Substitute
Member
Well, I was talking to someone else. 
Cheers, thanks for asking.
Cheers, thanks for asking.
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Tending Your Reservoir for a Full pH Swing and Cleaner Cannabis
- Thread starter Douglas.Curtis
- Start date
Substitute
Member
Also, I think I'll aim for the PH swing. It seems I've read a few posts where people are doing this...and they have good things to say.
So I'll aim for a ph of 5.5 to start and then readjust at 6.2...or something like that. Plus I'm a fan of using only the needed amount of nutrient...instead of giving them too much, etc.
So I'll aim for a ph of 5.5 to start and then readjust at 6.2...or something like that. Plus I'm a fan of using only the needed amount of nutrient...instead of giving them too much, etc.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
You are working with tap water. The information in this thread will only be useful as a partial reference for you unless you switch to r/o filtered water.
Please start a thread for your tap-water grow and post there. Including a water report on the content of your specific tap-water will be helpful to anyone with the same type of water.
Substitute
Member
Hey Doug. So based on your experience, what do you think will happen with my ph? I'll be using the Flora series with UC roots and ph down. That's it.
My tap water TDS is 213.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
If you would like my advice on your grow, please begin a grow log and pm me. I'll be happy to provide what advice I have
I have zero idea what will happen with your pH. I have 15+ years of experience working with r/o water. R/o water is close enough to the same content, what I know about hydro will work anywhere in the world.
Your tap water has unknown elements, so your pH reaction is going to be unpredictable until you figure it out. I can help with general advice, but the specifics will have to be discovered through trial and error, or through analyzing your water and looking for growers with very similar water profiles. I've started a thread where you and others can post their tap water results, hopefully with water analysis reports as well.
Thank you.
.
I have zero idea what will happen with your pH. I have 15+ years of experience working with r/o water. R/o water is close enough to the same content, what I know about hydro will work anywhere in the world.
Your tap water has unknown elements, so your pH reaction is going to be unpredictable until you figure it out. I can help with general advice, but the specifics will have to be discovered through trial and error, or through analyzing your water and looking for growers with very similar water profiles. I've started a thread where you and others can post their tap water results, hopefully with water analysis reports as well.
Thank you.
H
HarbingerOfHarv
Weighing in.
Weighing in.
Hydroponics can be a pretty complex and dynamic medium. I agree 100% against the "Ph Perfect" formulas and added a ton of buffers. I have seen far too many examples of nitro saturated plants to believe that a 3 part formula fed throughout without any changes is actually of benefit. I lean towards 3 part formulas or 4 part formulas because there is more flexibility in the approach. The ph perfect stuff may work for some but all systems are different and unless your using the same stuff from the companies in the same house it's kind of a whole other set of variables involved. Do no use Organic stuff in hydroponics even if it says you can on the bottle, it's nothing but head ache. The whole variable of what water you start with is HUGE. My tap water is around 70 ppm from the tap and I live in the Mountains so it's sourced from a clean river. My water is great and I use very little nutrients throughout an entire run. I also recirculate the water with water pumps in the buckets. So it's more of a RDwc or bubbleponics type system. But yes I don't adjust the ph everytime it's out, I adjust to 6 only when it goes out of range of 5.8-6.5ish and the ladies seem to love it.
Weighing in.
Hydroponics can be a pretty complex and dynamic medium. I agree 100% against the "Ph Perfect" formulas and added a ton of buffers. I have seen far too many examples of nitro saturated plants to believe that a 3 part formula fed throughout without any changes is actually of benefit. I lean towards 3 part formulas or 4 part formulas because there is more flexibility in the approach. The ph perfect stuff may work for some but all systems are different and unless your using the same stuff from the companies in the same house it's kind of a whole other set of variables involved. Do no use Organic stuff in hydroponics even if it says you can on the bottle, it's nothing but head ache. The whole variable of what water you start with is HUGE. My tap water is around 70 ppm from the tap and I live in the Mountains so it's sourced from a clean river. My water is great and I use very little nutrients throughout an entire run. I also recirculate the water with water pumps in the buckets. So it's more of a RDwc or bubbleponics type system. But yes I don't adjust the ph everytime it's out, I adjust to 6 only when it goes out of range of 5.8-6.5ish and the ladies seem to love it.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
Welcome to ICMag!! The first time I heard of pH Perfect I was pretty sure it was a poor product for cannabis. After reading up on how it's a very buffered solution, I want no part of it. Without a full pH swing I have to use much to strong of a nutrient solution. It sure would sell a lot more nutes though, so I can see why it would be an item to produce for hobby growers.
