HortiCare Nutrient Tester

The HortiCare nutrient meter is designed to measure the concentration of nutrients in solutions for plant roots. The device also measures the concentration of other essential minerals in soluble form. This user-friendly instrument is housed in a water-resistant casing, suitable for daily use, and features an easy-to-read 8 mm LCD screen. The device measures EC (mS), cF, or TDS (ppm) at the touch of a button.

The HortiCare nutrient meter features an automatic calibration function. With a single button press, the instrument automatically re-calibrates itself when used in conjunction with a 2.8 mS (67 cF, 4700 ppm) standard solution.

The HortiCare tester is ideal for measuring the amount of dissolved solids (nutrients) in water.

Maintenance of the conductivity electrode

The ETI range of conductivity meters includes TDS meters and nutrient meters.

Various calibration solutions are available for the regular calibration of instruments.

Storage: It is best to store electrodes in demineralized water. Electrodes stored dry should be soaked in distilled water for 5 to 10 minutes before use to ensure the electrodes are fully wetted.

The main condition for accurate and reproducible results in conductivity measurements is a clean electrode cell. A dirty electrode cell contaminates the solution and causes the conductivity to change. Grease, oil, fingerprints, and other contaminants on the sensor elements can lead to erroneous readings and irregular responses.

Electrodes can be cleaned with a mixture of 1 part isopropyl alcohol, 1 part diethyl ether, and 1 part HCl (1+1). After cleaning, rinse the electrode cell thoroughly with water. If the old platinum-black coating needs to be removed, carefully applying aqua regia to the electrodes or electrolysis in HCl is often successful. This should only be performed by trained personnel.

Electrodes can also be cleaned with a detergent and/or nitric acid (1%) by immersing the cell in the cleaning solution or filling it with the solution and stirring for two to three minutes. Rinse the cell several times with distilled or demineralized water and re-measure the cell constant before using the cell again.