IndicaIVoz
Deep Water Toker
The Difference Between Organic and Synthetic Plant Fertilizers: Breaking Down the Bottle
It’s high time to debunk some of the myths circulating about both organic and inorganic nutrients. Paying close attention to the ingredients contained in these products, as well as educating yourself on how, why and where they were derived from, will help you make better decisions about what nutrients to use in the growroom.
Powerful buzz words like “sustainable” and “organic” continue to gain more and more traction within the indoor gardening industry. Societal influences, along with a menagerie of scientific findings, promote these terms to help shift people’s mentalities toward a greener planet. While many growers are more than willing to contribute towards a healthier planet, how are our consumables affecting this movement? We hear a lot of competing theories on this subject that influence our decision-making as buyers. In this article, I will go over some of the ingredients commonly seen on the labels of fertilizer products, and how these ingredients affect the health of your plants, the planet and you.
(On: November 1, 2015 / By: Lacey Macri -maximum yield) -indi.
Organic Fertilizers
While many studies indicate growers can achieve superior results using organic fertilizers, we have to be selective when choosing to use them. The true nature of some of these products is merely hiding behind its label, as words like “organic” may give growers a false sense of security in the products they are buying.
“Gardens that rely on water-soluble nutrients, such as nutrient film technique, stonewool and deep water culture, will typically suffer due to the low water solubility of organic fertilizers,” says Chris Durand, senior superintendent of agriculture at UC Davis, on the drawbacks of using organic fertilizers.
“The process is also slowed down by the extended amount of processing time it takes to break down the nutrients in organic fertilizers through microbial activity for plants to be able to absorb them.”
This is significant in that, as many growers know, time is of the essence when it comes to cultivating high-yield plants. When things go sideways in the growroom, it almost always takes twice as long to correct it.
In addition to delayed response times and decreased solubility, some organic fertilizers have also been found to fall short in the hygiene department. Some common sources of organic nutrients come from earthworm castings, seaweed, alfalfa meal, blood meal, bone meal and fish emulsion. Others include magnesium sulfate, potassium sulfate, gypsum and rock phosphate.
While some of these sources excel with few, if any, risks, in some cases there is more to consider than meets the eye. For example, fish emulsion has sometimes been found to contain toxins in it that the fish absorbed while it was still alive that could potentially wind up in your finished product. The good news about residual nutrients, however, as Durand says, is that “when a system is properly flushed, there is a reduced amount since plants are put into deficient growth conditions prior to harvest.”
While many would argue that organic growing is the one and only way to grow, there are definitely some things to keep in mind prior to starting out.
Synthetic Fertilizers
Synthetic fertilizers sometimes get a bad rap for not being as environmentally friendly as their organic counterparts. While in some cases this may be true, there are a lot of synthetic nutrients out there that are as safe, if not more so, than many other products. First, let’s look at the most common sources of synthetic nutrients and what classifies them as inorganic in the first place.
Most popular nutrient products include a list of all the chemicals contained in the bottle. But how safe are these chemicals?
“Many non-organic nutrients are purified and processed versions of organic fertilizers, like magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate,” Durand says. “Naturally mined sodium nitrate is reacted with potassium chloride to form potassium nitrate. Most synthetic phosphorus is processed organic rock phosphate.”
The purpose of these processes is to reduce heavy metals and change the nutrients into a form readily available for plants. Some of these aren’t a far cry from being classified as organic materials themselves.
There are also nutrients derived from a completely artificial process that are by no stretch of the imagination organic, but is this a bad thing? Nutrients such as calcium nitrate, phosphoric acid and ammonium nitrate are formed through a process called Haber-Bosch.
Durand explains that during the Haber-Bosch process, “nitrogen is pulled from the atmosphere and converted into ammonia, a form that is useful for plants. From there, the ammonia is transformed through chemical processes to other useful synthetic nutrients like calcium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and phosphoric acid.”
The Haber-Bosch process is the backbone of modern agriculture and represents almost 2% of worldwide energy consumption. Without this source of nitrogen, it would be impossible to feed the 7 billion people and counting on the planet. It’s examples like this that help shed light on some of the truly sustainable features of certain non-organic processes and products alike.
