Hydroponic Nutrients TDS, PPMs and EC Explained!

[@bogtrotter10]

This gave me anxiety

[@mastera4826]

Very helpful and to the point. The explanation isn't too fast. No matter the speed you'll have to replay if you want to really get something. Love the splitting hares!

[@ludwigvanzappa9548]

Good advice ,smoke that doobie AFTER this video if you want to understand or set the speed at 0.5 .

[@JRyoutube09]

I speed up his videos ; )

[@crownedncurls2764]

Damn why he speaking in fast forward?

[@shravyamarketingpvt.ltd.3045]

0.75 actually worked :)

[@aboynamedshEW]

I feel like I just watched a micro machines commercial from the 80s. Fast. Subscribing because I’ve obviously got ALOT to learn ha.

[@Just4Growers]

Thank you SR. I appreciate EACH and EVERY subscriber. Welcome.

[@DylanDaPickle]

I don't want any semen in my water

[@jakebrooks1985]

so basically go by ec it's more accurate?

[@jus4funtim]

A little tip for anyone having trouble keeping up with him. Click on the gear icon then Click on Speed then Click on .5 Click on the gear to close the drop down box and then Click on the play icon. If you Click on the .25 speed you wont hear any sound.

[@Just4Growers]

***** Thanks for sharing! I learnt something new today :)

[@dawie4853]

+jus4funtim it works soooo well, thanks. More my speed ;)

[@heckyes]

Can't wait for the day there is a tri-meter for Aquaponics. Being able to easily measure ammonia / nitrite / nitrates would be so awesome.

[@gillenzfluff8380]

If the plants are pale green not enough ammonia and nitrates if the plants look too deep green run the water through some charcoal.

[@milanchhatralia3758]

okay... your video will be much helpful in my DIY project...But which multiplayer should I use to calculate the TDS of drinking? water

[@Just4Growers]

+Milan chhatralia well, I usually go by x0.5 - it's not so much about what you're measuring, just to know which multiplier you are using especially when it comes to interpreting feedcharts or using calibration fluids stated in PPMs.

[@milanchhatralia3758]

+Everest Fernandez (Just4Growers) Thanks a lot for your advice.

[@electronron1]

I've been watching your videos for a while now and I have to say that I like your style of presentation. I've watched videos where the presenter took so long to get to the point I moved on to another video. I did a lot of research and decided I would get an EC meter over a TDS meter simply because it just makes more sense, besides I can always pick one of the multipliers and do the math myself if I want PPM. P.S. I subscribed on the first video I stumbled upon.

[@Just4Growers]

Thank you so much Ron, I really appreciate the feedback, positivity and - last but certainly not least - your subscription! Thanks again.

[@stallonegardner1368]

Nice video. Question. What is the ideal ppm reading of my water before adding the nutrients?

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Stallone. Zero is ideal. 0 ppms. Reverse osmosis is the way forward.

[@billclark8241]

Everest Fernandez If you can't use a distiller....

[@ljens8485]

As a layman I found this informative. I appreciated the visuals as well. This was beneficial to me, thank you.

[@hakimahhassan3042]

I found this useful. I have watched other videos prior to watching this.

[@fnrome779]

Been looking 20 minutes for this information than remembered im subscribed to the genius 😁🙏

[@tv76g]

So what should your TDS meter read when your plant is completely flushed? Hope you can help? Thanks

[@Just4Growers]

+tv76g Hi tv76g-t's more about your growing media than your plant. When your growing media (presuming it is inert) is completely flushed it will read the same TDS as the water you use to flush it. This is easier with some media (e.g. rockwool) than others (coco) - look for a low CEC (cation exchange capacity). I'm going to make a video dedicated to flushing (been promising it for a while now!) so look out for that soon.

[@SimRacingVeteran]

Finally someone explained EC for me to understand.

[@Just4Growers]

You’re welcome!

[@jasonbigg8341]

Superb again. The pace of your vids is great, no time wasted. Thanks mate

[@UKDJMessy]

There's a lot of info to take in here, it really isn't helpful that the guy presenting it seems to have ingested a large quantity of amphetamine shortly prior to making the video. Unless your camera has a 256MB memory card, I really don't think it was necessary to rush through it at such speed. I watched the video wanting to understand this stuff, it left me thinking "What?"

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks DJ Messy. Lol. My camera has two 64GB memory cards (now I'm showing off) but I just can't stand long waffley videos so I tune them to suit my own attention deficit disorder-sorry. I really should make a (slower) follow-up to this video as you're not the first to convey such sentiments :) Thanks again for the feedback. Peace and happy growing, Everest.

[@jamesdonnelly8888]

@@Just4Growers If you hadn't gone at that speed, you'd have been on my default 2x playback speed. Flipside is folks can slow you down if they want :) But yeah, I agree, fun to watch but a little slower would be better. But I still appreciate the video very much, thanks, I learned a lot (in a short time)

[@pseudonymph8482]

I sped it up so I appreciate the speed of data and his blood stream should that be the case.

