PPM in organics...do they mean something?

Hello RIU.

I bubbled for 18hs the following recipe:

2,5 gals of water
1/2 to 1 cup of alfalfa pellets, can't remember
30ml of Fermented Fruit Juice, made by myself a few months ago, with banana, pumpkin and squash mixed with brown sugar
1 gram of kelp extract

I did not use compost or EWC, im aware of making different teas for microbes and nutrientes.

Just out of curiosity i put my TDS meter on the solution and it read 1.440ppm or an EC of 2.8
So...is any comparision posible when reading salt nutes and these home made teas?

For precaution, i am using it diluted with water, but left me wondering about what the heck does that reading mean, and if it usable in some way.

Are you measuring TDS or EC? I'm confused. TDS can be high due to dissolved tannins and all sorts of compounds like carbohydrates. On the other hand only the electrolytes of dissolved materials will contribute to EC. The difference means that you can't use the same device to measure both - they are not the same thing.

If you're using one of those cheap pen thingies from Amazon, they simply measure EC which is cheap and easy. So yeah, I do think you're looking at the amount of dissolved salts in your tea. I'm not sure about the point of your post though. Is that what you wanted?

Yes, its a cheap pen. It reads EC and "convert" them to TDS.

The point of the post is...if i was going to feed with hydro nutrients and reached an EC on 2.8, that would be way too much.
Is it the same with the tea i bubbled? Do i run risks watering with it at full strength?

What stage in growth are you? In flower you can do well over 2.0 if everything is optimal. 2.8 might be a little on the high side though unless you're seriously driving them hard with added CO2. TBS, just dilute by half. You'll be okay.

And damn you tea brewers, quit feeding your plants! lol

Thanks for the help Northwood!

Im on day 24 of flowering.

I still have a way to go until being a no-till grower lol, but leaning towards that way.