total dissolved solids is a calculation based on EC that meters perform internally. TDS is measured in PPM, or parts per million and the calculation can vary based on the conversion factor.
This is why you must know the conversion factor your meter is using if you’re using TDS. Or you can simply switch to using EC and never have to worry about it again!
Today’s video is sponsored by Apera Instruments, makers of water and soil testing probes and meters. They kindly donated the PH20 and PC60 meters for me to make this video.
More about Apera Instruments here:
→ http://aperainst.com/
If you’d like to purchase either meter, they’re on sale until December 3, 2017 for Black Friday:
→ PH20 pH Tester: http://amzn.to/2hKrBEM
→ PC60 pH/EC/TDS Tester: http://amzn.to/2z9YfGQ
Learn to grow your own food:
→ http://www.epicgardening.com/blog
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Gardening Equipment I Use:
→ Basic hydroponic nutrients: http://amzn.to/29VmBeQ
→ Simple pH testing kit: http://amzn.to/2aexc4l
→ Fancy pH testing pen: http://amzn.to/2fY6UqD
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Video Rating: / 5
Can these testers be used for drinking water
Which sensor used here?
Very Informative – thanks. Now i know why my hot peppers are suffering from over feeding. Can you explain please the optimal EC/TDS for super hot peppers. I am maintaining a pH of 5.8 – 6.2 for them but my cheap TDS meter reads 1463 – how bad is that
What would be a good EC for tomatoes?
More Informative .
Washing the end of the electrode with distilled-water and then wise wiping it by a just withdrawing the bottom drops of distilled- water using a new clean filter paper between the used different solutions is pitifully missed in this video.
can I identify the amount of nitrate and ammonia in the solution using electrical conductivity??
I have just begun the venture of trying to decipher all of this in order to add CaliMagic to my Orchids and Violets. I want to say thank you for this informative and interesting video. I now have a better understanding of what it all means. Prior to watching, I'll tell you that my head was spinning because of watching other videos of people making their solutions to fertilize and discussing PPMs, etc. I didn't know what it all meant. Whew, I almost gave up! My next step is purchasing a meter and then figuring out how to use it in order to achieve the proper ratios for fertilization. Thank you again. You did a fantastic job!
PH is still an acronym why not tell people in the opening? Potential of Hydrogen
Thank you very much now you made me feel that 4 years of my life went for nothing cause our study is nothing
So TDS is a direct conversion of EC to measure PPM? What is the purpose of measuring TDS then? I am only asking for personal knowledge, to me it seems best to just use EC but then am i robbing myself of a critical measurement of PPM? Thank you for such a great lesson I actually took notes and I never take notes!!
thanks for putting me on the right track and imparting a clarity
Thank you, Great Job.
As a beginner I am confused about EC. I mix my nutrients by the directions on the label. Why is it important to know EC if you mix according to the label? The only thing I can think of while awaiting your answer is this. If my plants are growing in, for example, a Kratky solution, they will use nutrients from the water, lowering the EC. I can use the meter to add nutrients to get the EC level back up instead of replacing the entire system with freshly made nutrient solution. Is that correct? But there still remains the question of what nutrients are being used. Is the plant using more nitrogen? More phosphorus? More potassium? Or, maybe being a beginner I am not aware that N,P, and K are being used at the same rate, of course, depending upon the ph. I hope that I am asking my question correctly. I am happy that my gardening is just a hobby and my life or bank account does not depend on knowing all of this. Thank you.
Seems the pronunciation is SEE-MENS or ZEE-MENS, not Simons. ^_^ In electronics class, they would say seemens.
do u calibrate every time u use it?
My hydroponic plants are hanging at exactly 6.4. My old school training has always told me to keep them between 5.6 -6.2. If on a two times daily basis I am adjusted the ph to an upper limit of 6.2 (old school training) from a ph of 6.4, should I just leave the plants at 6.4? Foliage and root system are incredible, the flowers actually are more full at this range and stage than I have ever had. What say you on the matter? Also, with the incredible chart (PF, EC, TDS explained) does the uptake levels apply to all hydroponic plants?
He has good info, nice voice, but sucking music….kill the music tracks….we want to hear you…duh