[@Blauschimmer]

Accidentally had this vid going at 1.5x 🤪 ... But you are so we'll pronounced and articulated, that I was almost able to follow it all ... Almost. Also thank you for the enormous amount of concise information!

[@SPCkeith]

I'm still confused because I found a thing online that called for so and so ec and so and so ppm I have been using grow more sea grow for my soil plants but want to grow herbs and spices in hydro as well as stray berries and maybe a cherry bush sooo do I add any npk ratio nutes until I get to ppm I want once I hit that ppm what if my ec isn't right? How's that adjusted From what I gather npk ratios go out the winder and all you want is ec or ppm reading right?

[@Just4Growers]

SPCkeith Hey SPCkeith. Thanks for your question. Start with a premium hydroponic nutrient (single part, grow A & B, bloom A &B, or three-part) and follow directions for vegetative, transition, and bloom that you'll see on the label. That way you don't have to concern yourself with the NPK as the nutrient blenders have largely done that work for you. Your responsibility, as you correctly determine, is the CONCENTRATION and pH of the nutrient solution you mix up. The more nutrient product you add, the higher the PPMs (Total dissolved solids (TDS)) or milisiemens (Electrical Conductivity (EC)). It's a bit like making a tropical fruit cordial drink. You can add a little for a light drink or a lot, for a sweet syrupy drink! Still the same tropical fruit cordial with the same blend of pineapple, peach and orange-just at different concentrations! :)

[@SPCkeith]

Everest Fernandez awesome thank you One more question if I may I know ph is number one but some of the charts I found listed differing ec for every plants but some plants had the same ppm needs but differant ec needs is ec just a bit more standard formulation? And ppm is really not as critical? If I'm following right? I'm looking to do one of them vertical hydro set up this year (like the rain tower or I think that's what it was) I'm wanting to do lettuce over the winter and then once the shipping opens for strawberries currently I have sea grow 16-16-16 and the 4-26-26 these are water soluble and from what I understand are ok for hydro use. I like to go as organic as I can but simple too With soil I use root riot cubes to start and then plant in black gold moving to dr earths pot of gold soil when the plants are slightly older and then I just water in half tsp per gallon of filtered water of the sea grow Can hydro be that simple and do you know any good products you can recommend? Thanks

[@Just4Growers]

SPCkeith Hey SPCKeith-PPMs, EC-these are two leaves on the same tree my friend. EC is a measure of electrical conductivity-typically measured in microsiemens per cm, sometimes written as µS/cm. TDS is a measure of the total dissolved solids, typically expressed as PPMs. To measure EC we use an EC meter-this passes a small amount of electricity between to electrodes and measures how much gets through. This is interesting to hydroponic growers because the more concentrated the nutrient solution, the better it conducts electricity. Now, to accurately measure PPMs you would need to evaporate all the water in your nutrient solution and weigh the solid residue. This, obviously is not practical for most folks-so we use a TDS meter. What is a TDS meter? It's an EC meter! Yes-the two are essentially the same thing! All your TDS meter is doing is measuring the EC (in microsiemens/cm) and using this to guess the PPMs. It does this using a conversion factor. Different minerals in solution confer different levels of conductivity so it can only guess. Normally I go by x 0.5-that is, 1000 microsiemens is equal to 500 PPMs. Hydroponics is simple. Begin with the purest water you can, invest in some good quality liquid hydroponic nutrients and monitor your growing environment (min max temperatures and relative humidity) and you're off to a great start!

[@SPCkeith]

Everest Fernandez gotcha between that and some other stuff I was reading makes sense now. Why do these things have to be so confusing haha soil growing has been my thing all my life but it'd time to learn new stuff Now when it come to nutes I'm looking at the maxi line from gh figure 3 parts how hard can it be or 2 parts minus the cool bloom are there any other good nutes like this? I currently use sea grow for my soil plants the 16-16-16 and the 4-26-26 any idea if those will work in hydro?

[@Just4Growers]

SPCkeith I recommend choosing a nutrient product that's designed specifically for hydroponic applications so that it has the right balance of nutrients (especially calcium and magnesium). The three part flora series by General Hydroponics is a mainstay of my hydroponic garden-works great, easy to use, versatile, pH stable. Go for it!

[@jmolinx]

would you happen to know if it is possible to calculate certain macro and micro nutrients such as potasium, nitrogen, iron with just an ec meter?

[@Just4Growers]

Hi Jonathan. Thanks for your question. I'm not aware of any method using just a regular EC meter because it measures overall conductivity created by all the solutes. I am aware of meters that allow you to measure specific ions (e.g. CleanGrow dot com) so they may be worth checking out.

[@wsochak1010]

Great videos Everest. Been growing for many moons and still enjoying grow videos that are educational and professional. Thanks.

[@Just4Growers]

I truly appreciate you saying that Wsochak! Thank you. I try to make vids that are beginner-friendly but still with enough content to interest more experienced growers. So much planned for the coming year! :)

[@MrJente]

hi Everest what doe you think about Torus Hydro ph control ?

