General EC Target Ranges
Different plants require different strengths of food. Here is a general EC guideline for healthy growth:
Reading Your Crop's "Thirst Signals"
Testing your EC daily tells you exactly what your plants are doing. Compare your EC level against your water level over a 48-hour period:
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EC drops, Water level drops: Your plants are healthy and eating nutrients faster than they are drinking water. You need to add more nutrients next time you top up.
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EC rises, Water level drops: Your plants are drinking water but leaving the nutrients behind. The solution is getting too salty and strong. You need to dilute the tank with plain, fresh water immediately to prevent nutrient burn.
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EC stays stable, Water level drops: Perfect equilibrium! Your plants are consuming water and food at the exact same rate.