One thing to keep in mind when using synthetic nutrients is that one of the most common mistakes growers make is overfeeding their plants. This can lead to nutrient toxicities and premature/frequent reservoir changes. In this scenario, some environmental contamination may occur when the unused nutrient solution is dumped. The best way to prevent this is closely monitoring your plants’ needs using meters and a trained eye in an effort to provide only what plants need and nothing more. Keep in mind that overfeeding can happen whether you are using organic or synthetic nutrients.
Just because a product is not organic does not mean it isn’t sustainable, safe or effective. And just because a product is organic, doesn’t automatically make it safe. When used correctly, both synthetic and organic fertilizers are safe to use. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the ingredients in the fertilizers you buy, regardless of their classification. Choose products that have gone through adequate analysis and inspections to ensure their quality. Visit the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials website (aapfco.org) for resources that help promote the safe and effective use of fertilizers and the protection of soil and water resources. You can also contact your local department of agriculture for a list of registered products that have undergone the processes required for legal commercial sale.
Water and Nutrients FAQ
Why do I have to adjust the pH of my nutrient solution?
Why do I have to adjust the pH of my nutrient solution? A: Soil has a good capacity to buffer pH. This means that when the pH level of water is not ideal, the makeup of the soil acts as a buffer and balances out the pH of the incoming water to generally an acceptable level. It is important to adjust the pH of a hydroponic nutrient solution because there is no soil to act as a buffer and correct an improper pH level. It must be done manually adding pH up or pH down to the water after the nutrient has been added to the solution. Setting pH to the correct level will allow the plants to uptake all of the nutrients required for optimum growth.
Do I need to use distilled or RO water for hydroponics?
No, it is not absolutely required to run Reverse Osmosis or Distilled water for hydroponic gardens. However, a percentage of your plants feed will consist of whatever minerals are found in your water. Most water still works well, but in some cases or when the gardener is looking for complete control of the nutrients their plants are consuming purified water may be the best option. It is often necessary to replenish the Calcium and Magnesium levels in purified water to form a complete nutrient solution. Botanicare’s Cal-Mag supplement is carried by all Homegrown locations. It is also very difficult to stabilize the pH of purified water due to its lack of minerals to buffer the pH. The addition of Cal-Mag will help solve this issue.
What is the ideal pH level?
Generally in a hydroponic application plants should be kept between pH of 5.5 and 6.2. In a peat based soilless medium 6.2 tends to be an ideal level. In soil most plants excel anywhere in the pH range of 6 to 7. If the plant you are growing is not an acid loving plant, it will do better at a pH slightly higher than 7.0.
Is my well water okay for growing plants?
Without seeing an analysis it is impossible to answer this question. Often well water is very hard and should be used in conjunction with a nutrient line which has been specially formulated for use with hard water. The other option would be to run the well water through a Reverse Osmosis system to remove the excessive minerals.
My pH keeps fluctuating, what’s going on?
So you set the pH of your hydroponic reservoir to 5.5 only to return 2 days later to find the level has risen to a pH of 6.0! You’re wondering why the pH won’t stay where you set it? The nutrients you add to your reservoir are acidic. When the plant consumes these acidic nutrients, the natural reaction is a rise in pH. This means it is normal for your reservoir to have a natural pH up-swing. It is much more desirable than your pH dropping, which would indicate you have too much nutrient in your solution. Here is a cheat sheet: pH goes up, EC goes down = Plants are feeding. Potentially raise nutrient levels. pH goes down, EC goes up = Plants are putting nutrient into the water rather than taking them out. Nutrient levels are too high. pH stays stable, EC levels stay stable = Equilibrium. Plants are taking equal parts nutrients and water. Maximum growth is occurring. It is best to error on the side of caution and slightly underfeed you plants . This will encourage the natural pH swing from 5.5-6.2. Once your solution reaches the 6.2 mark it should be brought back down to 5.5 pH and allowed to slowly drift up again. The reason this is ideal is that the plants are able to take up specific nutrients more efficiently at different pH levels. By going up and down through the proper pH range the plant has good access to all nutrients required for optimal growth. Having the ability to monitor and adjust nutrient and pH levels in this fashion are one of the main benefits to an active or recirculating hydroponic system.
What is a good fertilizer to use for growing plants?