[@xkguy]

Highly concentrated information...good!

[@idries777]

I use bluelab truncheon , | understand that in blulab truncheon we have ec .2 to.3.6 ms and NACL conversion factor tds 500 ppm,which is= ms x1000 x .5 and natural water conversion factor 700 ppm which is = ms x 1000x .7. when i read in fertilizer 4 18 38 , conductivity 1500 ppm , is that nacl or natural water conversion factor? thanks

[@danfox3301]

Bluelab's truncheon (great piece of kit!) actually shows EC, x0.5 and x0.7 scales.

[@HaQDang]

+Dan Fox Yup I have one and they come pre-calibrated. I played with it last night checking the PPM on my tap water vs purified water. Tap water was 260-270 and purified was 0 PPM. Pretty cool stuff.

[@Matentupe808]

Finally it is explained. Btw - American here and I am going EC. Cheers!

[@Just4Growers]

Awesome. One grower converted to EC. Just 300 million more to go. :)

[@1997wolverine]

As most people I can probably speak fast about subjects that are familiar to me, but if I am doing it with somone who is not it all sounds like Greek. luckily i have some experience so it was a little easier to follow but still rushed. However, a very informative video that I would love to explore and archive again at a slightly slower pace. Peace to you.

[@Just4Growers]

1997wolverine Thanks Wolverine. I received quite a bit of criticism on the pace of this video-it was, as you say, too fast for someone who is (likely) unfamiliar with the subject territory. I guess I had a LOT to say but I didn't want to go onnnnn and onnnn! :) It's definitely a topic that I intend to return to though, so I'll take a chill pill next time for sure! Thanks for stopping by. Happy growing, Everest.

[@blipsandchitz194]

Everest, Love your videos man and have ask a few questions since finding them. But I have another for you! In DWC, I am using a small 5 gallon tote that holds to my lever 3 gallons of water. I am currently trying to find my plants feeding EC by slowly raising the base of my EC to see where it will plateau (in-taking water, nutrients and dropping) all at the same rate (General Hydroponics Flora Series). Now for the question.. How much is TOO much of a concentrated solution to pre-mix to add to my reservoir, which I might add there is no roots exposed as top / netpot are pulled out and set in an empty tote while I have a small recirc pump that I drop into the bucket for mixing. My idea or what I have been doing the past few days is mix up 1/2 cup RO water, add my Micro at 2 parts, stir very well. Grow at 3 parts / stir and then my 1 part bloom. I have doubled this for a larger mixture when needed. Do you think I would run into a nute lockout issue with this method? I am trying to raise my EC in small increments and actually using PPM @ .5 (so increments of say 25-50).

[@michaelhansen3126]

So my EC meter shows me uS (micro-siemens) When i look at a guide it will say that a certain crop needs EC 2.0. When i measure my tab water it is 1000uS or EC 1.0 Do i deduct the 1.0 and then add 2.0 worth of nutes giving me a total of 3.0 or do i only add 1.0 worth of nutes giving me a total of 2.0??? I hope im understanding everything. Im currently growing som chilis and my meter shows 1700uS which I figure is EC 1.7 and so far they looks strong and healthy.

[@Just4Growers]

Hey Michael. 2000 uS (or 2.0 mS) is your crop's limit. Don't go above it. You have very hard water. Invest in a water softener for your home (inexpensive) and a reverse osmosis water purifier for your grow. You're right 1.7 milisiemens (your EC meter's reading) is equivalent to 1700 microsiemens.

[@michaelhansen3126]

Everest Fernandez Thanks for your reply. I'm happy that i understand my readings correct. And i will stay below the EC limit. Yeah the water is VERY hard, but 100% chlorine free and super tasty. I will look into some RO and water softener (might be insanely expensive here though.)

[@Just4Growers]

+Michael Hansen whereabouts in the world are you?

[@michaelhansen3126]

Copenhagen, Denmark

[@Just4Growers]

Michael Hansen I am sure you can find a European-based supplier who can mail you a reverse osmosis filter for a reasonable price-but if you help then just send me a message as I know a few folks who'd be happy to help you.

[@xxAutoFlowxx]

One thing I was looking for that you didn't explain is how do I change the ppm. If I'm in Veg, the suggested is 8-900. How do I get to that number?

[@NCRealEstate919]

Richondo Fabiano By adding or subtracting nutrients...

[@Diosesdepapel]

Boy i end up as smart as i was when i took my first computer lesson class , WTF ... i have to watch it all over again. Tks for sharing

[@rustysmith3565]

You should be an auctioneer cos they talk at three times normal speed .

[@mikevansimpsen8541]

Hi, what EC is recommended for tomatoes, cumcumbers, aubergines etc? Thanks

[@Gabineteselartezano5278]

Fast but explained really well thanks because I'm puerto rican and when I whach spanish videos they talk about ec and when I see english videos they talk about ppm i understand now..

[@davidquintana8395]

So EC is the same as PPM or TDS ? Just different math ?

