What is the difference between EC and pH?
A pH < 7 is acidic, pH > 7 is basic, and a pH equal to 7 is neutral. For most plant species, nutrients are adequately available for uptake at a slightly acidic root zone pH between 5.6 and 6.4. What is EC? Electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of total soluble and dissolved salts in solution.
What does pH EC mean?
The two most important measurements that can be collected are pH and EC (electrical conductivity) of the growing medium. Regular monitoring of growing medium EC and pH will eliminate almost all problems associated with fertilization. The importance of pH and EC, as well as a method to measure them, are outlined here.
How does EC relate to pH?
Lower pH corresponds with higher [H+], while higher pH is associated with lower [H+]. Electrical conductivity (EC) is a measurement of the dissolved material in an aqueous solution, which relates to the ability of the material to conduct electrical current through it.
What is pH and EC of soil?
pH is an operationally defined measure of the H+ ions that are active in soil solution, and EC provides an operationally defined measurement of a soil’s salinity (Rhoades, 1996). 2.0 DEFINITIONS.
What happens if EC is too high?
Excessively high EC levels lead to stunted growth, leaf damage and eventually plant death.
Does pH down Increase EC?
pH goes up, EC goes down = Plants are feeding. Potentially raise nutrient levels. pH goes down, EC goes up = Plants are putting nutrient into the water rather than taking them out.
What is EC value?
EC stands for Electric Conductivity. Simply put, the EC value is the salt concentration in your substrate or nutrient solution. The salt concentration is a good indication of the available nutrients. This is why the EC value is important: it tells you if your plants are receiving the right amount of nutrients.
What is EC soil level?
Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the amount of salts in soil (salinity of soil). It is an important indicator of soil health.
Why does EC keep rising?
pH goes down, EC goes up = Plants are putting nutrient into the water rather than taking them out. Nutrient levels are too high. pH stays stable, EC levels stay stable = Equilibrium. Plants are taking equal parts nutrients and water.
How do you reduce EC in water?
To reduce the EC value, clean water is added to the water tank. To increase the EC value, nutrients are added to the water tank. If the EC value of water rises during time, it is a sign that plants are unable to use nutrients in water. This may be due to the wrong nutrients or wrong pH value of the water.
What should my EC be in veg?
1.2-1.6
During the vegetative growth stage, it’s best to keep the EC in the 1.2-1.6 range for most plants. If the EC rises above 1.8 during the vegetative growth stage, just add more water to the reservoir to lower the EC. If the EC is too low, just add more fertilizer. It’s that simple!