Is there a chance i could get away with out having a ppm pen?I use RO water for my soil now.Just wondering if i use a weak mix and just ph it and change the water more often,like every 4 days would i get away with out one for a grow atleast?Dont have $150 to spend right now,but i have every thing else and want to start DWC.Ya im guessing RO water is has a low ppm so if i had a weak mix it might work?Thank for any help.
DWC with out a ppm pen?
- Thread starter Joe420
- Start date
Tolkin Bowls
Member
Is it ideal? No. Can you get away with it? Yes. I have been growing in recirculating DWC for about 5 years now and I know my plants and what their nutritional requirements are, I have not even touched my ppm pen in a year. However I just switched from the darkside (advanced nutrients) to the modified lucas forumal you see here http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=81674 so it is time to pull out my pen so I can get dialed in again.
In short do not be worried you can get away with it for a grow. Good luck and happy growing.
In short do not be worried you can get away with it for a grow. Good luck and happy growing.
i used my pen when i 1st started my dwc adventure.
now i just go by ph, seems to work well for me.
but to each their own i guess
now i just go by ph, seems to work well for me.
but to each their own i guess
been growing hydro for over 10 years and never had a pen...only got a ph kit a couple years ago...found when i had plane water ph was high (real low tech on all fronts)..when i added ferts it was perfect!...though even i want to get a pen to make sure things are as perfect as i can get them to make grows are even better than i have had in the past...yea as has been said can be done but get one when ya can...have fun 
.HH. =]-~
.HH. =]-~
I grow whithout a PPM pen...!!!
i do a fresh nute mix every 2-3 weeks...and then i keep an eye on the PH...
No problems..!
Oh..and i top up with 3/4 strenth mix......
sometime add a little more or just use straight water...depending on PH
i do a fresh nute mix every 2-3 weeks...and then i keep an eye on the PH...
No problems..!
Oh..and i top up with 3/4 strenth mix......
sometime add a little more or just use straight water...depending on PH
Asil
Member
Sure you can get away without a pen. If you use the Lucas Formula and the topoff method. Which is essentially topping off your res with water until you have replace the same amount of water that your res holds. Then you drain and refill. This will keep you ppm's in a acceptable range. Alot of people use this method.
L
lorddankinstien
Hanna sells a PPM pen for 20 bucks it works fine. Get that one for now and after this harvest if you want a different one go spend 150.
Squ1rrely
Member
agreed. first u should kno ur nutritional requirements of ur plants. and also, there are cheaper ppm pens u can get. my first pen i paid 40 bucks for and it worked like a charm for years
I've done it without, but the only way I got it done was by rigidly following the Lucas Formula throughout without topping up every day. You just add a "refresher" based upon where you are in the grow.
For instance...
Viable seedling (tap root is extended below the supporting media - say day 10 from date you put them in a wet towel sandwich.
Day 10 - Day 21; adjust pH only per seedbank recommendations from the strain's pH zone sweetspot and add SM-90 to stimulate root production, per the manufacturer's specifications.
Day 22: After flushing and cleaning your system, go Lucas Formula 0-2-4 based upon your system's capacity in gallons.
Day 29: Add Lucas Formula 0-4-8 and add 1 tbs CalMag+ per DWC station in your system: I have 4 stations, so I add 4 tbs. of CalMag+.
Day 35: Add Lucas Formula 0-2-4 to replace losses sucked up in the solution.
Day 45: Flush and clean all equipment, refill and add SM-90 and CalMag+ per previous direction. Add Lucas Formula 0-6-12 and track growth.
Day 65: Flush and clean all equipment, refill and add SM-90 and CalMag_ per previous direction. Add Lucas Formula 0-8-16 and this is what I run for the remainder of the cycle.
I might top up each week or so with another 0-2-4 of Lucas Formula depending upon what the plant is presenting.
Yes you can do it and make it work, but it will end up taking you longer (as in number of grows) to get a given strain dialed in to the perfect level of nutrition where growth is peaked out but not to the point of nutrient lock out.