[@williamhansen9456]

***** EC meters measures electrical conductivity and express it in milisiemens. TDS meters measures electrical conductivity, but they have built in software that converts the milisiemens into ppm(parts per million). The "problem with TDS meters is that they don't all multiply with the same values and therefore different TDS meters will give different readings, while all EC meters will give the same readings.. In example: If an EC meter gave a reading of 3, and the software on one TDS meter would multiply by 4 to to give you the reading in ppm, it would read 12 ppm, but the software on another TDS meter multiplies by 5 and will therefore read 15 ppm. In conclusion a TDS meter is an EC meter with software, that makes people confused and misunderstand eachother.

[@Just4Growers]

William Hansen Thanks William. That's it in a nutshell! In Europe, growers go by EC and save themselves a whole lot of potential confusion!

[@jameschute9522]

I have an apera ec20 , what would be my conversion for ppm?

[@TanakaDaRocka]

First video I've seen from this channel. Will be the last time I watch a video from this channel. Might as well watch reruns of a micro machine commercial.

[@Just4Growers]

Noooooooo! I've switched up my meds since then! I hope you return.

[@thegrowmonster1953]

He’ll be back.

[@xxAutoFlowxx]

I think your vids are awesome EF. Watching some of these other vids w ppl who are high and slow is very frustrating. I live in NYC, speed it up even further. It's a sin you only have 55 subs.

[@JaysCashVault]

Everest Fernandez just cannabis... I can’t keep up either but your giving a novel in 4 minutes that’s why there’s a rewind button 🤟

[@gillenzfluff8380]

@@Just4Growers Don't worry if slow people can't keep up.

[@Deonmarx]

Say I want to give a feeding of 200ppm but my source water is already 150ppm... Should I mix my nutes then till I reach a ppm of 350?

[@LisaWebster]

Do you have a video showing the actual process of how to check the nutrient solution?

[@Just4Growers]

Lisa Webster Hi Lisa. I have a video that shows me mixing up the nutrients, and another where I top up the reservoirs and change them out. But I definitely could do with making a video on nutrient solution maintenance and will hop right to it! :)

[@tacosalad4716]

You all complaining about talking speed? Instead of trying to get the channel to change to suit you, why not just watch the video again?? I've seen several of the channels videos multiple times and then ask questions to gain a better understanding. And I still don't get all of it. This is one of the two best and most informative channels on KZbin for growing and product variety and reviews. It was hard for me to keep up the first time I watched one of his vids, but if I had quit at the beginning I wouldn't have learned anything.

[@dalexfilms]

Settings (gear icon)/0.75 playback speed works wonderfully, and allows you to absorb each point.

[@alwaysadventurous7905]

" "brand name here" meters are calibrated with a 342 ppm NaCl solution" I'm guessing this means the meter will use the NaCl conversion?

[@Just4Growers]

+Middle Finger yes.

[@Humbulla93]

@JJ different conversion factor means you will have a different reading as stated in the video 3:20

[@Humbulla93]

@JJ the meters are all the same but the internal multiplying factor differs

[@anujchandkapoor]

I loved this video so much, I watch it whenever I am dissolving my nutrients, I mean my plant nutrients.

[@jordandavies8718]

I just bought an EC pen and it’s measuring “1486” EC. Assuming this is 1.4?

[@Just4Growers]

JORDAN DAVIES Yes amigo, your EC meter is displaying its reading in microsiemens: 1486 microsiemens = 1.486 milisiemens.

[@bbab9051]

which one should I buy please

[@skiidesu9214]

FAK MAN, NOW I AM MORE CONFUSED, THANK YOU!

[@nicoledidi9571]

😂😂

[@mrmetrontech77]

So confused. Why do ppl waste time don't this?

[@panaenrique]

i finally understeand the difference, thank you so much!

[@sibidee2421]

I think you should have waited a few hours between making that video on how to inject cocaine intravenous and this one. Or at least give us regular folks a little heads up before we began so we could have taken a few lines just to be more on the same level as you my friend. Not only am I now even more ignorant on the subject. I think I may also have developed ADHD...

[@meowmix1569]

Fuck off. All his videos are like this and for those of us that watch his videos, we love it. You sleepy, slow, piece of shit.

[@thomasbowen8929]

@@meowmix1569 who the fuck is we??? Were you also experimenting with the MCC spinal tap direct infusion? See my previous response for explanation on MCC or meth/crack/coke mixture. Thanks

[@meowmix1569]

​@@thomasbowen8929 Worst attempt at an Ad Hominem I've ever seen, maybe ever. We is the nearly 100 THOUSAND subscribers and the vast majority of likes on his videos. Perhaps my sleepy slow comment hit you on the chin. I bet it takes you fucking 5 minutes to read one page of a book with 5% comprehension.

[@pushkarajchaudhari6371]

Sir you made my day... Thanx a lot I was searching for the same from long time but no one could ake me understand yet in such a simple language. Thanx a lot lot lot Lott..