There are many good fertilizers available on the market for aiding in plant growth. However, when a gardener is growing hydroponically it is essential that they use a complete hydroponic nutrient such as the Dutch Nutrient Formula. The key things to look for in a premium hydroponic nutrient are a 2 part solution to prevent minerals from binding and no longer being available to the plant, an affordable nutrient, an easy to use nutrient and a nutrient that is complete with both micro and macro nutrients. Everything your plant requires for optimal growth should be contained in those two bottles. A premium nutrient will also have specific nutrients from the growth and flowering stages of plant life.
How much air is required to aerate my nutrient solution?
In a Deep Water Culture hydroponic system, it is absolutely crucial to have adequate oxygen levels because roots are submerged. maximum oxygenation. In every other hydroponic application it is only required to oxygenate the solution enough to prevent it from becoming anaerobic. This means much less air is required. Generally if you have good movement in the solution and the majority of the surface of the solution is broken with bubbles you should be fine. Roughly ¼ – ½ the oxygenation rate of a DWC system should be more than adequate. It is possible to have too much aeration because the bubbles coming out of the air stone or diffuser create friction. The more friction produced, the more heat produced. So in some cases adding more aeration can be counterproductive. Water temperatures also affect the amount of oxygen that water can hold. Excessive reservoir temperatures will prevent sufficient oxygen saturation levels. For this reason it is not recommended to exceed 68 Degrees Fahrenheit in your nutrient reservoir.
Are organic fertilizers better than synthetic fertilizers?
In certain applications, yes. In outdoor or living soil applications it is beneficial for the gardener to use organic nutrients because they will contribute to building up a healthy and living soil environment full of beneficial microbes and fungi that will sustain plant growth for years to come. The addition of slow release or liquid organic feed will improve the health of the soil and contribute to plant growth accordingly. Alternatively, synthetic nutrients will still increase the production of crops in soil. However, the soil quality can be negatively affected by these synthetic fertilizers and the soils become dependent on repeated applications of synthetic nutrient. Scientifically speaking, when an organic nutrient breaks down with the help of enzymes produced by bacteria living in the medium, it becomes chemically identical to a synthetic nutrient. The plant is not able to tell the difference between whether its nutrients were organically or synthetically derived. The difference lies is in the effect on the symbiotic relationship between the roots and the beneficial organisms living amongst them. Some gardeners feel that growing with organic nutrients will produce a better crop due to these organisms flourishing in the root zone. In hydroponic applications gardeners have the choice of using organic or synthetic nutrients with similar results. The synthetic nutrients generally give faster and more predictable results. Organic nutrients still produce excellent crops but can lead to more frequent cleaning of hydroponic systems and reservoirs.
Why is a two part nutrient better than a one part nutrient?
Two part nutrients are superior to one part nutrients because they separate minerals which would otherwise bind together forming sediment in the bottle. These minerals can become permanently bound up and unavailable to plants. Keeping these nutrients separate when in concentrated form ensures a virtually unlimited shelf life and that 100% of the nutrient you are paying for is available to your plants.
How do I test my nutrient concentration?
The best way to test your nutrient concentration is with an EC meter. EC meters test the electrical conductivity of water, and give you an indication of of the strenghth of your nutrient solution. They work best with conventional mineral nutrients. EC meters are not as accurate for organic nutrients because not all the nutrients are in a form the meter can read. For more info, see our page about EC and Nutrients here.
What is the difference between EC, TDS and PPM. Which one should I use?
There are several tools available to test the Total Dissolved Solids present in a nutrient solution. Where it gets confusing is which units to display your values in. The most common are Electro Conductivity (EC) and Parts Per Million (PPM). EC is the best way to display the TDS of a nutrient solution because it is a universal unit. Unlike PPM which is EC x 0.5 or EC x 0.7. Since there are two different conversions of EC to PPM, PPM becomes an unreliable way to describe nutrient concentrations because you never know whether someone is using the same scale as you are. To break it down: * Electro Conductivity is displayed in EC or EC x 1000. * Parts Per Million is either EC x 0.5 or EC x 0.7 * Therefore 2.0 EC or 2000 EC = 1000 PPM or 1400 PPM depending on which conversion factor is used. 2000 EC x 0.5 = 1000 PPM or 2000 EC x 0.7 = 1400 PPM Seeing as how there are two different PPM values for the same EC value depending on conversion factor used, EC is a much better way to describe nutrient concentrations.
