Bought an EC pen. Is this reading in ppm?

jimoffy

Well-Known Member

• Mar 12, 2018

• #1

Hey just bought my first batch of hydro nutes. Bought an ec pen, readings seem way too high for what they should be with a correctly measured and mixed nutrient in water. I don’t know if this ec pen is reading in ppm, or some other value, how do I work out ppm if this isn’t reading in ppm already?
This photo is tap water, but you should be able to see the little weird digit thing, I’m guessing that’s not the ppm?

 

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70's natureboy

Well-Known Member

• Mar 12, 2018

• #2

225 ppm tap water is not unheard of. Maybe buy some calibration solution to verify the readings.

 

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member

• Mar 12, 2018

• #3

it's reading in EC (micro siemens) is that with nutes? or just water?

 

L

Larry3215

Well-Known Member

• Mar 12, 2018

• #4

You will need to convert that EC number if you're looking for PPM.

 

ANC

Well-Known Member

• Mar 12, 2018

• #5

EC is a more reliable way of tracking nutrient strength.
Most manufacturers will specify ideal concentrations in both P.P.M. and EC.

Just get a small bottle of distilled water to check if it reads 0

 

Cold$moke

Well-Known Member

• Mar 12, 2018

• #6

Look in your instructions it should tell you how it reads whether ec tds or ppm .

 

Cold$moke

Well-Known Member

• Mar 12, 2018

• #7

My mind works better with ppm

My water is 180 ppm @ph 7.5

Now in the 3rd week of flower im sutting at 1050 ppm

 

kingtitan

Well-Known Member

• Mar 13, 2018

• #8

I am confused a bit cause the meter looks like it will display 3 digits.

its showing in microsiemens so 225 = EC 0.225 = 112.5ppm (x500 scale). So if its in microsiemens/centimeter it would not be able to tell you past 999? (ec 0.999).

best to check the manual or google for what unit it is using.

 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member

• Mar 13, 2018

• #9

kingtitan said:

I am confused a bit cause the meter looks like it will display 3 digits.

its showing in microsiemens so 225 = EC 0.225 = 112.5ppm (x500 scale). So if its in microsiemens/centimeter it would not be able to tell you past 999? (ec 0.999).

best to check the manual or google for what unit it is using.

Click to expand...

This is exactly right and it will display a x10 over 999. So 100 x10 would be 1000. Great meter by the way .

 

Chris Edward

Well-Known Member

• Mar 15, 2018

• #10

@jimoffy,
You meter is showing it's results in Microsiemans per centimeter or µS/cm.
For simplicity, use the NaCl conversion factor which is a smarty pants way of saying, take the number shown on your meter and divide by 2 and this is PPM's
So you're tap water PPM is 112.
It's a little high, but nothing to be alarmed at, most people shoot for 100 or less.
What this does show is that you probably have hard water.
But to be sure, check your water companies water report to make sure it's alkalinity and not something else like hexavalent chromium or uranium or something like that.