The best
Conductivity Meters & Accessories:
Reddit reviews
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
The best of Conductivity Meters & Accessories by number of unique Reddit comments:
Top Reddit reviews mentioning Conductivity Meters & Accessories:
Well, we can't really tell you what the mineral content of your water is but you can tell us with a TDS meter (https://www.amazon.ca/Professional-TDS-ppm-Conductivity-Meter/dp/B01FPG89CE/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=TDS+Meter&qid=1625476265&sr=8-7) Anything that's at least 15USD or 30CAD should be fine. It's actually something I would recommend everyone have and to test your water supply (drinking water) every week or at least once a month because if there is an issue it will show it (some of them will actually let you know if the water is "drinkable" with red/green lights) (PS: completely off topic but if you have tap water and water through your fridge you can actually see when you need to change your filter, and to see how much cleaner your filter makes your water, in my case it lowered the mineral content by a few digits)
​
You always have to PH water, the only time you don't PH water is with outdoor grows ina large amount of soil (even then I still ph water if possible). Eventually (in a container) the ph of the soil will change depending on the water you add and the nutrients.
I would make sure you're getting good PH down, but it's kind of widely known that it takes like 3x as much PH down to get the ph down as it does ph up to make it go up. Make sure you're leaving the water for 20 seconds at least (as well as mixing/stirring it) before testing the water. I like to let the water sit for maybe a minute or two between tests and stirring so I can be assured that the chemicals have been evenly distributed throughout the water.
Bluelab. I've been using this one for almost a year and a half, it's been great. Easy to calibrate also.
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-COM-80-Electrical-Conductivity/dp/B008SOPO10
This one is a really good one. Even a cheaper one is okay for low ppm stuff.
If its under 150ppm you shouldnt even have to bother adjusting it honestly your soil will take care of it. Also your soil is probably around 7ph if it's coots mix. so a little acid can actually be a good thing.
I got mine from Amazon for about 60 bucks. It has lasted me 2 years so far. Same for my ph meter at the same price point. As long as you properly maintain it these things will last.
HM Digital COM-100 Waterproof Combo Meter for EC, TDS and Temperature, 1-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VVVEUI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GXPvzb690905F
I didn't even know that it had all those measurement settings until I had it for a while and then decided to read through the manual hah. I was measuring using a different conversion factor than tds Nacl and my ppm numbers were super high.
After changing to the NaCl conversion factor my numbers are much closer to the bounds I mentioned in my comment.
It depends on how diligent the store manager and the person maintaining the system are. Many homebrewers get a cheap TDS meter (< $10 on Amazon or eBay) to verify that the RO water is in fact "RO". I use this one.
Instead of sending your store's RO water in to Ward Labs, which you would theoretically have to do every batch, you could get a good TDS meter for $15 or less. I bought this one for $10, and it's < $5 right not (Amazon Prime). It seems to work reliably.
I've heard a lot on here, and online, it's pretty common for your first batch to die off, the key is if you have babies or the first batch has babies in your water, if the water is in the acceptable parameters that you say, will be born and used to your water and will thrive. I just recently started and my first batch all died I got from my LFS then I orders 10 from shrimp farm .com and it came with 2 extra, and I almost didn't notice it came with like a dozen, must've been born a day or two before shipping or maybe even on the way, baby shrimp smaller than a grain of rice. All of them are still going strong and I have 3 berried females right now. Of that batch I've lost 3 or 4 adults.
Edit: also saw your looking at getting a TDS meter off Amazon. Be selective in what you choose, I got a couple on there I returned because they were giving me extremely adverse / fluctuating readings all the time. You want to make sure you get one that has ATC, Automatic temperature calibration, or something like that.
I got this one and verified it still my school chemistry lab testing their tap water, RO water, and DI water and compared it with their readings and it was pretty darn close.
Professional TDS ppm Meter | Digital Test Pen Combines EC, TDS & Temp (3-in-1) | 0-9999 ppm & ± 2% Accuracy | Quick and Easy Testing For Hydroponics, Ro System, Pool, Aquarium, Spa and Water Hardness https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FPG89CE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fNB2AbFRA3C04
It's out of stock right now it looks like through Amazon? May be available through other sellers or sites ?