[@Just4Growers]

Pushkaraj Chaudhari Thanks Pushkaraj I am glad that you found this helpful.

[@jameskeys783]

how do u adjust it, correct it

[@JSnyder49428]

Well that was a really fast and complicated way to explain the metric system and converting units. But wheres the info on any of the content mentioned in the title?

[@Just4Growers]

Jordan Snyder hey Jordan, if you have any questions on TDS / PPM or EC (and conversion factors) that I didn’t cover in the video then please feel free to ask amigo. Peace.

[@Just4Growers]

Nutrient strength explained like never before!

[@YaMoonSun]

Everest Fernandez How much caffeine did it take to achieve that level of hyper?

[@adrianrainbow4106]

YaMoonSun 600ppm.

[@isyourweedbetter8109]

+Adrian Rainbow i think 2,000ppm

[@davidlovell7724]

Hi am in the uk and use a blue lab truncheon, and I like you said only do my EC readings by my canna nutrient chart, is this wrong? or am I fine

[@thayanemelo9983]

Helllo, good afternoon!! Can I use this equipments to measure a home made fertiliser? I love your job! Class!

[@YKChau888]

Great video, I have a question, if I test a water sample with different PPM conversion tds, is the EC should be same but the PPM result vary?(If they can display both EC and PPM)

[@TheSkullman721]

You have the best and most accurate information I've ever heard, and probably the best on the internet. Thanks!

[@Just4Growers]

THANKS Curt! :) I do my best :)

[@eugeniahobbs41]

Some growers might be confused with EC reading and measured concentration being dependent on the ionic nature of each constituent. For example nacl is a good conductor where sugar solution doesn't conduct as well in equivalent molar concentrations. If you accurately measure your nutrients and carefully adjust your pH I believe measuring EC or PPM will serve as a guideline. Better still, a accurately prepare your "standard nutrient solution", measure that EC or PPM, as you prefer, then use that reading for future measurements. There is no real substitute for accuracy when using powerful nutrients with your grow.

[@ryanlloyd7459]

That's some good Peruvian marching powder he's on

[@xXCaHeTeLxX]

Black maca? 😅

[@zeroizeable]

Awesome video. Is an EC test supposed to be able to tell you which nutrient is out of balance in your water? Or does it just tell you if your mixture needs topping up or diluting?

[@Just4Growers]

Hi Zeroizeable. An EC test is a good indicator of the total dissolved solids in your source water and you can usually make some reliable inferences about your water's hardness (typically calcium and magnesium carbonate and bicarbonate content) for example. As you mention, it can also indicate the concentration of your nutrient solution but it does not give you any data on specific mineral ions or nutrient balance. There are some more sophisticated meters on the market that do this, usually for commercial growers making up their own stock solutions.

[@zeroizeable]

+Everest Fernandez (Just4Growers) Thanks. Is it normal or common to use an EC test to check your nutrient solution levels, or is the test more about checking your source water's suitability?

[@Just4Growers]

+zeroizeable Both-but growers commonly used an EC meter to test their nutrient solution's conductivity, infer the concentration, and verify that it's suitable to feed to their plants.

[@sidbrederuhles882]

Keep reading, you'll answer yer own ?

[@mohsenaghdam3136]

Dear everest I can't understand when we mix nutritions together how we calculate Ms to PPM in mixed nutrition we have different types of conversion factors 🙈🙄🤔🤔😣 can you learn us the easy way

[@Meleeman011]

getting a tds sensor because they're more availible than ec meters, i'll run the conversion factor through the arduino nano if i can find teh specifications of the tds meter, thank you for this

[@devbachu7072]

can I just test the pH an adjust the ph

[@NCRealEstate919]

dev bachu Yeah but you have to test the pH after the nutrients are in. If your PPM/EC is too high you'll have to add more nutrient free water and/or start over again if your pot/bucket is already to its limit with the amount of water it can hold...even if the pH is correct.

[@ymjdea]

This item you are viewing is a 3 in 1 Nutrient Tester to determine the nutrient levels in a solution with 3 parameters (CF, EC and PPM).（YM-2005A） If you use hydroponics to grow fruits and plants, it is necessary to know the strength of nutrients.

[@Bam-Bam1]

Are we in an auction?

[@Just4Growers]

CHAB HENG Sorry Chab-so much to say, so little time! :)

[@elliottdebell7783]

Please explain a orb meter for me 😂 you are the only person that can explain it to me in a way I can understand

[@Just4Growers]

