Tending Your Reservoir for a Full pH Swing and Cleaner Cannabis

Douglas.Curtis · Mar 16, 2019

Good thoughts, thank you.

ValleyHill · Mar 16, 2019

From the little acorn grew the oak tree. Just thoughts mate and chances are what works for me might not work for the next man. Have you got any in depth posts explaining the exact way you do things from start to finish because I'm looking for the simplest method with the least work. Don't get me wrong I'll sit with my plants all day long but as I age my ailments prevent me from doing what I can somedays, thats the all reason I started reading your posts in the first place.if I can do less and still get a quality end result then that would help me immensely
Atb vh

Douglas.Curtis · Mar 16, 2019

I've been posting about this for years, but I believe this is the most in-depth one out there. You may want to do a search on the web for "Ask Lucas" and read the thread which comes up. I've read it a few hundred times and it's the basis of what I do.

Not much simpler than mix, add water till pH hits maximum, add nutes to drop back to starting ppm, lather, rinse, repeat. The only real change is when flower bulking quits, and you have to dilute and quit adding nutes.

My first thought (as is nearly everyone's) is to dump and re-fill with lower strength nutes, in an effort to remove the exudates. If it is exudates, it's definitely from stress and a changeout is not going to stop the excretion.

I too have issues which get in the way. I found root oil recently and it's a superior difference for joint and arthritic pain. I suggest taking a look. Completely reversed my thoughts regarding a hip going south.

ButterflyEffect · Mar 16, 2019

So, in Hempys the pH does indeed swing up. I tried running the feed at 6.3-6.5 and it made the issue worse, in addition to creating new ones. Had PK defs and possibly Zinc, as well.

Did some more research here and with the testing I did, it shows the upswing. I'm now starting at around 5.3pH and letting it jump from there.

I just wanted to let the hive know for future reference.

Thanks for your guidance sir!

ValleyHill · Mar 16, 2019

Douglas.Curtis said:
I've been posting about this for years, but I believe this is the most in-depth one out there. You may want to do a search on the web for "Ask Lucas" and read the thread which comes up. I've read it a few hundred times and it's the basis of what I do.

Not much simpler than mix, add water till pH hits maximum, add nutes to drop back to starting ppm, lather, rinse, repeat. The only real change is when flower bulking quits, and you have to dilute and quit adding nutes.

My first thought (as is nearly everyone's) is to dump and re-fill with lower strength nutes, in an effort to remove the exudates. If it is exudates, it's definitely from stress and a changeout is not going to stop the excretion.

I too have issues which get in the way. I found root oil recently and it's a superior difference for joint and arthritic pain. I suggest taking a look. Completely reversed my thoughts regarding a hip going south.

I will definitely take a look into the root oil .ate
Thankyou for your time
Atb vh

ValleyHill · Mar 16, 2019

Douglas.Curtis said:
I've been posting about this for years, but I believe this is the most in-depth one out there. You may want to do a search on the web for "Ask Lucas" and read the thread which comes up. I've read it a few hundred times and it's the basis of what I do.

Not much simpler than mix, add water till pH hits maximum, add nutes to drop back to starting ppm, lather, rinse, repeat. The only real change is when flower bulking quits, and you have to dilute and quit adding nutes.

My first thought (as is nearly everyone's) is to dump and re-fill with lower strength nutes, in an effort to remove the exudates. If it is exudates, it's definitely from stress and a changeout is not going to stop the excretion.

I too have issues which get in the way. I found root oil recently and it's a superior difference for joint and arthritic pain. I suggest taking a look. Completely reversed my thoughts regarding a hip going south.

Mate, when in later flower and plant is telling you that its finished with eating nutrients because. in it's own mind, been pushing out flowers and resin to attract the Male pollen for what's been an age now, its probably given up with its soul purpose in life which is to reproduce, in nature it would most definitely have attracted pollen before this stage
So it might be finished and realised it ain't going to get what it wants.what you describe happens in late flower is exactly right and depending how late on dictates how your going to let them finish. If you dial a certain strain in you get to know exactly when these changes occur. Personally I would just let the plant do what it's got to do.if you run at a low ec level, like I've explained above then its exactly the same principal theres no point adding nutes, let it just spit back into the tank what ever it's got to.i just add water at this stage to keep ph in safe range, once its finished doing what it's doing depending on bud development fill fresh tank up and it's your choice weather to add low strength nutes or just flush till finnish. Ph pen ec truncheon tell you exactly which way to go about things.
Atb vh

meltybubble · Apr 6, 2019

Great thread, it’s true not a lot use ph swing nor realise why their plants ain’t so healthy. Awesome thread