As always feel free to scrutinise or add to this thread .Stay stoned -Indi
It’s high time to debunk some of the myths circulating about both organic and inorganic nutrients. Paying close attention to the ingredients contained in these products, as well as educating yourself on how, why and where they were derived from, will help you make better decisions about what nutrients to use in the growroom.
Powerful buzz words like “sustainable” and “organic” continue to gain more and more traction within the indoor gardening industry. Societal influences, along with a menagerie of scientific findings, promote these terms to help shift people’s mentalities toward a greener planet. While many growers are more than willing to contribute towards a healthier planet, how are our consumables affecting this movement? We hear a lot of competing theories on this subject that influence our decision-making as buyers. In this article, I will go over some of the ingredients commonly seen on the labels of fertilizer products, and how these ingredients affect the health of your plants, the planet and you.
(On: November 1, 2015 / By: Lacey Macri -maximum yield) -indi.
Organic Fertilizers
While many studies indicate growers can achieve superior results using organic fertilizers, we have to be selective when choosing to use them. The true nature of some of these products is merely hiding behind its label, as words like “organic” may give growers a false sense of security in the products they are buying.
“Gardens that rely on water-soluble nutrients, such as nutrient film technique, stonewool and deep water culture, will typically suffer due to the low water solubility of organic fertilizers,” says Chris Durand, senior superintendent of agriculture at UC Davis, on the drawbacks of using organic fertilizers.
“The process is also slowed down by the extended amount of processing time it takes to break down the nutrients in organic fertilizers through microbial activity for plants to be able to absorb them.”
This is significant in that, as many growers know, time is of the essence when it comes to cultivating high-yield plants. When things go sideways in the growroom, it almost always takes twice as long to correct it.
In addition to delayed response times and decreased solubility, some organic fertilizers have also been found to fall short in the hygiene department. Some common sources of organic nutrients come from earthworm castings, seaweed, alfalfa meal, blood meal, bone meal and fish emulsion. Others include magnesium sulfate, potassium sulfate, gypsum and rock phosphate.
While some of these sources excel with few, if any, risks, in some cases there is more to consider than meets the eye. For example, fish emulsion has sometimes been found to contain toxins in it that the fish absorbed while it was still alive that could potentially wind up in your finished product. The good news about residual nutrients, however, as Durand says, is that “when a system is properly flushed, there is a reduced amount since plants are put into deficient growth conditions prior to harvest.”
While many would argue that organic growing is the one and only way to grow, there are definitely some things to keep in mind prior to starting out.
Synthetic Fertilizers
Synthetic fertilizers sometimes get a bad rap for not being as environmentally friendly as their organic counterparts. While in some cases this may be true, there are a lot of synthetic nutrients out there that are as safe, if not more so, than many other products. First, let’s look at the most common sources of synthetic nutrients and what classifies them as inorganic in the first place.
Most popular nutrient products include a list of all the chemicals contained in the bottle. But how safe are these chemicals?
“Many non-organic nutrients are purified and processed versions of organic fertilizers, like magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate,” Durand says. “Naturally mined sodium nitrate is reacted with potassium chloride to form potassium nitrate. Most synthetic phosphorus is processed organic rock phosphate.”
The purpose of these processes is to reduce heavy metals and change the nutrients into a form readily available for plants. Some of these aren’t a far cry from being classified as organic materials themselves.
There are also nutrients derived from a completely artificial process that are by no stretch of the imagination organic, but is this a bad thing? Nutrients such as calcium nitrate, phosphoric acid and ammonium nitrate are formed through a process called Haber-Bosch.
Durand explains that during the Haber-Bosch process, “nitrogen is pulled from the atmosphere and converted into ammonia, a form that is useful for plants. From there, the ammonia is transformed through chemical processes to other useful synthetic nutrients like calcium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and phosphoric acid.”
The Haber-Bosch process is the backbone of modern agriculture and represents almost 2% of worldwide energy consumption. Without this source of nitrogen, it would be impossible to feed the 7 billion people and counting on the planet. It’s examples like this that help shed light on some of the truly sustainable features of certain non-organic processes and products alike.