An ORP [Oxidation-Reduction Potential] meter measures your water’s ability to either gain or lose electrons in chemical reactions. Oxidizing: Means the water can accept electrons, which often indicates the presence of disinfectants like chlorine or ozone, used to break down contaminants. Reducing: Means the water is capable of giving up electrons, suggesting it might contain reducing agents like hydrogen sulfide or organic matter. An ORP meter gives a single number in millivolts (mV), which reflects how oxidizing or reducing the water is, helping assess the water’s cleanliness and disinfection status. Interpreting ORP Readings: Positive ORP Value (e.g., +200 mV): Indicates that the solution has a greater oxidizing ability, meaning it can accept electrons from other substances. A higher positive value generally suggests a stronger oxidizing agent, which is good for killing bacteria or disinfecting water (e.g., chlorinated water). Positive values are common in environments with disinfectants or oxidizers like chlorine, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide. Negative ORP Value (e.g., -200 mV): Indicates that the solution has a greater reducing ability, meaning it can donate electrons to other substances. A lower negative value suggests the solution contains reducing agents like organic matter, sulphur compounds, or unoxidized metals. Negative ORP values are often found in environments with decaying organic matter or polluted water. General Interpretation Guidelines: +200 to +400 mV: Water is moderately oxidizing; good for drinking water treatment. Above +600 mV: Strong oxidizing conditions, suitable for disinfection (like swimming pools). 0 to -200 mV: Mildly reducing; often found in natural water bodies. Below -400 mV: Strong reducing conditions, which could indicate the presence of contaminants or decaying matter. For hydroponic systems, the ideal ORP range for a nutrient solution typically falls between +200 to +300 mV. This range ensures that the water is slightly oxidizing, promoting a balance between nutrient availability and microbial control. Here's why this range works well: +200 to +300 mV: In this range, the solution maintains a healthy level of disinfection without being overly oxidizing, which can harm beneficial microorganisms or plant roots. It also ensures that the nutrients remain available for plant uptake. If the ORP goes too high (e.g., above +400 mV), it may indicate excessive oxidizing agents (like chlorine), which could stress or damage plants. Conversely, if the ORP falls too low (below 0 mV), it could indicate a lack of oxygen or microbial activity, which can lead to poor plant growth or the development of pathogens. Hope this helps!

[@elliottdebell7783]

@@Just4Growers thank you will read this a couple of times till it goes in but that is by far the best explanation of a orb meter. Much appreciated. 🫶🏻 So if I got this right, if you have a low reading would you either change res or add more hydrogen peroxide if you were running sterile rdwc? I want to fit a growtek dosing system and it has an orb meter. It’s going to be connected to the buckets so it can dose while it’s recirculating and be topped up by RO in the res. So I’m assuming I could put a peroxide on one of the dose pumps

[@jaymo8206]

Im still confused. My location is SE Asia. Scratching the hair off my head trying to.sort out my nutrient water solution and soil runoff. My TDS-EC meter displays ppm and EC. so when it displays 0.600EC is that the same as 6000 microsiemens?

[@Just4Growers]

Hi Jay, thanks for your comment. When your TDS-EC meter displays 0.600 EC that's 0.6 milisiemens. 1 milisiemen = 1000 microsiemens, so 0.6 milisiemens = 600 microsiemens, not 6000. Typically, you would grow vegetative crops around 1.2 milisiemens or 1200 microsiemens. Some flowering crops require feeds up to 3.0 milisiemens or 3000 microsiemens, or higher. Stick with SI units like milisiemens / microsiemens.

[@iqbalmemon9630]

Loved it. Very well understood. only had to cut down the speed to .75. Thanks a lot.

[@williamr-iy1td]

i grow corn , can't talk to plants .. just goes in one ear and out the other

[@gillenzfluff8380]

Lol.

[@timmyboyhiho7754]

Great video dude , enjoyed as hell. Great speech speed and presentation :D. Literally was smiling the whole video. Usually i NEVER comment but for this one i even made an acc lol. dont mind others about speech speed cuz people who knew what they were lookibg for understood everything pretty well for sure. Keep it up! going to check your videos daily. peace

[@Just4Growers]

+Timmyboy Hiho Thanks so much Timmyboy! I hope you are subbed as you'll be automatically informed of all my uploads as and when they arrive. Thanks for sharing the smiles!

[@Just4Growers]

Mr Mister You just ruthlessly killed my buzz ... man.

[@birjutaparia]

lovely..good that u talk fast. no time wastage and clarity of subject details are very good. superb!

[@KennethElstonBAK]

That was clear as mud to me!!!

[@Just4Growers]

Kenneth Elston Sorry Kenneth-you're certainly not the first to convey similar sentiments. I think I tried to pack in too much info into too short a time. The strength of a nutrient solution is physically based on the amount of minerals dissolved in it. However, I was trying to say that your TDS meter (what we use to measure nutrient solution strength) is really an electrical conductivity meter! It's just a bit of software inside that takes the nutrient solution's electrical conductivity and calculates (or rather estimates) your total dissolved solids (in PPMS or parts per million). Different TDS meters make the conversion between electrical conductivity (in milisiemens) to TDS (in PPMs) using different conversion factors-so it's important to know which conversion factor your meter (or calibration fluid) is using. You can forget all about this if you choose to stick with EC like the Europeans do-like the metric system, it makes far, far more sense! :) Still clear as mud? :)

[@BsmLy]

If Tds says 1200، what is that in ppm ?

[@BsmLy]

The tds device says it’s up to usa epa !

