2 part nutes - why?

[R3za92]

New pen should be calibrated one would expect.? Sounds a bit rude cosidering there not cheapies.✌

Na they’re sent unactivated with a factory travel solution. You actually have to activate the probes in (most) decent units and than calibrate. My milwakee was the same.

 

[Porky]

It turns out my Bluelab Ec pen needs calibration liquid that wasn't supplied with the pen and the ph meter has to be soaked in water for 24 hours prior to use, so I put in the seedlings with 1/4 strength solution and a prayer instead. I was surprised how much liquid ran straight through the mix and into the tray. I chucked it on the tomatoes.

Mine came with calibration fluid in the box!!

 

[afghan bob]

Same, also came with small sachets of ph 7 and ph4
Think that tick Porkys talking about only shows when u calibrate with both
Only just replaced batteries in mine after 4 yrs

 

[nugget]

Same here plus storage solution on the ph pen. Indy spot on about the nutes some companies say they don't go well together until diluted into water. Always mix part a stir well then part b and stir again don't put them together. Budrite etc has been around for about 300 years from memory they're aussie used them over a decade ago I think they went ok.

 

[thefullspectrum]

It turns out my Bluelab Ec pen needs calibration liquid that wasn't supplied with the pen and the ph meter has to be soaked in water for 24 hours prior to use, so I put in the seedlings with 1/4 strength solution and a prayer instead. I was surprised how much liquid ran straight through the mix and into the tray. I chucked it on the tomatoes.

Haha nice. Thoughts and prayers Ted Cruze style.

 

[Mellow oldfark]

I certainly wouldnt deal with a company that wants u to tune their product before u use it and everytime there after?
Thats just stupid.
Ive been using the same ec pen for years and rarely have to recalibrate.
Buying a new product then having to tune or tweak it on a regular basis doesnt make any sense to me, especially when its supposed top of the line product.
So much smoke and mirrors involved in anything thay comes from "grow shops"
Just sayin thats all✌

 

[R3za92]

I certainly wouldnt deal with a company that wants u to tune their product before u use it and everytime there after?
Thats just stupid.
Ive been using the same ec pen for years and rarely have to recalibrate.
Buying a new product then having to tune or tweak it on a regular basis doesnt make any sense to me, especially when its supposed top of the line product.
So much smoke and mirrors involved in anything thay comes from "grow shops"
Just sayin thats all✌

It’s not everytime. most companies recommend monthly for hobbyists or weekly/fortnightly for commercial use.

As for the conditioning before first use, I know Milwaukee does it so that the probes they sell last longer. They can sit on the shelf stable until they receive an initial conditioning which activates the electrode. It means the probes can sit indefinitely on a shelf before being conditioned without any degradation of the electrode.

 

[Wargul]

Do you get an EC reading from you plain water? ,,it can vary area to area.

I get a reading of 1.1 from the town water but 0.0 reading from our rain water. Looks like rain water is the go.

 

[Indy]

If your rainwater is anything like mine, it might be fairly close to being ph balance as well. Some say zinc/tin roofs and tanks can alter the water, but i cant say i've notice anything wrong with it (zinc roof, concrete tank).

 

[R3za92]

I get a reading of 1.1 from the town water but 0.0 reading from our rain water. Looks like rain water is the go.

Yeah 1.1 ec is way Fucking high for tap water. You’d need an to filter to use it. My Tap is <0.3ec

 

[Wargul]

Yeah 1.1 ec is way Fucking high for tap water. You’d need an to filter to use it. My Tap is <0.3ec

We don't drink it - just washing. We run it through a softener to strip the calcium out of it, otherwise it gums up the shower head. Even through the softener it is 1.1.

 

[Wargul]

If your rainwater is anything like mine, it might be fairly close to being ph balance as well. Some say zinc/tin roofs and tanks can alter the water, but i cant say i've notice anything wrong with it (zinc roof, concrete tank).

I have a colourbond roof and plastic tank, so it should be clean.

 

[R3za92]

We don't drink it - just washing. We run it through a softener to strip the calcium out of it, otherwise it gums up the shower head. Even through the softener it is 1.1.

Yeah fuck that. What’s it unfiltered? Have you had it analysed? If so whats the calcium source, guessing calcium carbonate leaching from limestone bedrock?

 

[Wargul]

Yeah fuck that. What’s it unfiltered? Have you had it analysed? If so whats the calcium source, guessing calcium carbonate leaching from limestone bedrock?

Most likely, I have the ocean on two sides and an inlet on another. The water here is notoriously crappy.

 

[R3za92]

Most likely, I have the ocean on two sides and an inlet on another. The water here is notoriously crappy.

Yeah could even be straight sodium from the sea water filtering through. If your going to grow with it I’d recommend a good quality reverse osmosis unit to strip it bare. Also might be worth throwing in a mineral cartridge to add what’s needed back.

 

[R3za92]

I have a colourbond roof and plastic tank, so it should be clean.

If your that close to the ocean maybe not. You could be getting alot of salt spray on your roof. For us humans who need salt it’s not a problem in small levels, probably can’t even taste it, but plants can be very as sensitive to sodium levels.

 

[Wargul]

If your that close to the ocean maybe not. You could be getting alot of salt spray on your roof. For us humans who need salt it’s not a problem in small levels, probably can’t even taste it, but plants can be very as sensitive to sodium levels.

Wouldn't salt show up in the conductivity test?

 

[R3za92]

Wouldn't salt show up in the conductivity test?

Yes but most meters are +-0.2 and sodium levels in water don’t need to be high to cause issues. You can deal with high ec from calcium far easier than sodium issues.

 

[Pixie]

Anyone use advanced nutrients pH perfect , looks pretty simple

 

[R3za92]

Anyone use advanced nutrients pH perfect , looks pretty simple

I’ve used it. It works. It’s isnt the best or cheap especially if you start using the extra 50 bottles they push.