good recipes for mixing the simple GH nutes??

[TicalionStalion]

hey guys, this being my first hydro grow, Im alittle overwhelmed by keeping up on this res. I dont know if Im adding too much, to little. I cant tell. the plants are alittle faded in color, kind of a lighter green than they should be, but they are growing GREAT! what range should my PPMs be in for this stage of growth??:

they are a bit over 500 PPM right now. is that too high, too low? can someone tell me what the PPM ranges should be as they grow?? and are there any tricks to this GH line? (floragrow, bloom, micro, blend...ect. all that good stuff.)

any seasoned ebb n flow vets wanna take me under their wing with this flood table? I could really use some help.

thanks alot guys!!

 

[FreezerBoy]

What has EC and pH done the last week? You are charting it aren't you? EC up, pH down is too rich. EC down, pH up is too lean.

The trick with GH is to throw out the green bottle (floragrow). Using FloraMicro and FloraBloom mix 1:1 or 2:1 for veg and 1:2 for flower.

 

[TicalionStalion]

I havnt checked the PH, waiting on a new pen, mine was busted...and Iv never measured EC, do I need another device for that??

yeah, the floragrow doesnt seem too great, I was even thinkin the same thing. maybe do a res. change and stop using the floragrow?

wish I coulda answered ur 2 questions lol. I am logging things, but just the amount of nutrient and when. Ill get my hands on a PH pen from work tomorrow and test it out.

thanks bro.

 

[TicalionStalion]

bah, Im so dumb, I forgot I have another PH meter...I just tested, the res. PH with nutrients is 7.1, my tap water is 7.6. ...I dont know how to test the EC tho, I can tell u my TDS is like 520ppm ish. are my PPMs or PH too high? I have some PH down, just kinda scared to start messin with PH.

lemme know bro! thanks!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Next time you buy nutes..... just pick up the GH MaxiBloom dry fert.

Works awesome... no mixing and it's pretty much Lucas in a dry fert.


After that... all you'll need to worry about is how much and what your pH is.

Stay Safe!


Edit: 500 is too low, at least for that size plant. You might want to look into getting some individual containers for your next run... you'll use less hydroton each run and you'll have much more flexibility with being able to move your plants around. (A 1/4 turn a day can produce amazing results... especially when you only have one light source) Being able to remove or add a plant is also wickedly handy.

 

[TwoPaid]

You want your PH in a range of 5.5 - 6.2 for hydro. I set my PH at 5.5 let it drift up to 6.2 and then I add some PH down to get it back to 5.5. For every 25 gallons of water 7.5 ml of GH PH down will lower it back to 5.5 from 6.2

 

[TwoPaid]

I feed at 6 ml Micro 9 ml Bloom in veg with a half teaspoon of epsom salt per gallon. In flower I work my way up to 8 ml Micro 16 ml Bloom half teaspoon of epsom all the way through. I also add Liquid Kool Bloom and the powder as well

 

[TicalionStalion]

I got ya, yeah those plants arent that young either, so what do you think the PPMs should be at for this stage??

it was 700 the other day, so I drained more than half the res, and cut it down to like 450, cuz I thought 500 was about right...but now that I think about it, I think the plants have lost MORE green since I did that. I thought i was over-ferting them lol. I also thought maybe some kind of def.

jeez! should I add more nutes?? should I completly drain the res. and start again, scrapping the floragrow??

thanks fellas!

 

[TwoPaid]

Here is another good one that I have used in the past with great results. It is designed for interrupted feedings like ebb-n-flow or drip. Values are given in Millilitres per Gallon. You should leach your system between the veg and the flower cycle or your plants may stretch. This is also designed for a 9 week strain so if you have a 7 week strain only go to 5 weeks then leach. Weeks 5-6 and 7 are the same anyways. Weeks 8 and 9 are plain water for clearing.

Veg

Week-----1-----2

Grow----10----12
Bloom----3-----3
Micro----5-----6


Bloom

Week-----1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7

Grow---2.5-----3-----3-----4-----4-----4-----4
Bloom---10----12----14----16----16----16----16
Micro----6-----6-----7-----8-----8-----8-----8

I also added the epsom salts at a half teaspoon per gallon.