H
HarbingerOfHarv
Yea I'm a bit newer to Cannabis Growing so when I first heard about the Ph perfect stuff I was like wow this sounds awesome. And after using Big Bug and buying Bud Factor X. There was a part of me that was like hey why is this stuff so expensive.. Then I started to do some research and I absolutely hate Advanced Nutrients. Just overloaded garbage. Have you heard of or used Green Planet Nutrients? This is what I am using now and I am just blown away at the difference. People would think there is not much a difference between one and the other... I can say very much without a doubt Good Nutrients make a huge difference. I'm leaning strongly towards a "balanced Cannabis" feed. So you know not adding in supplements unless I understand the reasoning behind it. Not sure if everyone would agree with me but I'm finding a nice zone in like 1200-1300 ppm (flowering feeds) with the reservoir change then just letting that intake and kind of shift naturally with Fulvic acid and another type of Soft acid(uc roots) to help with intake as well. But staying in the zone seems to help with that overall intake throughout the week. Do you think the RO increases the intake to a high amount and then possibly just levels off so the ladies can munch of what you've fed and don't need the PH adjustments? Iv'e recently had an experience where I overdid it on the fulvic acid and it caused the plant to intake large amounts of nitrogen despite only being 1/4 nutrient levels, water was also staying very acidic despite buffers but did not seem to display any deficiency on new growth. Anyway would love to hear your thoughts or ideas on what Iv'e said even if you think I'm out too lunch.
This system works!
This system works!
I have been using this PH swing method for 2 grows now. The last one I really got it working correctly. I will have to say that the last grow produced some of the most potent pot I have ever grown...same strain I grow regularly. It also used the least amount of nutrients I have ever used as well. I grow in RDWC so it does not heed high levels of nutes but I was really surprised that less was more. Thanks so much for the advice and help Douglas.Curtis.
I also dropped a bunch of things I was using as additives and did not notice any adverse effects. I used to use 3 different root boosters, sugars and another item I cannot think of right now. I dropped all those on the last run...everything was golden. Did not do any diary on that last one but here are a couple pics from the harvest time.
2-GG#4 from clone in RDWC.
Choppy, chop chop.
They were under 1k and I got quite a nice yield. I think I literally filled every square in that trellis. I am down to my last few buds of this. Man such fire. I have been smoking on it almost exclusively for 6 months now.....not even close to tired of it. Still just knocks the *uck outta me. GG#4 for the win.
peace, negative.
This system works!
I have been using this PH swing method for 2 grows now. The last one I really got it working correctly. I will have to say that the last grow produced some of the most potent pot I have ever grown...same strain I grow regularly. It also used the least amount of nutrients I have ever used as well. I grow in RDWC so it does not heed high levels of nutes but I was really surprised that less was more. Thanks so much for the advice and help Douglas.Curtis.
I also dropped a bunch of things I was using as additives and did not notice any adverse effects. I used to use 3 different root boosters, sugars and another item I cannot think of right now. I dropped all those on the last run...everything was golden. Did not do any diary on that last one but here are a couple pics from the harvest time.
2-GG#4 from clone in RDWC.
Choppy, chop chop.
They were under 1k and I got quite a nice yield. I think I literally filled every square in that trellis. I am down to my last few buds of this. Man such fire. I have been smoking on it almost exclusively for 6 months now.....not even close to tired of it. Still just knocks the *uck outta me. GG#4 for the win.
peace, negative.
Substitute
Member
Ouch! I've read a few people not related to this forum mention that they let the ph swing around. Just mentioning...
