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Issue #370 - Sunday, May 19, 2019
Dear Fellow Grower,
In today's issue...
- Finally learn what the deal is with that oh-so-mysterious acronym...ppm! (Hint: it's actually pretty simple)
- Want to upgrade your growing skills by knowing your ppm? You can't do it without the right tools!
- I love when new growers think of themselves as noobs, then send in crystal clear pictures of great looking bud. Humility and talent!
Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside (founders of GrowWeedEasy.com)
"Nature is the source of all true knowledge. She has her own logic, her own laws, she has no effect without cause nor invention without necessity."
~Leonardo da Vinci
PPM: What It Is and How To Track It!
by Sirius Fourside
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If you’ve ever tried to learn how to grow cannabis online or via cannabis growing forums, you’ve probably seen a lot of acronyms thrown around.
LST, TDS, par, EC, HPS…there are just too many!
One that you’ve probably seen by now is “ppm”.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably avoided learning about this term altogether as it seems to add another layer of complexity to cannabis growing. However, when I finally looked into it, I realized it wasn’t a complex topic at all and it helped me grow better weed.
Today, I will clear up some of the most common questions on the subject, such as “What is ppm?”, what a TDS meter has to do with all this, and some other info so that you will be empowered with new knowledge. The best part is that it’s really simple and there isn’t a lot to it.
Read on for a quick upgrade your growing knowledge!
What IS PPM?
PPM is a unit of measurement, and it’s an acronym for Parts Per Million. This term is used in cannabis cultivation to refer to the concentration of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the water you give your plants. This is a way for growers to refer to exactly how much minerals and other substances are in their water. This information is useful since plants can only intake so many minerals and stuff at a time. This is also useful for
DWC growers who need to know the current condition of their reservoir water.
1 part per million is the equivalent of 1mg of solubles per liter of water which is a minuscule amount to measure! Drinking water tested in the US can measure as low as 0ppm (for reverse osmosis, or distilled water) or as high as 700ppm (very poor quality tap water), but most tap water will fall in the 200ppm-400ppm range.
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What Is A TDS Meter?
A TDS meter is a tool used to measure ppm. Technically, you measure the TDS of water, and you measure it in ppm. However, most people just skip over TDS and use ppm for both terms.
There are many TDS meters of varying cost and abilities; some also measure temperature or have hold buttons, some measure a higher range of ppm than others.
For those looking into purchasing a TDS meter, know that the range of ppm a particular meter measures shouldn’t be much of a factor for you. Some TDS meters measure up to 5000ppm and some go up to 9999ppm, but for cannabis cultivation, you will rarely see anything above 3500ppm. In fact, in all of the General Hydroponics feeding schedules, the highest ppm is calls for is 1500ppm max. This doesn’t mean you need a meter that only reads up to 1500ppm, but it does
mean the ability of a meter to read over 5000ppm probably isn’t needed.
What Is an EC Meter?
EC meters measure the Electrical Conductivity of the water they’re testing. This reading is useful for…measuring the amount of solubles in your water!
So, what’s the difference between a TDS meter and an EC meter?
When it comes to growing cannabis, there isn’t much of a difference at all. In fact, many TDS meters actually measure the electric conductivity of liquids and then convert those results into ppm. In other words, many TDS meters are actually EC meters in disguise!
Electrical conductivity is measured in S/m (Siemens per meter…no giggling!), but since we’re dealing with stuff on such a minuscule scale, readings will show up as μS (micro – one millionth – siemens per meter) or mS/m(milli – one thousandth – siemens per meter).
Although EC meters function just as well if not better than TDS meters, I would recommend against getting one. Most feeding charts or sources of information that talk about water quality will give measurements in ppm. EC meter readings (mS/m) can easily be converted to ppm, but you’ll save yourself some trouble by starting in the right unit of measurement.
It’s not that TDS meters are better than EC meters. In fact, EC meters are a more accurate and consistent way to measure stuff in your water. TDS meters (and ppm as a unit of measurement) are more widely used so it ends up being a more convenient choice.
There's still a little article left go...finish it!
Be Prepared to Track Your TDS/PPM!
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Now you know what ppm is (a unit of measurement)...
And you know how to check it (with a TDS meter)...
Get what you need to check your water quality quickly and correctly!
Your reward will be frosty, potent buds!
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Hi,
Just wanted to give you a big thumbs up for running such an in-depth and informative site. Just started growing indoors after a 30-year break from my last grow.
Much appreciated,
John M.
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Trophy Pictures of the Week!
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"My first grow, just a bag seed of some cheese so I can get a hang of things...
Growing in a 3.7sq ft space using a hipargero hg800, using General Hydroponics tri-pack nutrients in some regular compost.
About 4 weeks into flowering cycle including transition week.
Learning a lot from the grow and I plan to apply what I learnt to my next grow... Much better than I expected though to be honest."
~TheUltimateNoob
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Who Runs This
Newsletter? |
Nebula Haze:
I'll be honest with you, when I first started growing, I struggled. Now, it is my
mission to make it easier for new growers to get started as well as help advanced growers get bigger, better yields with less time and money. We are updating and adding articles every single week and our goal is to eventually build a comprehensive growing resource so anyone and everyone can grow if they want to! If we all share the knowledge there's more buds in the world for everyone :) |
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Learn which seed sources are personally recommended by Nebula Haze |
Sirius Fourside:
Sirius Fourside is a hobbyist grower who has gained the bulk of his experience growing in water as a medium (deep water culture, bubbleponics).
"Growing cannabis can be a relaxing hobby in and of itself, but it also saves you money and keeps you from having to deal with shady characters. Cannabis is much easier to grow than people give it credit for, and growing in water
doesn't increase the difficulty much, if any. But whether you want to grow in water, coco, or a different medium, we'll show you how easy it can be!"
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