Rising PPM in RDWC System

[arewhy]

I have a 12 bucket DWC system nearing the end of its second week with the clones in it.


My first water change with food was the 14th, the PPM of the water out of the filtered tap was 440 (blah) and after adding nutes (AN's Iguana Juice) it was 650. This was five days ago and today the PPM is 830.

Anyone have a clue as to why my PPM is rising? I plan to change the water out after the end of the second week again and will keep track of it to see if this pattern continues.

 

[relief]

Has the system been used before, or is this it's first run?

 

[arewhy]

Has the system been used before, or is this it's first run?

I ran the system for three weeks but due to leaving the top off of some buckets and the organic nutrients it started to grow algae. I tore the system apart and replaced all of the tubing, scrubbed out all of the buckets and spent a full day flushing out the airstones multiple times and ran hot soapy water through the water chiller for a few hours. I probably should have included this in the original post but I figured that I took the proper precautions but I am starting the think that maybe there was something hiding somewhere.

 

[zenoonez]

My guess would be that the water is being respirated through the plant at a higher rate than the nutes, some plants are just slow on nute uptake. Add some RO water it lower it and don't sweat it. 440 filtered? Thats high, you probably need to invest in a RO system. Here is a DIY http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=55810

 

[Mickymouse]

Your using more water than fertilizer.Your PH is probadly going down.Lower your EC.I keep my EC @ 1.4. EC/PH never changes.Your plants will tell you what they want.Should of had food from the start.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Your using more water than fertilizer.Your PH is probadly going down.Lower your EC.I keep my EC @ 1.4. EC/PH never changes.Your plants will tell you what they want.Should of had food from the start.

Yep, I was gonna ask about the pH and if you have a 'line' scribed on your res to top off to? You should really keep the water level the same, as much as you can, before taking your measurements.

 

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

xenonez is right, they are drinking water faster then they are eating nutrients. Add an auto top off to the system. Check my thread to see what I am talking about, last page. Also, get an RO system, it makes akk the difference, especially with hydro, 440 is crazy high. My RO spits out 0-7 ppm