 

[TicalionStalion]

also, I have the PH down, should I lower my PH?? its at 7.1 in my res now...do u think my plants will perform better if I lower it? if I go from 7.1 to 6 or 5.5, will that stress the plants...making such a big change?

thanks for all the info!

 

[TwoPaid]

You want to be in the range of 5.5 to 6.2 in hydro. The pH of the nutrient solution is a major determinant of nutrient uptake by the plant. If your PH is to low it locks out nutes same with it being to high. You want it just right so your plants can get what they need. That being the range of 5.5 - 6.2

 

[TwoPaid]

Go to this link they have a ph chart.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=170073

 

[TwoPaid]

Although it is perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects, pH is very important in hydroponic and organic as well as regular soil gardening. pH is measured on a scale of 1-14 with 7 being neutral. Acids are lower than 7 and alkalis (bases) are above 7.

This article deals with the pH of hydroponic gardening and the availability of nutrients at different pH levels in a soilless growing medium. Organic and soil gardening have different levels, so the following chart doesn't pertain to them.

To be technical, the term pH refers to the potential hydrogen-hydroxyl ion content of a solution. Solutions ionize into positive and negative ions. If the solution has more hydrogen (positive) ions than hydroxyl (negative) ions then it is an acid (1-6.9 on the pH scale). Conversely if the solution has more hydroxyl ions than hydrogen it is alkaline (or base), with a range of 7.1-14 on the pH scale.

Pure water has a balance of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions and is therefore pH neutral (pH 7). When the water is less than pure it can have a pH either higher or lower than 7.

The pH scale is logarithmic, which means that each unit of change equals a tenfold change in the hydrogen/hydroxyl ion concentration. To put it another way, a solution with a pH of 6.0 is 10 times more acidic than a solution with a value of pH 7.0, and a solution with a pH value of 5.0 would be 10 times more acidic than the solution of 6.0 pH and 100 times more acidic than the solution with a 7.0 pH. This means that when you are adjusting the pH of your nutrient solution and you need to move it 2 points (example: 7.5 to 5.5) you would have to use 10 times more adjuster than if you were moving the pH value just 1 point (7.5 to 6.5).


WHY IS pH IMPORTANT?
When the pH is not at the proper level the plant will lose its ability to absorb some of the essential elements required for healthy growth. For all plants there is a particular pH level that will produce optimum results (see chart 1 below). This pH level will vary from plant to plant, but in general most plants prefer a slightly acid growing environment (between 5.5-6.0), although most plants can still survive in an environment with a pH of between 5.0 and 7.5.

When pH rises above 6.5 some of the nutrients and micro-nutrients begin to precipitate out of solution and can stick to the walls of the reservoir and growing chambers. For example: Iron will be about half precipitated at the pH level of 7.3 and at about 8.0 there is virtually no iron left in solution at all. In order for your plants to use the nutrients they must be dissolved in the solution. Once the nutrients have precipitated out of solution your plants can no longer absorb them and will suffer deficiency and death if left uncorrected. Some nutrients will precipitate out of solution when the pH drops also. Chart 2 (below) will give you an idea of what happens to availability some of the nutrients at different pH levels:


CHECKING pH
When you are growing hydroponically checking and adjusting pH is a simple matter. It can be a bit more complicated when growing organically or in soil. There are several ways to check the pH of the nutrient solution in your hydroponic system.

Paper test strips are probably the most inexpensive way to check the pH of the nutrient solution. These paper strips are impregnated with a pH sensitive dye which changes color when dipped into the nutrient solution. The paper strip is then compared to a color chart to determine the pH level of the solution being checked. These test strips are inexpensive, but they can be hard to read, because the colors differences are subtle.

Liquid pH test kits are probably the most popular method to check pH for the hobby gardener. These liquid test kits work by adding a few drops of a pH sensitive dye to a small amount of the nutrient solution and then comparing the color of the resulting liquid with a color chart. While slightly more expensive than the paper test strips, they are easier to read and extremely accurate and reliable.

The Most high-tech way to check pH is to use the digital meters. These meters come in a huge array of sizes and prices. The most popular type of pH meter for the hobby gardener is the digital pen. These pens are manufactured by several different companies and are very handy and easy to use. You simply dip the electrode into the nutrient solution for a few moments and the pH value is displayed on an LCD screen.

