PPM/PH/TDC/EC meter and nutrient ??

[RetiredMatthebrute]

Hey guys, im about to start my first hydro DWC project. i have been growing for a couple years now in soil and i just want to experiment with it.

heres my questions.

im looking for meters for TDS, PPM, PH, and EC. I realize thet the ec and TDS meters arent 100% necesary but they are nice to have. anyone have any recomendations on a meter i can buy that does all of these? where its only one bucket im kinda looking for something i can setup in the bucket permanantly and have a meter to read mounted on the wall, this way i can view my levels without having to break out the meter each time.

something like this http://www.amazon.com/Water-testing-Meter-ppm-temp/dp/B008K7YBU0/ref=sr_1_3?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1358444919&sr=1-3&keywords=ppm+tds+ph+ec

just want something decent and reliable even if it dosent have all the features. if i can get a PH, PPM and TDS meter with a temp on it that would be fine or even without the TDS i would be happy. i just want something reliable and fairly reasonably priced. around 150 bucks is about my limit on one of these meters.

ok that sums up that question i think.

my next question regards nutrients. I have already bought the general hydroponics grow and bloom.

http://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-FloraNova-Grow-Bloom/dp/B004JKI1EO/ref=sr_1_5?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1358445104&sr=1-5&keywords=general+hydroponics+flora+series

my question is will these nutrients be enough alone or should i look into some other additives? and has anyone had any experience with using them.

my DWC setup is going to be a 5 gal homer bucket with a net pot and airstone. nothing fancy (most DWC are simple i know) my main reason for doing the DWC is to see the difference in hydro compared to my soil grows and make a decision to switch or not. if i do switch i will probabally go with aero anyways as DWC seems to be kinda high maintenance. but hydro is hydro if im not mistaken and as long as you can dial in a DWC then you should be able to do a aero like stinkbuds does. in this thread. https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/116859-harvest-pound-every-three-weeks-992.html

i wouldnt be doing as large scale as he does but something similar.

anyways help a hydro newb out with getting off to the right start. i already bought the general hydro nutes so i will be running at least the grow and bloom and not looking to spend a bucnh more cash on nutrients so im not looking for another 10 nutrients to buy, i think that alot of people go over kill on them. i will be using regular well water so cal mag shouldnt be a huge issue and if it becomes one i will just add in a bit of this since i already have it http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-GH5312-Plant-Nutrition-1-Quart/dp/B002R1MDQE/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1358445541&sr=1-1&keywords=general+organics+camg

 

[guevera]

For meters you can get away with going ultra cheap: The Milwaukee PH pen works fine. The thing is it'll take a few minutes to read, and you'll have to calibrate it all the time (which is true of most meters, at least in the less than $500 range). You can also get by with a cheap ass TDS meter. This is the first one I used.

That said, if you're willing to spend the money, my experience is to avoid Hannah products. I like Oakton for PH. And go with Bluelab for your EC.

Don't buy a combo meter -- it breaks you'll have to replace two meters instead of one.

Don't skip the EC/TDS meter.

Do get a bottle of the buffer solution to calibrate your PH meter. You can calibrate your EC/TDS meter buy using distilled water and a measured amount of table salt to create a reference solution.

Nutrients:
General Hydro is fine, good stuff. I've never used their flora nova series. You likely won't go wrong if you follow their schedule for nutes.
Don't assume that just 'cuz you're using non-filtered water that you won't need to add cal-mag. You may not need to, but don't assume it -- that's burned me before.

