Get your EC target, PPM range, and pH sweet spot for every growth stage — hydro, coco, and soil.
| Stage | EC (mS/cm) | PPM 500 | PPM 700 | pH (Hydro/Coco) | pH (Soil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Seedling | 0.4–0.8 | 200–400 | 280–560 | 5.5–6.1 | 6.0–7.0 |
| 🌿 Early Veg | 0.8–1.3 | 400–650 | 560–910 | 5.5–6.1 | 6.0–7.0 |
| 🌿 Vegetative | 1.3–1.8 | 650–900 | 910–1260 | 5.5–6.1 | 6.0–7.0 |
| 🔄 Transition | 1.6–2.0 | 800–1000 | 1120–1400 | 5.5–6.1 | 6.0–7.0 |
| 🌸 Flower | 1.8–2.2 | 900–1100 | 1260–1540 | 5.5–6.1 | 6.0–7.0 |
| 🍁 Late Flower | 1.4–1.8 | 700–900 | 980–1260 | 5.5–6.1 | 6.0–7.0 |
| 💧 Flush | 0.0–0.4 | 0–200 | 0–280 | 5.8–6.2 | 6.0–6.5 |
* Values shown are for hydroponics. Coco targets run slightly lower; soil targets are lowest. Use the calculator below for your specific medium.
EC (Electrical Conductivity) measures the total dissolved salts in your nutrient solution — essentially how strong your feed is. Plants draw water and nutrients through osmosis, and if your EC is too high, the solution is more concentrated than the plant's cells, causing nutrient burn and wilting. Too low and plants are underfed. EC is measured in mS/cm (millisiemens per centimetre) and is the single most important number to monitor in any hydro or coco grow.
PPM (parts per million) is another way of expressing nutrient concentration, but there are two different conversion scales in common use. The 500 scale (used in North America) multiplies EC by 500. The 700 scale (used in Europe and some meters) multiplies EC by 700. So 1.0 EC = 500 PPM on the 500 scale, but 700 PPM on the 700 scale. Always check which scale your meter uses — most Canadian meters default to the 500 scale. When in doubt, use EC as your reference since it has no ambiguity.
Canadian tap water EC varies significantly by city. Vancouver tap water is very soft at around 0.05–0.1 EC. Toronto and Montreal range from 0.2–0.4 EC. Calgary and Edmonton tap water is harder at 0.3–0.5 EC. Some rural well water can exceed 0.6–0.8 EC. Always measure your source water EC before mixing nutrients — high source EC reduces how much nutrient you can add before hitting your target. If your source EC exceeds 0.5, consider a reverse osmosis filter for better nutrient control.
For hydroponics and coco, target pH 5.5–6.1 with 5.8 being ideal. For soil grows, pH 6.0–7.0 with 6.5 being the sweet spot. Canadian tap water is typically pH 7.0–8.5 (mildly alkaline) — you will almost always need to adjust pH down using pH Down solution. Advanced Nutrients' pH Perfect line auto-buffers to the correct range, which is why it's popular with Canadian beginners who find pH management tedious.
Both are excellent and widely available in Canada. General Hydroponics Flora Trio is the most versatile — the ratio adjustments give you precise control through every stage, and it works in hydro, coco, and soil. Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect is the easier option for beginners because it auto-adjusts pH, removing one variable to manage. Advanced Nutrients is a Canadian company (founded in BC) and has strong support and availability across Canada. For experienced growers, Masterblend offers the best cost-per-litre of any professional nutrient system available in Canada.
Dial in every part of your grow.