New To Using Meters

hi, i have recently bought a ph/temp/ec,ppm meter but am having trouble reading ph & nutes. i fill my reservoirs with water then add nutes but they take a very long time finalize the results. i dont mix the nutes in the rez or even start the pumps i just dump them in and start reading so that may be my problem. last time i thought i set the ph to around 5.5 and it ended up at 2, so its kinda a big deal

Hello,

First you have to fill your reservoir with water.
Second mix all nutes you plan to use in the reservoir.
Third fix your PH
Fourth read your meter then add PH down or UP until you get 5.8 to 6.0 (in hydro) or 6.0 to 6.3 in soil

Once you water them. Be sure to re do the PH process the next watering as the PH naturally raise while sitting in reservoir.

Wish you a nice day!

ganglyguy420 said:

hi, i have recently bought a ph/temp/ec,ppm meter but am having trouble reading ph & nutes. i fill my reservoirs with water then add nutes but they take a very long time finalize the results. i dont mix the nutes in the rez or even start the pumps i just dump them in and start reading so that may be my problem. last time i thought i set the ph to around 5.5 and it ended up at 2, so its kinda a big deal

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Details will get you more replies, you haven't even mentioned if you're doing hydro or soil. I'm assuming hydro, you should list what nutrients ( two parts can't be mixed together at full strength or theres a chance of lockout), you should list what meter ( different meters use different conversion factors for tds, ppm and ec). you should have a calibration solution for the ph side of the meter and it should be checked and calibrated if needed once a month or so.

hydro, bluelab combo meter, botanicare organic nutes, i caliberate regularly. your supposed to mix the nutes first then add to the rez till the ppm is good. i might not be stirring the nutes into the water well enough or somthing. but i sit there holding the prong in the water for like 10 min & still get bad results its irritating.

hmm, dunno really what you're saying your problem is, nice meter, I have two bluelab guardians and they work fine. organic hydro eh? what will they think of next? haha, jk. bad results? as in ph is off? But truthfully turbulence from the airstones should be enough to mix the water, certainly in 10 minutes.

Lady has hit the nail on the head. Sounds like your not mixing and therefore your results are off. if i have a 100 liter tank (and I do) i leave my pumps that just push the water around, on for a good 10 mins before I take a reading. How big is your reservoir? I also never mix the nutes together, on their own. I only ever add them to water.

my nutes say right on the bottle , DO NOT PREMIX NUTRIENTS.
Add to the reservoir. I also keep an airstone in there to keep nutes from setteling.

there organic nutes so i think they can be premixed. i dont use airstones becuse i have an aeroponic setup. the exact bluelab meter i have is the combo meter, i dont like it much it shuts off before it takes a reading most of the time. i'll try running my pump in the rez for 10min like buddy there & see if that makes a difference

i appreciate the reply's, thanks.

Lady said:

Hello,

First you have to fill your reservoir with water.
Second mix all nutes you plan to use in the reservoir.
Third fix your PH
Fourth read your meter then add PH down or UP until you get 5.8 to 6.0 (in hydro) or 6.0 to 6.3 in soil

Once you water them. Be sure to re do the PH process the next watering as the PH naturally raise while sitting in reservoir.

Wish you a nice day!

Click to expand...

note# check if you need to first calibrate the tester once calibrated then get a glass of water or fill your res or what ever before adding any nutes good practice is to check your natural water ppm mark down that number so when you mix your food then re check you can subtract that magic number and know exactly how much ppm you have added

As noted above in soil your goin to need min 6.5 to 7.0 at 6.2 you will lock out your plant