E6: Water Quality in Hydroponics & What is EC PPM & TDS? скачать в хорошем качестве

E6: Water Quality in Hydroponics & What is EC PPM & TDS?

EC – Electrical Conductivity ( TDS – Total Dissolved Solids) This is a measurement of the strength of a nutrient solution. It is also known as CF (Conductivity Factor), but since CF is only one decimal place away from EC, we will stick to EC. The measurement of EC is in milliSiemens per cm (mS/cm). It is a measurement of the strength of the nutrient solution as a whole and will not tell you if one or more of the nutrient salts is out of balance. If the EC rises, it means that the plants are taking up water faster than nutrients. This usually happens in hot weather, when the plant tries to keep cool. When this happens you add water until the required EC is reached. On the other hand, if the EC falls, the plant is taking up more nutrients than water, so you have to add more nutrients. If you are a serious home grower you will obtain an EC or TDS meter and have the peace of mind that your plants are being fed optimally. The EC or TDS meter should be calibrated regularly, say once a month. The practical use of EC / TDS readings becomes apparent when you realize that plants can be categorized into low, medium, and heavy feeders. If you feed lettuce with a high EC intended for tomatoes, the lettuce can become bitter. Likewise, if you feed tomatoes with a low EC, suitable for lettuce, the tomatoes will be tasteless! Convert TDS and EC readings TDS = EC reading (in milliSiemens/cm) times 1000 and divide by 2. EC = PPM times 2 divide by 1000 ( 1ds= 500 ppm )