Good luck -- I was exactly where you are a couple of years ago (though I used a waterfarm for my hydro experiment). I did one hydro plant at the edge of my soil grow, and it blew all my soil plants away in size and quality. That was the last time I did soil

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

thanks a bunch for your reply man. Im not looking to go ultra cheap but i def dont have 400 bucks to dump on a high priced meter. i was looking at some meters that were around the 200$ level from blue lab. they gaurentee thier meters for 5 years and probes for 6 months.

also from what i was reading the TDS and EC are the same thing as the parts per million (PPM). and that most meters actually only read EC (electrical current) and then convert the meadurement to TDS or PPM. so essentially im not really skipping them if i dont get a meter that reads out in TDS or EC.

this is the meter i was leaning towards.

http://www.amazon.com/Bluelab-Guardian-Conductivity-Temperature-Monitor/dp/B003VN931K/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1358519311&sr=1-2&keywords=bluelab+PH%2FPPM

 

[justanotherbozo]

...high man, have you considered hempy-buckets rather than DWC? ...i ask because i've done both and both are 'hydro' and both will give you similar results, it's just that the hempy's will feel very familiar to you if you use coco as your grow medium, it will almost feel like you're stlll working with soil except that your growth rates will be much faster.

...also, hempy's are totally passive in their approach so there are no pumps or other equipment to fail, ...your pump shits the bed in a DWC and you don't notice it for 4 or 5 hours and you'll find all your shit dead.

anyway, here's a couple pics of a recent seedstart of mine where i put a seed into a cup of coco on 11/21 and then, just over a month later, on 12/26, i potted her up into this 6liter hempy and stuck her in my veg tent under a couple T12 fixtures, 160watts total.

View attachment 2485211 View attachment 2485212

...so that means she is still less than 2 months old and in all that time she has never been under more than 160watts of flouro light.

View attachment 2485213 View attachment 2485214 View attachment 2485216

...simple is good brother, there is very little that can go wrong in a hempy grow.

oh yeah, i know you're looking for a combo meter and all but i thought i'd share a link to the only meter i use which measures EC, CF and PPM's in .05 and .07 scale, ...this meter is brain-dead easy to use, is reliable as hell AND needs no calibration solution to maintain, all in all, it was money very well spent.

Blue Lab Commercial Truncheon PPM / EC / CF Meter

i think if you try and find a combo meter in that price range you'll end up with something you won't be happy with, to get a good quality combo meter like that that is reliable, long term, you will probably need to spend upwards of $300.00 or more.

peace, bozo

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

did you view the link i posted above? its also blulab which is a quality product. im really looking for a wall mount style so i can just look at the readings when im at my grow and not have to worry about breakingout the meters and testing the solution every day, i can just take a look at the wal mounted meter and add a little nute or water and PH up or down to get my readings where i want them.

I have looked at the truncheon and it seems verry durable but it dosent measure PH and temp which i feel are important. i know i can get seperate meters for this but like i stated im really trying to find a all in one wall mounted meter. i was looking at one for 125 bucks that had decent reviews but i think with blue labs 5 year gaurentee on the meter and 6 month warranty on probes i will be better off spending the 260 and getting a quality meter. the link to the one i have been looking at from blue labs is in post #3 and the cheap meter i was originally looking at is the first link in post#1

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

as far as the hempy method goes i want to get away from using medium. i think i will be better off using rockwool and hydroton and then i only have water for an overhead. Im not big into re using medium so im trying to get away from the costs of buying medium repeatedly. if the DWC fails i may give the hempy a try and see where it takes me but i really would just like to have a fully functional all in one system where i have to top off one rezz daily and change one rezz weekly. with the hempy method it will be similar to soil growing and im trying to get away from the work associated with feeding and watering 20+ plants on a bi weekly basis.

 

[justanotherbozo]

...yeah, that BlueLabs combo meter you linked to looks like a good one although i'd now start another thread asking for any feedback on that meter specifically here at RIU, and any other forums you participate in for that matter, the more feedback you can get now the better.

...i will say though that because i use methods that are as simple as i can manage i've not needed any of that more expensive and feature rich equipment, ...i use a ph dropper test and i ph my nutes to piss yellow and that is close enough for my plants to flourish, ...i haven't used my ph pen in at least 2 years.

