App for iPhone, iPad and Android
DrainMaster Plus: the grow diary that understands EC and pH
DrainMaster Plus shows you whether your plants get the right water and feed. You measure EC and pH in your feed and in the runoff, the water that drains out of the bottom of the pot. The app compares both values with your plant’s target and warns you early when salt builds up or the pH drifts.
- Download for free
- Meters via Bluetooth
- Works offline
- In 10 languages
Free on the App Store and Google Play. An optional subscription adds cloud, reports and coins for the AI advisor.
What is DrainMaster Plus?
DrainMaster Plus is an app for EC and pH measurements per plant. It combines a grow diary with analysis: every measurement of feed and runoff goes to the right plant, the app works out the deviation from the target and gives a recommendation on the nutrient dose. On top of that come calculators for climate and light, an AI advisor and a timeline with photos and notes.
Why the runoff? What goes into the top of the pot says little about what reaches the roots. The water that drains out shows it: if its EC is clearly higher than that of your feed, salt is building up in the growing medium. Our guide Measuring EC in runoff explains how to measure correctly.
- Platforms
- iPhone and iPad from iOS 15.1, Android
- Price
- Free, optional subscription
- Readings
- EC, pH and temperature in feed and runoff
- Units
- µS/cm, mS/cm or PPM (TDS)
- Meters
- Apera PC60-Z, PH60-Z, EC60-Z via Bluetooth, any other by manual entry
- Growing
- Soil, coco, semi-hydro, hydroponics
How DrainMaster Plus works
Measure
Record EC, pH and temperature in your feed and in the runoff, guided in a few steps or as a quick measurement. With a Bluetooth meter, the values come in on their own.
Analyze
The app compares feed and runoff with the plant’s target range and tells you whether the nutrient dose is right. Tips warn you about salt buildup, overfeeding and drifting pH.
Document
Every measurement, every watering, every stage and every photo goes into the plant’s timeline. The history shows trends before the plant does.
VPD calculator right in your browser
You can try one of the app’s calculators right now: our VPD calculator with chart shows you the value and the target range per stage for your temperature and humidity. In the app you also get dew point, DLI, PPFD, CO2 and the nutrient calculators, offline and saved with your plant.
Inside the app
This is DrainMaster Plus in version 1.5.6, with the new glass design.
Features at a glance
Measuring via Bluetooth
With the Apera PC60-Z, the app reads pH, EC and temperature directly. PH60-Z and EC60-Z are compatible too. No typing, no transposed digits.
Recommendation after every measurement
You see the result, the deviation from the target and a clear recommendation on the nutrient dose, tailored to exactly this plant.
Grow diary per plant
Germination, stages, watering, feeding, flushing, photos and notes on one timeline. Every plant has its own dashboard.
History and analysis
EC history of feed and runoff, the difference between the two and a watering analysis with water volume and interval.
Calculators for climate and light
VPD, dew point, DLI, PPFD, CO2, EC in PPM and pH dosing, plus a nutrient mixer for your nutrient solution.
AI advisor
Ask questions about your plant. The answers take its measurements and timeline entries into account. The advisor uses coins.
Offline and backup
Plants and measurements are stored on your device, and the app also works without internet. You export backups and import them again.
Community
A blog with posts and comments, automatically translated into your language, with reporting and moderation.
New in version 1.5.6
- New glass design on every screen, with an EC ring including the target range
- PDF report per plant with charts and up to 6 photos, measurements as CSV (with subscription)
- Mixing guide and VPD chart as PDF to print, even without a subscription
- Two columns on iPad, tablets and foldable smartphones
- The AI advisor now also takes watering and flushes from the timeline into account
The right meter
The easiest way to measure is with the Apera PC60-Z: one device for pH, EC and temperature that sends its readings straight to DrainMaster Plus via Bluetooth. Without a Bluetooth device, you simply enter the values by hand, and then any EC and pH meter works.
Start for free, expand when you need to
Free
- Measurements with analysis and recommendation
- Grow diary, history and analysis per plant
- Meters via Bluetooth
- Calculators for VPD, DLI, PPFD, CO2, EC and pH
- Mixing guide and VPD chart as PDF
- Backup export and import
DrainMaster Plus subscription
- Sync and automatic backup on up to 5 devices
- 5 GB of storage for plant photos
- PDF report per plant and measurements as CSV
- 60 coins per month for the AI advisor
The app shows you the price before you buy. The subscription renews monthly and you can cancel it at any time.
Frequently asked questions about DrainMaster Plus
Is DrainMaster Plus free?
Yes. You download the app for free on the App Store and Google Play. Measuring, analysis, diary, calculators and backups are free. An optional subscription adds cloud sync, automatic backup, storage for photos, PDF reports and coins for the AI advisor.
Which meters work via Bluetooth?
Bluetooth meters from Apera Instruments, for example the PC60-Z, the PH60-Z and the EC60-Z. The values go straight into the current measurement.
Do I need a Bluetooth meter?
No. You can enter the values from any EC and pH meter by hand. Bluetooth just saves you the typing.
What is runoff EC?
The EC of the water that drains out of the bottom of the pot after watering. If it is clearly higher than the EC of your feed, salts are building up in the growing medium. DrainMaster Plus compares both values automatically. Learn more in our guide Runoff EC too high: when to flush.
Does the app work without internet?
Yes. Plants and measurements are stored on your device. You only need internet for cloud sync, the community and the AI advisor.
Which growing methods is the app suitable for?
For soil, coco, semi-hydro and hydroponics, for houseplants, hobby gardens, indoor growing and small professional setups.
Which devices does DrainMaster Plus run on?
On iPhone and iPad from iOS 15.1 and on Android smartphones and tablets. On large screens, the app shows analysis and plant view in two columns.
Which languages is the app available in?
In ten languages: German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Arabic.
How do I delete my account?
You can find out how on the Delete account page.
Download now for free
Developed in Germany, for everyone who really wants to understand their plants.
More about EC and pH: EC value in water, Measuring EC in runoff and VPD chart.