I'd recommend it if you already have the strain dialed in, if not, you'll spend $40 fucking around trying to get the nutrients right, so you might as well get a pen.
I hope this helps...
For instance...
Viable seedling (tap root is extended below the supporting media - say day 10 from date you put them in a wet towel sandwich.
Day 10 - Day 21; adjust pH only per seedbank recommendations from the strain's pH zone sweetspot and add SM-90 to stimulate root production, per the manufacturer's specifications.
Day 22: After flushing and cleaning your system, go Lucas Formula 0-2-4 based upon your system's capacity in gallons.
Day 29: Add Lucas Formula 0-4-8 and add 1 tbs CalMag+ per DWC station in your system: I have 4 stations, so I add 4 tbs. of CalMag+.
Day 35: Add Lucas Formula 0-2-4 to replace losses sucked up in the solution.
Day 45: Flush and clean all equipment, refill and add SM-90 and CalMag+ per previous direction. Add Lucas Formula 0-6-12 and track growth.
Day 65: Flush and clean all equipment, refill and add SM-90 and CalMag_ per previous direction. Add Lucas Formula 0-8-16 and this is what I run for the remainder of the cycle.
I might top up each week or so with another 0-2-4 of Lucas Formula depending upon what the plant is presenting.
Yes you can do it and make it work, but it will end up taking you longer (as in number of grows) to get a given strain dialed in to the perfect level of nutrition where growth is peaked out but not to the point of nutrient lock out.
I'd recommend it if you already have the strain dialed in, if not, you'll spend $40 fucking around trying to get the nutrients right, so you might as well get a pen.
I hope this helps...
At that rate it may be cheaper to buy a pen. Let them go until you see signs of distress. I've done grows in excess of 20 weeks with a single water change.
Nutes are acidic and will lower pH. Nutes first, adjust second.
L
lorddankinstien
Just mix all your water before you drain your rez, that is nutes first then ph, that way once you have your rez empty you can fill it right away. My first rez change I drained it completely before I had my new water mixed fuck man that was stupid I didnt realized how long it could take to mix your water. (espically since it was only my second time every mixing up a batch.
Sloppy Seconds
Member
I just started Hydro DWC and have found my pen very useful.
I got mine off Ebay for $30-$40 I dont remember which...but its the Blue lab style and works great.
The most important thing is knowing when to feed, I dont have the skills like these guys here as this is my first time doing this...I say get a pen, it will help you grow well.
You dont want to do this half assed, do it right the first time.
Good luck.
I got mine off Ebay for $30-$40 I dont remember which...but its the Blue lab style and works great.
The most important thing is knowing when to feed, I dont have the skills like these guys here as this is my first time doing this...I say get a pen, it will help you grow well.
You dont want to do this half assed, do it right the first time.
Good luck.
Gah..... Lucas makes it so simple.
Mix your res full str with RO water.
Days 0-20 of flower keep the pH at 5.5-6.1.
Days 20-30, keep the pH at 6.0-6.1
After day 30 keep it below 5.8.
Top off every day with RO water until you've reached the full number of gallons you filled your res with.
Dump and refill.
There's no need to adjust pH between dumpings, you only lose a bit of nutes and your girls get optimal feed.
Once you get an EC meter you won't have to dump until the end of the harvest.
So easy!
Mix your res full str with RO water.
Days 0-20 of flower keep the pH at 5.5-6.1.
Days 20-30, keep the pH at 6.0-6.1
After day 30 keep it below 5.8.
Top off every day with RO water until you've reached the full number of gallons you filled your res with.
Dump and refill.
There's no need to adjust pH between dumpings, you only lose a bit of nutes and your girls get optimal feed.
Once you get an EC meter you won't have to dump until the end of the harvest.
So easy!
Man, I have to be the prize idiot. I change mine every 3 weeks and still have my share of problems. Tell me, FB, how do you do it?