H
HarbingerOfHarv
I guess some people don't like information I think he makes it very clear that isn't a solution for everyone. You know this is part of the problem with the community like are you trying to get in a pissing contest Substitute? Just take the info and learn a little don't try to be a smart @$$.
Substitute
Member
I wasn't at all trying to be a smart ass. In fact I was trying to defend something he said! How do you take me trying to defend someone, as being a smart ass?
H
HarbingerOfHarv
Okay good clean water I totally agree with that.. It makes sense.. if you plan on growing hydroponics you should be reading your Water Report period no arguments there really. I think all us hydro growers can agree on that. I do weekly Schedules.. But per plant I use approximately 12 Litres of water or 3 gallons.. Obviously that's an average and increases with plant growth but generally peaks around 4-5 gallons a week. I use very light nutrients as it would be a Rdwc. And I dump the water out into the Garden. But just some baseline numbers on a typical grow with say Flora Series Trio. I would use about 80 mls micro 50mls Grow and 150mls of bloom. A few other additives and such would be used as well. just minor things nothing fancy. So a typical grow I'd use approximately 50 Gallons of water to about 280mls of nutrients for 12 week cycle... Not the best or most efficient I'm sure but not horrible numbers I think.
Substitute
Member
So, I received an email back from General Hydroponics this morning following a question I sent in about PH swing vs stability.
Their response: "Static pH is always recommended for best results, tighter it is controlled the better plants can uptake nutrients."
All due respect Doug, but General Hydroponics disagreed.
Their response: "Static pH is always recommended for best results, tighter it is controlled the better plants can uptake nutrients."
All due respect Doug, but General Hydroponics disagreed.
DiverDave
Well-known member
Substitute I think maybe you miss the point , the Hydro Store is out to sell you something , here the info is from experiance , may you believe or not.
I do hydro .. bio bucket , I learn from this thread but let my rez swing as it may .. the girls are giving me the best flower and hell of a bunch of great root shots too
DD
Substitute
Member
Hey Dave. Thanks for your response. Glad you're getting good results. Hopefully I will too! All of my info about what I'm running, I relay back and forth with GH. They've been very kind and helpful.
I know they're educated, so I put a lot of 'weight' into what they recommend. I don't necessarily think they're just out to get my $$$...if you know what I mean.
Thanks for your response. Glad you're getting good results. Hopefully I will too! All of my info about what I'm running, I relay back and forth with GH. They've been very kind and helpful.I know they're educated, so I put a lot of 'weight' into what they recommend. I don't necessarily think they're just out to get my $$$...if you know what I mean.
All from ph 5.7-6.4 in RDWC
Hey Sub. You got good advise from some seasoned Grower. I do not want sound like an asshole here, but you may be better listen guy like dave/Curtis and other than nutrients sellers. Grow skill come from practice !
Hey Sub. You got good advise from some seasoned Grower. I do not want sound like an asshole here, but you may be better listen guy like dave/Curtis and other than nutrients sellers. Grow skill come from practice !
Substitute
Member
All from ph 5.7-6.4 in RDWC
View Image View Image View Image
Hey Sub. You got good advise from some seasoned Grower. I do not want sound like an asshole here, but you may be better listen guy like dave/Curtis and other than nutrients sellers. Grow skill come from practice !
Thanks overbudget! I appreciate it...trust me! Getting the RIGHT information is important to me. GH is not just another nutrient seller, they are the designer of it. I tend to trust objective science...regardless of how hard it is to believe. People thought the earth was flat for a long time, and they would hang you if you said otherwise.
Your plants look great!
Hydroponics suppliers want to sell nutrients. PH drift works and works well. To each their own.
This last picture is photo's from a high times article. I lost a ton of rdwc grow logs and photos with overgrow but the root shot in this photo is from a plant that was chopped probably 36 hrs before I took the root shot otherwise they would have been perfectly white at the time of harvest.
This last picture is photo's from a high times article. I lost a ton of rdwc grow logs and photos with overgrow but the root shot in this photo is from a plant that was chopped probably 36 hrs before I took the root shot otherwise they would have been perfectly white at the time of harvest.