To be honest I do not know of the system you’re describing.The point of using ro/di water is to minimize TDS ( total dissolved solids ) in the water, so testing ammonia / nitrate doesn’t test that. Things like fluoride and chlorine and other things used to treat water are not good for your animals. That being said if the filter removes those you should be fine , you can always buy a tds meter really cheap online to make sure.
Your pool water needs to be ‘balanced’. This means your salinity level needs to be within range for your salt chlorine generator. Typically between 2900 and 3400ppm. If you suspect your salinity is over “7000”, you need to do something to current it. First, I would buy a digital salinity tester and I would test my actual salinity. “Stop using test strips.” Buy yourself a real pool water test kit like a Taylor K-2005. And read the little booklet that comes with it. Read it - from cover-to-cover! If your pool water is really 7300ppm salinity, you need to partially drain and refill until you get it within normal limits - period. Do this - repeatedly - until you get it right. Okay? With salinity that high, your water is totally saturated with salt. Your total dissolved solids are off the chart. There’s no ‘room’ left in your pool water for anything like chemicals that are needed to balance your pool water. So get your salinity down. Then balance your pool water. This means check your free chlorine, pH, total alkalinity and stabilizer. And then learn how to dose your pool properly. There’s no swimming allowed until you get your pool’s water chemistry balanced - never. Okay? Good, now go do what I said. You want to be responsible pool owner who keeps his pool safe for himself and for his family and guests - always. Thank you.
Oh hey! Haha EC pen is an essential to check how much nutrition is added to the solution.
They aren’t expensive and from where u live I can get one off Taobao. Something like this https://www.amazon.sg/TDS-Meter-Digital-Water-Tester/dp/B01FPG89CE
Every veg has its own recommended EC range like so: https://happyhydrofarm.com/ph-ec-hydroponic-vegetable/
Yeah by my calculations, I came up with about 5 forty pound bags. You can add more as needed.
I'd buy a digital salinity tester like this one on Amazon. That way you'll have a way of measuring the salinity of your pool water. It's also a good thing to have to cross-check your pool's salt controller and cell.
You'll also want to add a couple pounds of stabilizer to help keep that newly created chlorine in your pool.
How much salt will you use? Well, if your initial dose of salt is 5 to 6 bags, probably not much for the first 3 or 4 months, depending on how much splash-out, torrential downpours or pool leaks you have. If those are none, you might go 5 to 6 months before needing to add another bag.
Copy that on the increasing pH due to the salt generator. Treat as needed.
Additionally, make sure you have the proper amount of Calcium in that newly plastered pool of yours. For 8,000 gallons, adding about 20 pounds of Calcium Chloride should take you from 0ppm to 300ppm - if it hasn't been added already.
Good luck and enjoy that pool!
Chlorine is what's going to kill the algae and what your salt system should be producing.
First you need to see if your salt level is high enough for your salt cell to produce chlorine. Check the manual for the salt level required, then you're going to need to buy a salt tester to see if you need to add more salt.
I recommend this one (get the calibration liquid too):
https://www.amazon.com/eSeasongear-SALT-3050-Waterproof-Salinity-Temperature/dp/B01BXDTSXW
If salt is good and system is working as it should, that's one thing sorted. Now you need to test your chlorine, CYA and PH and keep them at the recommended levels for a salt pool. For that ideally, you should get a Taylor 2005 test kit.
As for the current yellow algae issue, a picture/video would help. But spiking your chlorine level and running your filter for a day should take care of it. Just make sure you brush regularly and clean the filter after.
Use ML's per gallon. Much easier and precise. Get a decent PPM/EC meter like this $40 METER. Then add about 2 ML's per gallon of a single bottle you are unsure of and take a EC/PPM reading to see how strong it is and to figure out how much to give your plants at their respective stage of growth. Hopefully you're using RO water. Oh and a big tip, don't follow the amount of what a bottle tells you 90% of the time or you might fry your plants.
