Moisture Measurement & Substrate Preparation (2024)

FAQs

Moisture Measurement & Substrate Preparation? ›

Pin-Type Moisture Meter

These pins are pushed firmly into the surface of the substrate being measured and provide the percentage of Wood Moisture Equivalent (%WME) in the substrate by measuring the electrical resistance between the pin electrodes.

Pin-Type Moisture Meter

These pins are pushed firmly into the surface of the substrate being measured and provide the percentage of Wood Moisture Equivalent (%WME) in the substrate by measuring the electrical resistance between the pin electrodes.

Substrate preparation is to ensure you're removing contamination from the surface which includes dirt, dust, paint – anything that can inhibit the bond of anything you are putting over the top.

If the substrate is too moist, drying is required as a preparatory measure. For cement screeds: maximum 2% CM and below 75% CRH. For calcium sulphate screeds: maximum 3% CM and below 90% CRH. For heated calcium sulphate screeds: maximum 4% CM and below 95% CRH.

Substrate testing is a great tool to help ensure a healthy, profitable crop and to identify improper nutritional trends before problems occur. For most situations, monitoring pH and EC (electrical conductivity) in the greenhouse is sufficient to help keep plants nutritionally on target.

Moisture is determined by measuring the loss in weight of the sample on heating. A standard method (ISO 1442: 1997) used consists of drying a sample of 5–8 g, mixed with predried sand, to constant weight with 2 h periods in an oven at 103±2°C.

No water is running from your hand, and the substrate remains in a ball-shape when you open your hand: The moisture level is ideal for filling trays and pots.

Coconut husk bedding can absorb large amounts of water without breaking down, making it ideal as a substrate for frogs and other species that require extremely high constant humidity.

A good rule of thumb, however for concrete and CMU is a moisture content of less than 5-percent for fluid applied air and vapor barriers and 12-percent or less for self-adhered air and vapor barrier membranes. Recently, ASTM has been reviewing industry standards regarding acceptable moisture in concrete substrates.

Readings of 5 to 12% are considered normal, and up to 17% is considered acceptable.

What are substrate examples? ›

Carbohydrates like glucose, sucrose, starch act substrates for enzymes like salivary amylase, maltase. Amino acids, peptides, proteins act as substrates for enzymes trypsin, chymotrypsin, etc.

A substrate is a molecule that an enzyme reacts with. The enzyme's active site, or the location where weak bonds between the two molecules can form, is loaded with a substrate. An enzyme substrate complex is formed, and the enzyme's pressures on the substrate drive it to react and become the planned reaction's result.

Tensiometers are devices that measure soil moisture tension. They are sealed, water-filled tubes with a porous ceramic tip at the bottom and a vacuum gauge at the top.

A) lots of water dripping shows that the substrate is too wet. b) a few drops released with some pressure show that the substrate is well watered. If it is too dry then with no drops will be released with pressure.

For the wet basis, the amount of water is divided by the total weight of the sample (solids plus moisture). For the dry basis, the amount of water is divided by the dry weight (solids only). Unfortunately, moisture content is often reported only as a percentage, without any indication of which method was used.