...frankly, i don't use my truncheon very often either as i already know what my values will be so as long as i feed the same strength i only test every third or fourth container, i mix my nutes in 2 gallon containers and i mix them up 6 containers at a time, and i only test every third mixing, sometimes not even that.

...believe me, if you try hempys before you try DWC you will fall in love with the hempys and you will never look back.

btw, i feed my plants with Jack's Pro hydro and i feed them all the same formula, from seedling and clone right through to harvest and my plants just love it, no additives, no nothing, just Jack's and a 600watt sun shining on them.



...here's a couple shots of my most recent harvey and my current run is now 18 days in and they are already bigger than these are.

peace, bozo

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

thanks for the input man i definatly appreciate it. like i said im sure hempy gives great resilts but i just want to stay away from container's and medium if i switch ill probabally be doing stinkbuds aeroponic system, the link is in the first post.

i cant imagine i would need to many opinions on a meter that comes with a 5 year warranty???

 

[superstoner1]

get the milwalkee 802, it does everything you need and is super easy to maitain.

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

get the milwalkee 802, it does everything you need and is super easy to maitain.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&field-keywords=milwakee+802

reviews are not so great for this product. do you use it? if so how long and whats your overall opinion.

 

[hotrodharley]

Check the Milwaukee PH55 and actually read the reviews. Most bitching is about having to keep the probe wet. Duh. Most pH probes of this type have to be kept moist. I simply keep mine in its own res, clean the storage solution regularly and calibrate it once in a while.

 

[hotrodharley]

And whatever you buy also buy the calibration solutions it uses at the same time! It does no good to buy an instrument that requires calibration and then not be able to do so. They don't sell it at Wal Mart so order with your pH tester. Same with the PPM meter.

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

the bluelab meter i was looking at comes with the solution.

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

im kinda stuck on buying a wall mount system that reads temp tdc and ph, now im just looking for a reliable one. I know blue labs is a trustowrty name but they arent cheap. as it stands right now ill probabally be dropping a good 250+ on one but if anyone has experience with a more inexpensive meter that has been solid (must wall mount and have TDS PH and temp)

also as far as the calibrating solution goes one can always use known houshold items that have a known PH such as milk. right? and someone else was saying you can calibrate the TDS portion with pure water and table salt.

 

[justanotherbozo]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=lawngarden&field-keywords=milwakee+802

reviews are not so great for this product. do you use it? if so how long and whats your overall opinion.

...looks like there is another model 802, maybe he means this one?

Milwaukee 3 Function MW802

...and yeah, i know where you're comin' from, ...i was only suggesting the hempys because the results you'd get would be similar to the DWC with much less hassle and with the hempys you won't need all that expensive equipment.

i did the DWC thing first and i wish i'd done it the other way around.

peace, bozo

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

the thing with them expensive 3 in 1 meters is they arent really 3 in 1

TDS/EC and PPM are all based off the same measurment....EC and they all measure the amount of nutrient in the water.

im looking for a 3 in 1 that does temp, PH and EC/TDC/PPM, even if it only reads one of the 3 i can do the simple math to convert it to PPM.

 

[Mr John]

Was hoping to source a good ph/tds/ec meter but after a day of research on amazon I am back to square one. Looks like the good ones are many hundreds of dollars and that is too far out there, I mean I am just growing a few plants and need something dependable and at a fair price. I know this thread is old but did not want to start up an new thread pretty much repeating this one.

Can anyone help to recommend a reliable meter for a decent price???

 

[adower]

Blue lab guardian.

 

[Alaric]

Whatever you choose-----make sure the probes and power supply are connectorized for replacement.

A~~~

 

[70's natureboy]

I have had no issues with my Hannah TDS3 for a few years. It wasn't expensive and I'm surprised it has worked so well. They sell chinese knock offs on ebay for about $10. I'm not sure if they are as good but they look identical. PH meters are another story; they are too high maintenance and slow reacting for me. I just use the drops.