The pH meters are very accurate (when properly calibrated) and fast. They need to cared for properly however, or they will quit working. The glass bulb electrode must be kept clean and some are required to be wet at all times. The pH meters are actually very sensitive volt meters and are susceptible to problems with the electrode.

The pH meters are slightly temperature sensitive. Many of the pH meters on the market have Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC), which corrects the reading with respect to temperature. On meters without ATC the pH should be checked at the same time of day each time in order to minimize any temperature related fluctuations.

The pH meters usually need to be calibrated frequently, as the meters can drift and to insure accuracy you must check calibration often. With most pens, the tip needs to be stored in an electrode storage solution or in a buffer solution and should never be allowed to dry out.

Due to the fact that pH meters have a reputation of breaking down without warning it is a good idea to keep an emergency backup for checking pH (paper test strips or a liquid pH test kit), just in case.


ADJUSTING pH
There are several chemicals used by the hobby gardener to adjust pH. The most popular are phosphoric acid (to lower pH) and potassium hydroxide (to raise pH). Both of these chemicals are relatively safe, although they can cause burns and should never come in contact with the eyes. Most hydroponic supply stores sell pH adjusters that are diluted to a level that is reasonably safe and easy to use. Concentrated adjusters can cause large pH changes and can make adjusting the pH very frustrating.

Several other chemicals can be used to adjust the pH of hydroponic nutrient solutions. Nitric acid and sulfuric acid can be used to lower pH but are much more dangerous than phosphoric acid. Food grade citric acid is sometimes used in organic gardening to lower pH.

Always add the nutrients to the water before checking and adjusting the pH of your solution. The fertilizer will usually lower the pH of the water due to its chemical makeup. After adding nutrient and mixing the solution, check the pH using whatever method you chose. If the pH needs to be adjusted, add the appropriate adjuster. Use small amounts of pH adjuster until you get familiar with the process. Recheck the pH and repeat the above steps until the pH level is where you want it to be. Once you have done this a few times, you'll nail it the first try. Beyond all the facts and figures, this critical step is truly simple and easy.

The pH of the nutrient solution will have a tendency to go up as the plants use the nutrients. As a result the pH needs to be checked periodically and adjusted if necessary. To start out, I suggest that you check pH on a daily basis. Each system will change pH at a different rate depending on a variety of factors. The type of growing medium used, the weather, the kind of plants and even the age of the plants all effect the pH variations.

 

[TwoPaid]

 

[TicalionStalion]

so should the next move be, drain the whole res and clean, refill with fresh RO water, and add the right amount of Micro and Bloom, then lower the PH?? along w some other little things?? I got a 35 gal res. how full do I want it? how many gals?

does that sound like the right thing to do now? or just add more nutrients to my res and lower the PH??

what should my PPMs read at this stage??

thanks man!

 

[TwoPaid]

What size is that table? 3x3 If so I would fill the rez to at least 30 gallons. And make sure you do add backs when the rez drops. I run 3 - 3x2 ebb and flow tables with a 25 gallon rez to each one for veg and mothers and a 30 site ebb and gro bucket system with a 55 gallon rez for flower. I do add backs with PH adjusted water at 5.5 and I change the nutes out once a week. When I flower in the buckets there are some weeks I have to change the nutes twice in a week because I add back the volume of water that the rez holds.

 

[TwoPaid]

I would change the whole rez and start fresh. Make sure to add you Micro first and after you add your nutes check your ph and make adjustments from there. I would check it at least once a day if you can and make sure it stays in that range.

 

[TicalionStalion]

I see what you mean, I know well enough to keep the res topped off. what do u suggest the PPMs to read in this stage of growth, thats 1 thing Im still not clear on. thanks for all the help man, I REALLY appreciate it. thats what IC is all about. the help and genetics I have recieved from members over the years is outstanding. I call this place home.

 

[TwoPaid]

as far as that goes with the ec I cant really tell you. I have never had any problems when adding the nutes at the ratios I have given you. I would start there and see how the plants respond. It depends on the strain of the plant as well. I don't want to give you an anwser I don't know

 

[TicalionStalion]

Im guessing maybe TDS 1000ppm +/- a few is a good spot for them to be at?? too high?? LOL, I have no idea. thanks alot bro, I'll follow ur chart.