My wife just got me for my b-day a refractometer to measure the level of brix in my plants. Anybody else have one and if so how useful is this tool? It seems like a great tool, brix is very important. Thanks in advance for your input. 
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refractometer to measure brix
- Thread starter OrganicBuds
- Start date
S
SeaMaiden
I'm going to get one, but haven't decided on brand or anything. Back when I first learned about them (mid-80s) the Chinese versions were truly crap, and everything else was prohibitively expensive. Got a brand to recommend?
I will have to check, I don't have it with me atm. I will get back to you guys.
I
Iron_Lion
I understand how high brix proves effective in determining the quality of fruits and vegetables, but how does this translate to MJ.
What exacly are you using the refractometer to determine? Since we dont eat MJ I would think nutrient density is irrelevant. Now if you were eating your MJ this might prove some value.
I do believe Hgh Brix regime can improve MJ, but what does it do in terms of potency? I can visually look at MJ to see it it has loads of resin or not. And I can use a $5 scope to tell me if my resin heads are ripe.
If we are smoking MJ, wouldn't we want out buds to be deficient of nutrients?
Sell me on a refractometer.
What exacly are you using the refractometer to determine? Since we dont eat MJ I would think nutrient density is irrelevant. Now if you were eating your MJ this might prove some value.
I do believe Hgh Brix regime can improve MJ, but what does it do in terms of potency? I can visually look at MJ to see it it has loads of resin or not. And I can use a $5 scope to tell me if my resin heads are ripe.
If we are smoking MJ, wouldn't we want out buds to be deficient of nutrients?
Sell me on a refractometer.
I've had one for a while now,, nice little tool to own & easy to operate.
A loupe is an essential tool for viewing trichomes etc. were as a refractometer will give you an indication of the internal health of a plant.
Among other things: high brix levels give you a longer shelf life, a higher yield & enhanced taste, which is exactly what I'm trying to achieve.
Plants with low brix levels tend to be more susceptible to insect & pathogen attack.
Brix readings before and after a fertiliser application can help determine the suitability of different inputs, eg. if the brix rises (after 1- 24 hours after application) then it can be considered suitable, if it stays the same or reduces, it would be considered not suitable at that time.
I'm not trying to sell anything but there are plenty of good reasons for using a refractometer.
Best of luck growing better ganja OrganicBuds.
A loupe is an essential tool for viewing trichomes etc. were as a refractometer will give you an indication of the internal health of a plant.
Among other things: high brix levels give you a longer shelf life, a higher yield & enhanced taste, which is exactly what I'm trying to achieve.
Plants with low brix levels tend to be more susceptible to insect & pathogen attack.
Brix readings before and after a fertiliser application can help determine the suitability of different inputs, eg. if the brix rises (after 1- 24 hours after application) then it can be considered suitable, if it stays the same or reduces, it would be considered not suitable at that time.
I'm not trying to sell anything but there are plenty of good reasons for using a refractometer.
Best of luck growing better ganja OrganicBuds.
M
MrSterling
I don't even know what brix is! Can someone help me follow here?
how easy is to use and clean? can you describe how would a brix reading go from unpacking and preparing the refractometer, using it, then cleaning and packing it away again? they look to be not that expensive, so if they are useful and easy to use, I'd buy one.
thanks!
@MrSterling: A refractometer is used to measure the sugar content in the plant sap. brix is the unit in which it is measured.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brix
Brix is a measurement of sugar content. What it has to do with cannabis growing i don't know.
- BRIX is a measure of the percent solids (TSS) in a given weight of plant juice---nothing more---and nothing less.
- BRIX is often expressed another way: BRIX equals the percentage of sucrose. However, if you study the contents of this book, you will soon enough understand that the "sucrose" can vary widely. For, indeed, the BRIX is actually a summation of the pounds of sucrose, fructose, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, hormones, and other solids in one hundred pounds of any particular plant juice.
- BRIX varies directly with plant QUALITY. For instance, a poor, sour tasting grape from worn out land can test 8 or less BRIX. On the other hand, a full flavored, delicious grape, grown on rich, fertile soil can test 24 or better BRIX.
abellguy
Member
Awesome info guys I think I'm gonna get one. It sounds like if our plants are testing high in brix then at the very least they would be healthier. It sounds like you can also use this to see the effectiveness of feedings or the need for more or less feedings? Which could translate to saving on nutrients or better utilization of nutrients throughout the run 
thanks so much for the info 
@Smurf I to would love to hear how your use your meter from start to finish and is yours the Extech? Thanks for your info it's been very helpful.
thanks so much for the info @Smurf I to would love to hear how your use your meter from start to finish and is yours the Extech? Thanks for your info it's been very helpful.
