Bluelab Pulse Meter | Soil EC Moisture Temperature Sensor Bluetooth Australia

Bluelab Pulse Meter, Bluetooth Root Zone EC, Moisture & Temperature Sensor

The Bluelab Pulse measures conductivity, moisture and temperature inside the growing media rather than in the runoff. That removes the extraction step entirely. No pour-throughs, no slurries, no waiting for a sample to drain before you know what the root zone is doing.

It pairs to the Bluelab Pulse app over Bluetooth, so readings are logged as you take them and you can compare a struggling plant against a healthy one instead of relying on memory. The 200mm stainless probes reach into the active root zone, and LED indicators tell you in range or out of range without opening your phone.

It measures EC, moisture and temperature. It does not measure pH, so it sits alongside a pH meter rather than replacing one.

Key Benefits

• Direct root zone measurement. EC, moisture and temperature captured together in the media, which is where the plant actually experiences them.
• No runoff or pour-through testing. Every extraction method dilutes the sample with RO or distilled water, which lowers the EC you read. Measuring in place skips that error.
• Bluetooth logging through the Pulse app. Readings stored against individual plants for trend tracking, with target ranges you set yourself.
• 200mm stainless steel probes. Deep enough to reach the active root zone in a reasonable pot rather than reading the top of the medium.
• LED range indicators. Immediate in-range or out-of-range feedback without needing the app for every reading.
• Single-click operation. Fast enough to sample many plants in a pass rather than spot-checking one.

How to Take a Reading That Means Something

Insert the probes at least 75mm into the substrate, and keep them at least 25mm away from the side and base of the container. The probe tip cover slides up the probes and works as a depth stop, which is what makes readings comparable week to week.

Moisture content decides whether the EC reading is trustworthy. Bluelab specify at least 5% moisture for a reliable moisture figure, and above 20% for the EC measurement. Below 20% there's too little water in the pores for conductivity to read accurately, and you'll get a number that looks real and isn't. If you're measuring at the dry end of a dry-back, take the EC reading earlier in the cycle.

Minimum pot size is 2 litres. Anything smaller and the probes are too close to the container walls to read the medium rather than the pot.

Calibration

Conductivity and temperature come factory calibrated, so there's nothing to do for EC. Moisture is different. Because every medium holds water differently, there's an optional single-step calibration that sets the Pulse to your specific mix, done through the app against two to five healthy, well-irrigated plants.

Worth recalibrating as a crop matures. Water holding capacity changes as roots fill the pot and the medium compacts, so a calibration set in week two drifts by week eight. To check, irrigate to saturation, let it free drain for an hour, then measure. If moisture reads between 90% and 100% of maximum water holding capacity, the calibration still holds. Below 90%, make a new one.

Substrate Compatibility

• Works in. Coco coir, soil, living soil, peat and most blends, where there's enough particle contact for the probes to read.
• Not in 100% perlite. The void structure stops consistent probe contact. A coco and perlite blend is fine provided coco is 50% or more.
• Not in rockwool. Inserting the probes permanently distorts the slab structure.

What It Tells You

• Conductivity. Nutrient strength as it actually sits in the root zone, which is normally higher than what you fed and climbs between irrigations.
• Moisture. Water content in the medium, which is what irrigation timing should be driven by rather than a clock.
• Temperature. Root zone temperature, the variable behind most summer root problems in Australian rooms.

Ideal For

• Coco and soil growers. Substrate EC is the number that decides whether you're accumulating salts, and runoff testing only approximates it. Our coco coir guide covers how the medium behaves between irrigations.
• Dialling in irrigation. Moisture data replaces guessing at dry-back, which is the main lever in a high-frequency fertigation setup.
• Diagnosing feeding problems. If plants look underfed on a full-strength mix, root zone EC and our nutrient deficiency chart will usually explain it.
• Multi-plant setups. Fast enough to sample a whole room and compare, which is where the app logging earns its place.

Technical Specifications

• Measurement Parameters. Conductivity (EC), moisture content and temperature. No pH.
• Conductivity Range. 0 to 15 EC. Accuracy plus or minus 0.2 EC to 5.0 EC, then plus or minus 8%
• Moisture Range. 5% to 70% MCvol in mixed media and coir
• Temperature Range. 5 to 40 degrees Celsius
• Temperature Compensation. Automatic
• Calibration. Factory calibrated for EC. Optional single-step moisture calibration to your medium.
• Probe Length. 200mm, 50mm separation, 50mm active tip
• Minimum Pot Size. 2 litres
• Connectivity. Bluetooth 4.0 or later, Android and iOS
• Power. 1 x AAA alkaline battery
• Water Resistance. Not fully waterproof. Do not submerge the unit.
• Warranty. 1 year
• Shipping Weight. 0.8 kg
• Shipping. Free to VIC, NSW, QLD, SA and ACT

The Bluelab Pulse is a Bluetooth root zone meter for EC, moisture and temperature, built for coco and soil growers who want substrate readings instead of runoff estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Pulse need calibrating?

Not for EC or temperature, which are calibrated at the factory. Moisture has an optional single-step calibration to your specific medium, done in the app against a few healthy plants. Redo it as the crop matures, because water holding capacity changes as roots fill the pot.

Why do my EC readings look wrong?

Most often because the medium is too dry. Bluelab specify above 20% moisture for an accurate EC reading, since below that there isn't enough water in the pores to conduct properly. Check the moisture figure first, and take EC readings earlier in the dry-back.

Does it measure pH?

No. EC, moisture and temperature only. You'll want a pH meter alongside it, such as the Bluelab Soil pH Pen for direct substrate pH or the Combo Meter for solution.

Can I use it in perlite or rockwool?

Not in 100% perlite, where the air gaps stop the probes making consistent contact, and not in rockwool, where inserting them permanently distorts the slab. A coco and perlite blend works fine as long as coco makes up at least half.

Is it waterproof?

No. It's built for the conditions of a grow room, but it isn't a submersible meter and shouldn't be dropped in a reservoir. It goes into media, not into tanks.

How deep should I push the probes?

At least 75mm in, and at least 25mm clear of the sides and base of the pot. Use the probe tip cover as a depth stop so every reading comes from the same depth, otherwise you're comparing numbers that aren't comparable.

Does it qualify for free shipping?

Yes. At $474.95 and 0.8kg it clears the $150 threshold and sits well under the 3kg cap, so it ships free to VIC, NSW, QLD, SA and ACT. WA, NT, Tasmania and remote areas are quoted separately.