One thing to keep in mind when using synthetic nutrients is that one of the most common mistakes growers make is overfeeding their plants. This can lead to nutrient toxicities and premature/frequent reservoir changes. In this scenario, some environmental contamination may occur when the unused nutrient solution is dumped. The best way to prevent this is closely monitoring your plants’ needs using meters and a trained eye in an effort to provide only what plants need and nothing more. Keep in mind that overfeeding can happen whether you are using organic or synthetic nutrients.
Just because a product is not organic does not mean it isn’t sustainable, safe or effective. And just because a product is organic, doesn’t automatically make it safe. When used correctly, both synthetic and organic fertilizers are safe to use. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the ingredients in the fertilizers you buy, regardless of their classification. Choose products that have gone through adequate analysis and inspections to ensure their quality. Visit the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials website (aapfco.org) for resources that help promote the safe and effective use of fertilizers and the protection of soil and water resources. You can also contact your local department of agriculture for a list of registered products that have undergone the processes required for legal commercial sale.
Water and Nutrients FAQ
Why do I have to adjust the pH of my nutrient solution?
Why do I have to adjust the pH of my nutrient solution? A: Soil has a good capacity to buffer pH. This means that when the pH level of water is not ideal, the makeup of the soil acts as a buffer and balances out the pH of the incoming water to generally an acceptable level. It is important to adjust the pH of a hydroponic nutrient solution because there is no soil to act as a buffer and correct an improper pH level. It must be done manually adding pH up or pH down to the water after the nutrient has been added to the solution. Setting pH to the correct level will allow the plants to uptake all of the nutrients required for optimum growth.
Do I need to use distilled or RO water for hydroponics?
No, it is not absolutely required to run Reverse Osmosis or Distilled water for hydroponic gardens. However, a percentage of your plants feed will consist of whatever minerals are found in your water. Most water still works well, but in some cases or when the gardener is looking for complete control of the nutrients their plants are consuming purified water may be the best option. It is often necessary to replenish the Calcium and Magnesium levels in purified water to form a complete nutrient solution. Botanicare’s Cal-Mag supplement is carried by all Homegrown locations. It is also very difficult to stabilize the pH of purified water due to its lack of minerals to buffer the pH. The addition of Cal-Mag will help solve this issue.
What is the ideal pH level?
Generally in a hydroponic application plants should be kept between pH of 5.5 and 6.2. In a peat based soilless medium 6.2 tends to be an ideal level. In soil most plants excel anywhere in the pH range of 6 to 7. If the plant you are growing is not an acid loving plant, it will do better at a pH slightly higher than 7.0.
Is my well water okay for growing plants?
Without seeing an analysis it is impossible to answer this question. Often well water is very hard and should be used in conjunction with a nutrient line which has been specially formulated for use with hard water. The other option would be to run the well water through a Reverse Osmosis system to remove the excessive minerals.
My pH keeps fluctuating, what’s going on?
So you set the pH of your hydroponic reservoir to 5.5 only to return 2 days later to find the level has risen to a pH of 6.0! You’re wondering why the pH won’t stay where you set it? The nutrients you add to your reservoir are acidic. When the plant consumes these acidic nutrients, the natural reaction is a rise in pH. This means it is normal for your reservoir to have a natural pH up-swing. It is much more desirable than your pH dropping, which would indicate you have too much nutrient in your solution. Here is a cheat sheet: pH goes up, EC goes down = Plants are feeding. Potentially raise nutrient levels. pH goes down, EC goes up = Plants are putting nutrient into the water rather than taking them out. Nutrient levels are too high. pH stays stable, EC levels stay stable = Equilibrium. Plants are taking equal parts nutrients and water. Maximum growth is occurring. It is best to error on the side of caution and slightly underfeed you plants . This will encourage the natural pH swing from 5.5-6.2. Once your solution reaches the 6.2 mark it should be brought back down to 5.5 pH and allowed to slowly drift up again. The reason this is ideal is that the plants are able to take up specific nutrients more efficiently at different pH levels. By going up and down through the proper pH range the plant has good access to all nutrients required for optimal growth. Having the ability to monitor and adjust nutrient and pH levels in this fashion are one of the main benefits to an active or recirculating hydroponic system.
What is a good fertilizer to use for growing plants?