[@mahesh-2845]

You are legend bro. I understand everything

[@arifindobson]

Awesome man, cool explanation, now I got it

[@PeteR-gn5ep]

Thanks for all your great videos! I'm a complete beginner when it comes to growing so my question might be very stupid: is there another video that explains what desirable ppm levels are for given vegtables?

[@foshoitzdanny]

At 2:55 it says 600 milisiemens but I think it’s supposed to say 600 microsiemens

[@jeanpuckett]

Great content, but missed a lot of it because the information is coming at us way too fast. Cute graphics, good video, but SLOW DOWN. It's not cool, it's not cute, it's not effective - it's frustrating, very frustrating.

[@NCRealEstate919]

Jeanie Puckett just set your playback speed to 0.5 speed. Problem solved.

[@NoFear4XJs]

Anyone know if you could measure the Chlorine levels or at least meter them using a TDS meter ? I bought one of the Chlorine test meters from ebay :/ www.ebay.ca/itm/pH-CL2-Chlorine-Level-Meter-TDS-Water-Quality-Tester-Monitor-frSwimming-pool-spa-/311347766798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item487dc5e60e AND when I put some pink salt into the glass of water the chorine reading shot waaay up... Of course the TDS meter reading also went from 15 ppm to 221 ppm. The PH reading appeared good, I compared it to my Milwaukee PH meter and it was within 0.1 of the Milwaukee reading so I call that a passing grade. I`m stumped, ether the Chlorine meter is crap or all chlorine testing kits do the same if you add pink salt...???

[@Just4Growers]

NoFear4XJs Hey NoFear. Thanks for your question. A TDS meter does not measure chlorine levels. It will measure chlorides such as sodium chloride but that's a totally different thing. A TDS meter is just a conductivity meter with some onboard software to estimate / infer the total amount of dissolved salts. As such, your TDS meter will only change when you add solutes that impact the conductivity of the water, which most salts do. If that helped please consider subbing my channel! Thanks :)

[@davidlovell7724]

oh forgot were I live its hard water and my PH has always been spot on every time I check?

[@joshuaeagan6012]

Great video. I learned a lot.

[@Just4Growers]

Josh E Thanks Josh E. Please sub the channel for regular, educational videos! Thanks for the positive feedback. Much appreciated.

[@interestingyoutubechannel1]

Awesome, I love informative material on youtube that's to the point. Breath of fresh air.

[@webpkric]

I love your videos. So condensed knowledge. I thought most comments would be appreciating this but I guess not. But I love you. Keep up the good work.

[@Just4Growers]

+ankit patil Thanks Ankit. I appreciate your time.

[@donwall7906]

OK, it did cover the subject, but in such a manner that the average person cannot make notes useful for later. It also did not provide links to printed material for later use. Their goal was only to show their knowledge, and I'll bet they didn't do it without notes.

[@JonRBermudez]

So do I use ppm 500 or 700 setting with my general hydroponic nutrients? Thanks Everest....

[@Just4Growers]

+Jonathan Bermudez Hi Jonathan. Use the PPMx500 setting. goo.gl/ly1s71

[@anelujan]

I have a problem with a tds meter was wondering if you can give me your email address and I can send you the manual I'm trying to calibrate it to general hydroponics solutions please help I don't know what tds calibration solution to get and use thanks un advance

[@Just4Growers]

I have a gmail.com address. just4growers is my username

[@amitsinha6572]

Just tell me what's the difference between TDS and PPM ????

[@beafsoupream532]

Mr. Everest!! I love the speed of your video! A lot of us do! I hope most, so you can keep it up!! On to my question...it may be silly, but I want to make sure. You suggest going with an EC meter correct? Seems like there's too much room for error with the USA way...foolishly may I add

[@Just4Growers]

EC (milisiemens) is the way to go amigo. Just like Celsius, Kilopascals and Kilometers. :)

[@travis7289]

great breathing technique

[@Just4Growers]

Sorry, too many espressos that morning :)

[@travis7289]

I think the simplicity warrants the speed. I meant it as a good thing. I appreciate the range of info in the time frame.

[@Miggyt18]

Just wanted to say that I love your videos Everest just the way they are! I understand some people may have a hard time processing all the information you throw at them, but that is exactly why others have pointed out the fact that the video speed can indeed be slowed down. So problem solved! Anyways, I truly appreciate your delivery because it helps me cram a bunch of stuff into a short study time, especially for quick refreshers when I have a brain fart. Thanks man and keep up the excellent work!

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks so much miggy! This positivity is exactly what I need when preparing and researching for the next season of vids! Thank you again. ✊

[@thychea7360]

OMG u got to slow down.

[@Just4Growers]

THY CHEA Lol. SORRY THY! Are you a native English speaker? Would it help if I put some English subtitles on it?

[@thychea7360]

nar it fine am i understand you but not the ppm stuff the vid seem to get faster and faster but it all good just watch over and over , good vid.

[@Just4Growers]

THY CHEA Thanks Thy. If you have any questions that remain unresolved or need anything clarifying then please, just ask. Happy growing!