Fixer · Jul 13, 2019

Interesting! Thank you for all of the knowledge. I am intent on getting my PPM down to a minimum and would love to avoid dumping the res weekly. Douglas.Curtis with this system are you topping off with RO water or water and nutes? :tiphat:

Douglas.Curtis · Jul 13, 2019

Fixer said:
Interesting! Thank you for all of the knowledge. I am intent on getting my PPM down to a minimum and would love to avoid dumping the res weekly. Douglas.Curtis with this system are you topping off with RO water or water and nutes?

I top of with straight r/o, or other water which is <14ppm. Remember, the swing happens due to the plants using up nutrients. Wait till it hits the end of the healthy pH range, then use your nutrients to drop the pH back down again.

Fixer · Jul 13, 2019

So you're adjusting the pH with the nutes? How often are you adding nutes vs RO water?

Douglas.Curtis · Jul 14, 2019

Fixer said:
So you're adjusting the pH with the nutes? How often are you adding nutes vs RO water?

Please re-read the first post a few times before asking another question.

:thank you:

shaman_fin · Jul 14, 2019

heh my ph swing go other way,up to low.i top reso norm water until its level where is only emergency nutrients water left.then top reso full nutrients and start all over again.
small reso and only a few plants.

Douglas.Curtis · Jul 14, 2019

Yes, without using r/o I have zero advice for you. Local well/tap water can change in consistency through the seasons, and can be vastly different even a few miles away.

I use r/o for creating the cleanest cannabis I know how, and to remove any random variables. This allows me to pass reliable information to other growers who are also using r/o. What works for me, will work for them. Switch to tap water and you're now talking something completely different. I have no advice with tap.

Fixer · Jul 14, 2019

Roger, I found it thanks! :tiphat:

Douglas.Curtis · Jul 15, 2019

Awesome. Ty

cebe11 · Sep 5, 2019

This is a great thread. First time doing hydro, been using organic soil for past ten years, wanted something new. Grow so far is behaving. will see what happens.
Does anyone have a link or a copy of the "Ask Lucas" thread? All the archive links I find are old and not working.
Thanks!!!

Frosty Nuggets · Sep 5, 2019

Have you seen this gadget before, it claims to balance ph without chemicals.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=365767

Douglas.Curtis · Sep 5, 2019

Frosty Nuggets said:
Have you seen this gadget before, it claims to balance ph without chemicals.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=365767

Interesting, but completely unwanted for cannabis.

This thread is about the benefits of having your nutrient solution experience a complete pH swing through the healthy range.

LostTribe · Sep 19, 2019

PROBLEM PH SHOOTING UP

DC thanks for your thread on ph swing. Had a little root rot at transplant 2 weeks ago.

I am having ph shooting up from ~5.7 back to 6.3-6.5 in about 18 hrs.

Roots In system 5 gallon ebb flow hydroton buckets, ~4gallons media, feeding every 3 hours until ebb =1 minute then 3-4 minutes to drain back to rez (little giant pump).

temp 77F
Humidity 55%
rez temp 75F
feeding RO
5ml calmaG
dropped PBP grow to 550 ppm overall .8ec
that includes
.5tsp/g SM90
.5tsp/g H202
.25tsp/g Liquid Karma
just started some silica blast at .5tsp/g

I got a new ppm pen and didn't realize I was feeding HOT like 1.6ec at 2 weeks veg! I flushed with 2tsp/gal cleareX w ph'd ro yesterday for 2 hours and remade nutes to ~550ppm(700scale) .8ec.

Same problem last year....my temps started out in the 80's but added ac and it's been 10 plus days.

I am showing obviously burnt tips and also magnesium deficiency. I did notice some buildup from new hydrotoN pellets which I removed. I washed it properly but the brand new stuff ya know....

Any ideas appreciated
LT

Douglas.Curtis · Sep 20, 2019

I asked you a few questions in response to your pm. I'll be happy to help out when I have that extra bit of info.

Tending Your Reservoir for a Full pH Swing and Cleaner Cannabis

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