Rather than testing and using colormetric test which tend to be inaccurate
and you still cannot test every nutrient, this a single easy to use meter
that can correlate a good time to change the water.
This an allow multiple tank measurements rapidly and easily.
They are also cheap and accurate, 20-30$ on ebay.
For folks worried about build up using EI, or those that desire longer ,
small water change intervals, this might be a good way to go about it.
The TDS does not test anything specific, just total build up.
If EI is done and no/fewer water changes are done, dosing Ca/Mg/SO4 will
become part of the routine and can be accounted for individually. SeaChem
EQ works well for this.
You can measure the build up of things like NO3, K, PO4, GH., Traces also,
by measuring __before and after__ dosing of these nutrients if you add them
individually and then monitor them over time.
So you can measure things individually ................
From there you have an idea of how much TDS is added from each dosing of
each nutrient mix.
This use is far simpler than testing individually for NO3, K+, PO4, Fe and
the meter reading is fast, minimal calibration of chemical knowledge
required, cheaper and easy.
While I like my $$$ testing spect, this has some very user friendly
application for only 20-30$.
Regards,
Tom Barr
PS:
There are other methods to reduce the build up that require no test kits,
but simply consistent dosing volumes over 3 week intervals for each
nutrient of interest. After a few weeks of doing this, folks know what each
deficiency looks like and can dose accordingly.
You can go down the line and isolate each nutrient while adding excess nutrients for the others, then bump that amount up to the previous highest amount.
and you still cannot test every nutrient, this a single easy to use meter
that can correlate a good time to change the water.
This an allow multiple tank measurements rapidly and easily.
They are also cheap and accurate, 20-30$ on ebay.
For folks worried about build up using EI, or those that desire longer ,
small water change intervals, this might be a good way to go about it.
The TDS does not test anything specific, just total build up.
If EI is done and no/fewer water changes are done, dosing Ca/Mg/SO4 will
become part of the routine and can be accounted for individually. SeaChem
EQ works well for this.
You can measure the build up of things like NO3, K, PO4, GH., Traces also,
by measuring __before and after__ dosing of these nutrients if you add them
individually and then monitor them over time.
So you can measure things individually ................
From there you have an idea of how much TDS is added from each dosing of
each nutrient mix.
This use is far simpler than testing individually for NO3, K+, PO4, Fe and
the meter reading is fast, minimal calibration of chemical knowledge
required, cheaper and easy.
While I like my $$$ testing spect, this has some very user friendly
application for only 20-30$.
Regards,
Tom Barr
PS:
There are other methods to reduce the build up that require no test kits,
but simply consistent dosing volumes over 3 week intervals for each
nutrient of interest. After a few weeks of doing this, folks know what each
deficiency looks like and can dose accordingly.
You can go down the line and isolate each nutrient while adding excess nutrients for the others, then bump that amount up to the previous highest amount.