Get an EC meter and pH meter. They are absolutely crucial for dialing in a dwc setup.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008SOPO10?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Bluelab PENPH pH Pen, Digital Meter for Water with Easy Two Point Calibration and Double Junction Probe, Test Kit for Hydroponic System and Indoor Plant Grow, White https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005POOJHG/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_65F2GJQN308QK9JBF3SJ
Get storage solution and the calibration solutions to keep the pH pen functioning properly.
I recommend measuring the EC of your nute solution. Once I started measuring EC, it was so much easier to dial in my grow with the FF trio.
I use this: Bluelab PENCON Conductivity Pen... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IGXOK4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I use this one from Amazon and purchased some buffers as well. It’s not my favorite meter but it gets the job done, and what’s more is you can use it to measure the ph of creams and gels too instead of just normal liquids. This saves you from having to take your sample and dilute it in a smidge of water to find the ph, which, since I mostly measure acids, I find that can fudge the real numbers.
Something like this… there’s tons of different models, so maybe check out some reviews at your price point - Bluelab PENCON Conductivity Pen and Digital TDS Meter, Water Tester for Temperature and Nutrient (CF, EC, PPM 500, PPM 700), TDS Testing Kit for Hydroponic System and Indoor Plant Grow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IGXOK4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W7K1275FHGCV0W974WEE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Here’s the link but someone else in the comments said they tend to not be accurate.
TDS Meter Digital Water Tester - Hofun TDS, EC & Temperature Meter 3 in 1, 0-9999 ppm Accurate, PPM Meter for Drinking Water Test, Coffee, Swimming Pool, Aquarium, RO/DI System, Hydroponics https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GNMY8ZH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_C1F0WENTHK3F14MFA2JE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Besides all the other comments what is your water source? My well water is 750+ ppm (without adding any nutrients) and mostly calcium from the ground water. That sucks ass for hydroponic growth.
I bought a Hydrologic 150 gpd and got my water to <10 - It cost me ~$200, I've had it for over a year now and yet to have to change out the membranes, and when I give the plants the nutes, I know they are getting everything they need and nothing they don't. It does make a difference.
Like you stated on going mid to large scale, your going to want to know what's up with your water. Here is a good and economical tool to measure your water: Bluelab PenCon
Seems to be out of stock but something like this:
https://www.amazon.ca/HM-Digital-Meters-COM-80-Conductivity/dp/B008SOPO10
my best advice is to NOT skimp. YOu don't need $300 piece of equipment, but don't go for the cheapie $20 versions, they will break.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BXDTSXW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_A8YOFbJGR6DA5
This is the one I use. It's pretty good for the price. Just be sure to get/make some calibration fluid and calibrate it before you use it.
I’ve never been able to find the origin of where kratky came from, but I’m pretty sure as soon as you add an air stone you’re in regular hydroponics land.
Are you using any salts? Magnesium sulfate will help bring your EC up and open the door for macronutrients as long as your PH stays in the 6.0-6.5 range. I use between 1 and 2 tablespoons of epsom salt per 4.5 gallons for my herbs.
Also, there are plenty of PPM/EC meters that are inexpensive. I picked up mine for $15 on amazon.
Professional TDS ppm Conductivity Meter - Quick and Easy EC TDS and Temperature Test Pen | 0-9999 ppm with ± 2% Accuracy | Perfect 3-in-1 Tester For Ro Water Aquarium Hydroponics Coffee Pool etc. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FPG89CE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UxaeDb4AC5EQV
Res is 2 gallon. I just added little by little till pH was 6. Originally I had added 1.25ml per gal. But after that my pH was still at a 7. So then I just added a little more till it came down to a 6. So I didn't get exact measurements. I am using this meter and just pH strips
Your water is probably still too hard even after filtering. Grab a heap TDS meter from Amazon and make sure you’re getting it below 100 TDS.
Digital TDS Meter - Hofun TDS, EC & Temperature Meter 3 in 1, 0-9999 ppm Accurate, LCD Display, PPM Meter for Drinking Water Test, Coffee, Swimming Pool, Aquarium, RO/DI System, Hydroponics https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GNMY8ZH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TYovFb73P78W2
Thank you - just checked both of my plants a few times and my soil is testing at about a 6.5-7 pH. For TDS, I see ones on amazon for water testing. Am I looking for something like this one? thank you for your help again!