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EC in water when feeding cannabis

Plants need the best care to grow strong and healthy. One of the most important factors is the EC of the irrigation water. Therefore, it’s essential to monitor the EC level of the irrigation water. In this post, we want to clarify everything about the ideal EC level for cannabis.

What is EC in water?

EC, or electrical conductivity, is the ability of a liquid to conduct electricity. However, water doesn’t conduct electricity by itself, but rather depends on the amount of minerals it contains. Water with a good mineral content conducts electricity just like a wire. However, distilled water (H2O) does not.

EC allows us to measure the amount of minerals in the water to determine if it conducts electricity well and if it is suitable for plants.

For this reason, EC levels need to be ideal in your cannabis crops. The balance and concentration of nutrients in the soil and water are crucial for a grower, preventing issues like nutrient deficiencies or excesses. A plant may not recover from nutrient lockout or an overload of nutrients.

Effects of high or low EC levels in crops

A distinctive trait of plants is their sensitivity to EC. It’s not sensitivity to electricity itself but rather to the mineral content in the water. The more fertilizer the water contains, the more electricity it will conduct, which can be checked with an EC and pH meter.

However, your plant might encounter difficulties in absorbing water with too many minerals. Due to the liquid’s high density, the roots may struggle to filter it properly, potentially causing problems.

High EC

The ideal EC for cannabis is easy to calculate, and once you know it, you can assess what is happening with your plant. When the plant is exposed to high EC levels, it can’t absorb the nutrients, leading to a blockage. That’s why the ideal EC levels are crucial for cannabis to properly absorb all nutrients.

Low EC

In cases where EC is low, the plant is forced to absorb more water through its roots. This causes the roots to expand to increase their capacity and take in more nutrients. Additionally, it’s easier for a plant to recover from low EC levels than the opposite.

Cannabis tolerates certain levels of water density. You can start watering with osmosis or distilled water and add specific nutrients to make better use of the fertilizer used. If you use tap water, your crop may not be able to absorb all the fertilizer it needs due to the water’s density. This can cause nutrient deficiencies and an increase in unabsorbable mineral salts in the soil, like lime and sodium. Such a situation means that each time you water, the plant won’t be able to absorb the nutrients, leading to root blockage.

How to regulate EC levels in cannabis cultivation

EC in cannabis and absorption

When regulating EC levels, it’s important to consider the required levels for each stage. These are:

  • During the first 15 days after germination, the ideal EC for cannabis is between 0.5 and 0.8.
  • Progressively, increase the levels to 1.2 by the end of the growth phase.
  • During the flowering stage, the EC should increase as the plant will need more nutrients, establishing EC between 1.2 and 1.6.
  • In the fattening phase, increase EC to 1.8/2.1. This will be the maximum level.

To increase EC levels, simply add more fertilizer to the mix or change the nutrient solution for one with higher nutritional content.

The most common mistake novice growers make with EC is only measuring the water they are about to use for irrigation. The important EC values are those in the soil, as this is where the plants feed from. To measure EC levels when growing in soil, in addition to measuring the irrigation water, you should let the plant drain a bit of water and measure that runoff. This will tell you if the plant is getting enough nutrients or if the soil is overloaded.

EC Meters

An important factor in controlling EC is measuring it as accurately as possible. For this, EC meters are essential.

EC meters are electronic devices composed of two parts, either attached or separate: a probe and an electrode. The electrode is responsible for calculating the conductivity of a liquid to determine the EC values, and it also measures temperature. It’s recommended to calibrate the meters for their first use and after each measurement to avoid errors.

There are two main types of meters:

  • Portable meters are perfect for small or soil-based crops. They are very easy to use and don’t require much knowledge, like the Adwa EC meter. These meters have high precision, and most allow you to measure both EC and water temperature for better control of your crop.
  • As for continuous meters, they are usually mounted on the wall or another convenient surface, like the Adwa continuous wall-mounted EC meter. These meters are perfect for coco or hydroponic crops. You simply submerge the probe in the water and plug it into the meter. They provide 100% precision, and it’s recommended to calibrate them at least once a month. With proper cleaning and calibration, these meters can last a long time.

Knowing the ideal EC for cannabis is crucial, as along with pH, these are the key indicators of water quality. By maintaining these levels as recommended, your plants will grow healthy and strong.

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Erik Collado Vidal

Con más de 10 años de experiencia en la industria del cannabis, sus experiencias y aprendizaje son la base del éxito de GB The Green Brand.

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