do i really need an ec meter, the whole point of growing was to save money but it seems and endless list of kit that i need can someone let me know how an ec meter would help i could understand if i was growing a field of it but i'm just looking to supply myself. If ec meter would help me how would it do that? is it worth the expense? please somebody convince me my wife is expecting but ifeel more clucky and worried about my bloody garden than my baby!!! do i need a degree in botany or what !!!

Knowing the ph is pretty bloody important mate. If the ph isnt right, then you plants cant absorb the nutrients they need. If you dont know if the meter will be worth the money, try checking the ph every day with the ph liquid for a grow and see how much effort it is

The EC meter is essential for hydro reallly - it measures the concentration of nutrients in your tank, and is different to the PH, which is the acidity / alkalinity of the solution. You need to monitor both of these on a daily basis really.

Yeah, the initial outlay can be quite high, but a EC (of Cf) pen will last you for years, and your first crop will bring in the equivalent of a few hundred quids worth of bud - and the next time you do a crop, you will already have the equipment you need.

Don't just go by the intructions on the nutrient bottle. They are always too strong. If you are dead set against it, make your nutrients up to 1/2 - 3/4 what they recommend, and top up your tank with water every 2 days or so, to stop the concentration increasing.

Without the meter though, you have no real idea of how much your plants are taking up, or not, as the case may be, or what levels of nutrient you are giving them.