[@honeyy79]

What? I look like a koalabear with ? marks all over me now lol

[@Just4Growers]

+Tone Andersen koala bears are so cute and cuddly. I love them question marks and all! :)

[@BruvaPlague]

👍🏻 well explained.

[@10MinutestoRouletteFortune]

This didn't start to make any sense until I toked on some Blueberry.

[@gillenzfluff8380]

I don't see the point of the ec meter the different shades of green tell me how much urine and ash I need to mix with water to feed my plants.

[@nbhprogram]

For sure this is the best video on the subject! Thanks for sharing

[@charlesmcguirk]

Man ..if you're trying to teach someone something. The info is on point......YOU TALK TO DAMM FAST. I WAS LOOKING FOR A VIDEO TO GIVE MY BUDDY, HES HAVING ISSUES. IDK ITS EASY TO ME. SLOW DOWN. ITS NOT A CONTEST. TEACH PEOPLE , A NEWBIE CANNOT FOLLOW THIS VIDEO

[@Rad631]

You just uploaded the 1.5 x version on the actual video so people don't have to change video speed :)

[@GreenGlobalCom]

I loved it, and for the haters, get a life. It was meant to be funny but educational at the same time. I was able to keep up and played it over again to catch some of the too fast parts. All in all it was good fast presentation of some things i did not know.

[@Just4Growers]

Michael Abgelo Leone Thanks Michael. I genuinely appreciate any feedback-whether the message is that I'm doing something right or everything wrong! :-) It's definitely a challenge to present complex topics in a concise and accessible way and hopefully we will improve with every new video. Please subscribe to the channel, Michael, so you don't miss a thing! Lots going on here at Just4Growers HQ! Peace, Everest.

[@Graham1904]

One thousandth is "milli" NOT as you spelt it

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Graham. That one still catches me out!

[@grandmastermicochero]

good info, but why are you talking so fast? whats the hurry?

[@KHwellness]

Although humorous, ya might want to slow down just a tad. ;-) informative yet I am still lost. I just learned about "EC" & SIEMENS, MILLISIEMENS & microsiemens. I have a tds meter i need new batteries for. They are battery vampires apparently. However i dont recognize where it says what the conversion is in the barely 1 page paper that tells about it.

[@Just4Growers]

***** Thanks Kevin. A few viewers mirrored your comments so from now on I always strive for clarity before brevity. Happy to answer any questions you might have on the matter. Basically EC really is the way to go when measuring nutrient conductivity in the real world. PPMs .... meh!

[@KHwellness]

Well i already have ppm meter... so... but it doesnt read past 999ppms. Im getting to understand it a little more. But still kinda scratching my head.

[@Just4Growers]

***** Well Kevin having a PPM meter is a good start! I think of it like this: Water is a solute-in other words, it dissolves stuff. (I know, you knew that already! :-)) However, to really know what's dissolved in your water you need to see what's left when you boil it all away and perform lab tests for the presence of various minerals in the residue that's left over. You might find, for instance, that you have 75 PPMs of calcium in your water and 12 PPMs of magnesium in your water-but only a lab test could tell you that. Of course, as growers, we don't need to rely on laboratories! We use TDS meters: Total Dissolved Solids. This guesses the total of all the different dissolved elements in your water in PPMs. 75 + 12 + whatever else is in there.... However, TDS meters are only guessing! They don't actually count up the calcium PPMs and the Magnesium PPMs etc... they measure how well the water conducts electricity-i.e. they are conductivity meters in disguise! Lol! Pure water conducts very little electricity. However, as you dissolve elements in water, it can conduct more electricity. Thus, water's electrical conductance can be used to INFER the total dissolved solids in it. If our test water is conducting relatively large amounts of electricity we can safely assume that there are a lot of dissolved solids in it. If our test water conducts very little, we can assume it's pretty pure. Different elements (sodium, calcium, magnesium, etc) conduct electricity better than others. So that's why different conversion factors are used-they are always guesses-but it gives us a good indication. Growers in Europe skip this stage and simply use electrical conductance as a measure of how concentrated their nutrient solutions are. I'm with the Europeans on this one. They have one measurement to go by (in microsiemens or milisiemens) and don't have to worry about conversion factors. So my advice-go get yourself a Bluelab conductivity meter (ask for 'the truncheon' but make sure it says Bluelab-you can't go wrong with this brand) and think of your nutrient strength in terms of electrical conductance rather than those pesky PPMs! I'm happy to keep discussing this until it's clear my friend so don't hesitate to come back with any questions. Peace and happy growing, Everest.

[@KHwellness]

Thanks. It makes a lil more sense. ;-)

[@KHwellness]

We have been drinking RO water in our house for 30 years. I even tested for dissolved solids for my clients as a health professional. But we are trying to remove those solids from water, not add them lol.

[@youtubelover2327]

you made me so confusede right now :O

[@Just4Growers]

+Happy Life That's NOT what I wanted Happy Life! Please hit me up with any questions. Happy to help.