S
SeaMaiden
Going through eBay you can get refractometers for a wide range of prices, from the high teens to at least a couple hundred dollars. The differences I'm seeing are that now refractometers are being made specifically for saltwater aquaria, winemaking and beer brewing, as well as measuring plant Brix levels. Obviously that leaves the question--which is best? Is the most expensive necessarily the best? And, is there anything in between those high and low prices that can offer reliability and accuracy for a relatively decent price?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Since I grow a lot more than just cannabis, this will be a very useful little tool for me, moreso than the NO3 meters so many folks I know are on about.
Inquiring minds want to know!
Since I grow a lot more than just cannabis, this will be a very useful little tool for me, moreso than the NO3 meters so many folks I know are on about.
I can't find the video on Youtube right now, but I remember the guy in the video said you don't need an expensive meter to measure your brix. He said the expensive ones are for commercial beer, wine, and aquarium use. The one I got I think cost 40$, but I have yet to use it at all.
Also anything above 12 on the brix scale is suppose to be the mark growers strive for. Anything above 12 is gravy.
Also anything above 12 on the brix scale is suppose to be the mark growers strive for. Anything above 12 is gravy.
S
SeaMaiden
Cool, thanks for that. I had problems viewing the video (my browser combined with my OS) and couldn't pause and come back. I always had to watch from start to finish which has proved impossible with a 4yo in the house.
There are inexpensive meters saying they read from 0-32 (%?) Brix.
There are inexpensive meters saying they read from 0-32 (%?) Brix.
Wow, talk about inquiring minds
Calibrating:
1. Rinse the glass surface and plastic cover flap with distilled or deionised water and wipe dry.
2. Place a few drops of distilled or deionised water on the glass surface and lower the plastic flap to flatten the water sample evenly over the viewing glass.
3. Look through the eyepiece and rotate the eyepiece to focus the viewing scale.
4. A horizontal line will be visible and should intersect with zero on the viewing scale.
5. If the line passes through the zero, then the unit is measuring zero and is calibrated and ready for use.
6. If the line does not run through the zero, then the plastic cover on the tuning screw should be removed (located on the top of the unit) and the adjusting screw turned either clockwise or anticlockwise to either lift or lower the horizontal line as required using the provided ph screwdriver.
Always measure brix at the same time of day, as readings will differ. For example, at midday, plant sap tends to be concentrated (due
to evaporation) and brix readings will generally read higher.
Brix readings WILL fluctuate after applications of fertilisers, chemicals and irrigation.
Ideally a record should be developed over time to help determine possible environmental influences, acceptable brix fluctuations and ideal upper levels in your particular situation.
Generally, brix readings will drop with low atmospheric pressure (eg. the onset of a storm).
Important... always clean the glass surface and plastic cover before and after every use with distilled water & wiped dry.
I check the calibration before every use (takes a short moment), otherwise the manufacturer recommends calibrating at least monthly to ensure the unit is "zeroed".
It has been widely assumed that calcium and phosphate are the key elements determining brix levels. However, recent research
suggests that potassium can also play an important role.
High brix levels indicate good phosphorus levels in a plant, and a blurry dividing line on the brix reading scale can indicate good calcium levels in a plant.
Last but not least, purchase a good garlic crusher/press. My first crusher (aluminium casting) cracked across the handle rendering it useless. My second is stainless steel, purchased from Ikea. Best kept concealed from dust & other debris during storage to prevent contaminating your plant samples.
1 - 2 leaves (depending on size) is all you'll need for the couple of drops required for instant analysis.
The very first reading I scored a 14. Closer to completion that same season the average reading was 22 - 24. You'd be surprised how little it takes to increase brix levels.
Hope I haven't forgotten anything,, have fun you guys!
how easy is to use and clean? can you describe how would a brix reading go from unpacking and preparing the refractometer, using it, then cleaning and packing it away again? they look to be not that expensive, so if they are useful and easy to use, I'd buy one.
thanks!
Calibrating:
1. Rinse the glass surface and plastic cover flap with distilled or deionised water and wipe dry.
2. Place a few drops of distilled or deionised water on the glass surface and lower the plastic flap to flatten the water sample evenly over the viewing glass.