There are many good fertilizers available on the market for aiding in plant growth. However, when a gardener is growing hydroponically it is essential that they use a complete hydroponic nutrient such as the Dutch Nutrient Formula. The key things to look for in a premium hydroponic nutrient are a 2 part solution to prevent minerals from binding and no longer being available to the plant, an affordable nutrient, an easy to use nutrient and a nutrient that is complete with both micro and macro nutrients. Everything your plant requires for optimal growth should be contained in those two bottles. A premium nutrient will also have specific nutrients from the growth and flowering stages of plant life.
How much air is required to aerate my nutrient solution?
In a Deep Water Culture hydroponic system, it is absolutely crucial to have adequate oxygen levels because roots are submerged. maximum oxygenation. In every other hydroponic application it is only required to oxygenate the solution enough to prevent it from becoming anaerobic. This means much less air is required. Generally if you have good movement in the solution and the majority of the surface of the solution is broken with bubbles you should be fine. Roughly ¼ – ½ the oxygenation rate of a DWC system should be more than adequate. It is possible to have too much aeration because the bubbles coming out of the air stone or diffuser create friction. The more friction produced, the more heat produced. So in some cases adding more aeration can be counterproductive. Water temperatures also affect the amount of oxygen that water can hold. Excessive reservoir temperatures will prevent sufficient oxygen saturation levels. For this reason it is not recommended to exceed 68 Degrees Fahrenheit in your nutrient reservoir.
Are organic fertilizers better than synthetic fertilizers?
In certain applications, yes. In outdoor or living soil applications it is beneficial for the gardener to use organic nutrients because they will contribute to building up a healthy and living soil environment full of beneficial microbes and fungi that will sustain plant growth for years to come. The addition of slow release or liquid organic feed will improve the health of the soil and contribute to plant growth accordingly. Alternatively, synthetic nutrients will still increase the production of crops in soil. However, the soil quality can be negatively affected by these synthetic fertilizers and the soils become dependent on repeated applications of synthetic nutrient. Scientifically speaking, when an organic nutrient breaks down with the help of enzymes produced by bacteria living in the medium, it becomes chemically identical to a synthetic nutrient. The plant is not able to tell the difference between whether its nutrients were organically or synthetically derived. The difference lies is in the effect on the symbiotic relationship between the roots and the beneficial organisms living amongst them. Some gardeners feel that growing with organic nutrients will produce a better crop due to these organisms flourishing in the root zone. In hydroponic applications gardeners have the choice of using organic or synthetic nutrients with similar results. The synthetic nutrients generally give faster and more predictable results. Organic nutrients still produce excellent crops but can lead to more frequent cleaning of hydroponic systems and reservoirs.
Why is a two part nutrient better than a one part nutrient?
Two part nutrients are superior to one part nutrients because they separate minerals which would otherwise bind together forming sediment in the bottle. These minerals can become permanently bound up and unavailable to plants. Keeping these nutrients separate when in concentrated form ensures a virtually unlimited shelf life and that 100% of the nutrient you are paying for is available to your plants.
How do I test my nutrient concentration?
The best way to test your nutrient concentration is with an EC meter. EC meters test the electrical conductivity of water, and give you an indication of of the strenghth of your nutrient solution. They work best with conventional mineral nutrients. EC meters are not as accurate for organic nutrients because not all the nutrients are in a form the meter can read. For more info, see our page about EC and Nutrients here.
What is the difference between EC, TDS and PPM. Which one should I use?
There are several tools available to test the Total Dissolved Solids present in a nutrient solution. Where it gets confusing is which units to display your values in. The most common are Electro Conductivity (EC) and Parts Per Million (PPM). EC is the best way to display the TDS of a nutrient solution because it is a universal unit. Unlike PPM which is EC x 0.5 or EC x 0.7. Since there are two different conversions of EC to PPM, PPM becomes an unreliable way to describe nutrient concentrations because you never know whether someone is using the same scale as you are. To break it down: * Electro Conductivity is displayed in EC or EC x 1000. * Parts Per Million is either EC x 0.5 or EC x 0.7 * Therefore 2.0 EC or 2000 EC = 1000 PPM or 1400 PPM depending on which conversion factor is used. 2000 EC x 0.5 = 1000 PPM or 2000 EC x 0.7 = 1400 PPM Seeing as how there are two different PPM values for the same EC value depending on conversion factor used, EC is a much better way to describe nutrient concentrations.
As always feel free to scrutinise or add to this thread .Stay stoned -Indi
