Quick PPM question

[GreenBean 420]

Picked up a blue lab yesterday and finally getting into testing my solutions etc.

Using distilled water

I mixed Cal/Mag+, Fish shit, Natures seaweed/kelp, molasses, and Humic/fulvic acid. They’re not full doses per gallon maybe half.

I thought the solution was going to be HIGH, like 800 or something because I was reading that calmag takes up a lot of EC when used in the early stages. But my reading for the solution was only 200PPM. That doesn’t seem to make sense to me...

do I have to test the solution in the WHOLE a container or can I pour some in a glass to test is like I did in the photo?

 

[Star Dog]

Yes you can measure/test 30ml or 30 gallons it's the same reading.

 

[DCcan]

Where is your calibration solution? Thats how you know its right, we can't check it for you...once you get a baseline feel for your mix, you will know its reading correctly.
Also, your ppm scale has 500 and 700, pick one and stick to it, or use EC

 

[GreenBean 420]

Where is your calibration solution? Thats how you know its right, we can't check it for you...once you get a baseline feel for your mix, you will know its reading correctly.
Also, your ppm scale has 500 and 700, pick one and stick to it, or use EC

I’ll have to pick a scale I forgot about all that. Also it says calibrated from factory do these usually need calibrating or can I go for a couple months beforehand. If it needs it I’ll for sure grab it but just checking ha.

 

[DCcan]

I'm sure it's calibrated at the factory, but if you check it against a known value, you don't have to wonder. Those truncheons don't have a calibration feature, I think.
The calibration fluid or benchmark solution you use will tell you when its time to clean the probe, they get organic film across them that needs occasional removal.

 

[Star Dog]

I’ll have to pick a scale I forgot about all that. Also it says calibrated from factory do these usually need calibrating or can I go for a couple months beforehand. If it needs it I’ll for sure grab it but just checking ha.

It's good to know it's right but I wouldn't go rushing out to buy ec calibration fluid.
What is important is keeping the tip clean, I keep a jug pure of water to give a clean after use and I still need a clean every 3/4 weeks.

Some cif/vim works well so does a rock wool cube.

 

[Moflow]

 

[GreenBean 420]

Ok cool and yeah I’ve been rinsing it well with clean tap before storing it. Should I just grab a small jug of RO water and see if it tests with a blinking light at 100 or something like that. Which would mean 50 or lower I’d guess. If it even works like that ha

 

[GreenBean 420]

Gunna have to watch that at home the audio is absolutely awful paired with my phone lmao

 

[Star Dog]

Right of the bat he's talking shite, the shroud is required for accurate measurements it's not a guard.

Try it with and without if you doubt me.

I get now why people get pissed at you tube, he's a fucking tube!

 

[GreenBean 420]

Where is your calibration solution? Thats how you know its right, we can't check it for you...once you get a baseline feel for your mix, you will know its reading correctly.
Also, your ppm scale has 500 and 700, pick one and stick to it, or use EC

Manufacturers Ppm Scale Info

I see a lot of new growers are confused about which PPM scale their chosen nutrient company uses. Or they don’t even know there are different scales. I know I didn’t when I first started. Knowing which scale your nutrient and meter manufactures use could potentially save you from major problems...

www.thcfarmer.com

Solid info - Blue Lab uses the 500 scale so I guess I’ll use that. And I use organic dry amendments as my nutes which I won’t measure the EC of. I basically got it for checking the other stuff I add and for the learning process. I’ve used synthetics too tho so if I ever use them again I can try and pick a line that matches up with my 500 scale for ease of use..

 

[Star Dog]

The blue lab truncheon has a 500 and 800ppm scale on it, with ec everyone is on the same page.

 

[myke]

I thought these pens read total dissolved solids or tds since you mostly added organic the meter wont pick that up.The calmag is what your reading.
I think?

 

[Star Dog]

That could well be the case, idk if organic is conductive but the truncheon works by reading electro conductivity (ec)

Water doesn't conduct electricity it's the impurities of copper, zinc, iron ete etc etc that conduct, pure water is an insulator.

 

[GreenBean 420]

I thought these pens read total dissolved solids or tds since you mostly added organic the meter wont pick that up.The calmag is what your reading.
I think?

I don’t know maybe it will work. I don’t know how much of the dry amendments will break down into the water or how that really works with reading it. If it doesn’t dissolve that would cause issues in the reading no?

 

[myke]

Try dissolving some epsom,it will read that.
Organic dry wont read,you go by tbl spoons.

 

[GreenBean 420]

Haven’t tested anything with it yet. No time but I did fillet an aloe plant and blend and dilute it with a gallon of distilled water. The Meter read the tap water at 150 but read the aloe water at zero or no reading. Don’t understand this thing at all lmao

 

[myke]

Haven’t tested anything with it yet. No time but I did fillet an aloe plant and blend and dilute it with a gallon of distilled water. The Meter read the tap water at 150 but read the aloe water at zero or no reading. Don’t understand this thing at all lmao

Distilled water should be near zero??

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

Distilled water should be near zero??

Truncheon will read RO/distilled water as 0. Lights won't come on.

 

[Star Dog]

What medium are you using?