3. Look through the eyepiece and rotate the eyepiece to focus the viewing scale.
4. A horizontal line will be visible and should intersect with zero on the viewing scale.
5. If the line passes through the zero, then the unit is measuring zero and is calibrated and ready for use.
6. If the line does not run through the zero, then the plastic cover on the tuning screw should be removed (located on the top of the unit) and the adjusting screw turned either clockwise or anticlockwise to either lift or lower the horizontal line as required using the provided ph screwdriver.
----------------------
Always measure brix at the same time of day, as readings will differ. For example, at midday, plant sap tends to be concentrated (due
to evaporation) and brix readings will generally read higher.
Brix readings WILL fluctuate after applications of fertilisers, chemicals and irrigation.
Ideally a record should be developed over time to help determine possible environmental influences, acceptable brix fluctuations and ideal upper levels in your particular situation.
Generally, brix readings will drop with low atmospheric pressure (eg. the onset of a storm).
Important... always clean the glass surface and plastic cover before and after every use with distilled water & wiped dry.
I check the calibration before every use (takes a short moment), otherwise the manufacturer recommends calibrating at least monthly to ensure the unit is "zeroed".
It has been widely assumed that calcium and phosphate are the key elements determining brix levels. However, recent research
suggests that potassium can also play an important role.
High brix levels indicate good phosphorus levels in a plant, and a blurry dividing line on the brix reading scale can indicate good calcium levels in a plant.
Last but not least, purchase a good garlic crusher/press. My first crusher (aluminium casting) cracked across the handle rendering it useless. My second is stainless steel, purchased from Ikea. Best kept concealed from dust & other debris during storage to prevent contaminating your plant samples.
1 - 2 leaves (depending on size) is all you'll need for the couple of drops required for instant analysis.
The very first reading I scored a 14. Closer to completion that same season the average reading was 22 - 24. You'd be surprised how little it takes to increase brix levels.
Hope I haven't forgotten anything,, have fun you guys!
GetUpStandUp
Active member
No one can answer at the moment as most ppl trying brix method for mj is still in trials twiking, and mixing. But as I understood the method even if it is for fruits, and veggies is that you can not get the brix levels without the size of the cells to store the mass minerals being taken, mass amounts of calcium is the reason for mas cell structure, thus making the plant huge in every way, stems, leaves, And the hopes BUDS.
Yes all theory, but all the benifits that one can get from just a tomato, this being close relation as in soil type acidic plant, and the test of brix tomatos are insain, some were left on counter at room temp for over 6 months, and tasted better than any fresh store bought, left even longer it started to sprout a plant and was still good to eat.
Pest are eleminated from the plant being so healthy its defense is to strong, so if you battle spider mites this could be helpful. Their are just so many pluses to growing in a soil that closely resembles the prehistoric era when everything was huge, before man depleated the earths soil. Now we can asume why Dinosours got so big, they ate mass amounts of minerals!
I the meter is a awesome tool, but I believe the results are way to serious to have to gadge it, you can really see it, and I believe the tool is used more for testing your harvest before sale making sure they product got to its desired peak brix reading. The tool would not be useful for mj other than just knowing for sure the brix reading, and or doing test to dial in your minerals. But if you grow other things it would be just as good to have in the tool box as a ph meter.
Yes all theory, but all the benifits that one can get from just a tomato, this being close relation as in soil type acidic plant, and the test of brix tomatos are insain, some were left on counter at room temp for over 6 months, and tasted better than any fresh store bought, left even longer it started to sprout a plant and was still good to eat.
Pest are eleminated from the plant being so healthy its defense is to strong, so if you battle spider mites this could be helpful. Their are just so many pluses to growing in a soil that closely resembles the prehistoric era when everything was huge, before man depleated the earths soil. Now we can asume why Dinosours got so big, they ate mass amounts of minerals!
I the meter is a awesome tool, but I believe the results are way to serious to have to gadge it, you can really see it, and I believe the tool is used more for testing your harvest before sale making sure they product got to its desired peak brix reading. The tool would not be useful for mj other than just knowing for sure the brix reading, and or doing test to dial in your minerals. But if you grow other things it would be just as good to have in the tool box as a ph meter.
GetUpStandUp
Active member
Brix is the mesurment of juices containing mineral content, the higher the minerals the higher the brix reading of said plant. Aaverage reading of tomatos is like 6, and if you grow with brix method it can triple, or even more, so when you eat that tomato you just ate like 3-4 average tomatos equal in minerals and nutrition, if all your foods were this way, we would live longer!
