Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
If the system is hitting the same pH swing and nutrient strength changes, it will work the same. It's a rather large waste of good nutes and water though.
You're using r/o water only, correct?
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Tending Your Reservoir for a Full pH Swing and Cleaner Cannabis
- Thread starter Douglas.Curtis
- Start date
This may not apply for everyone but in addition to organic inputs indoor (living soil or recycling/composting) it is nice to have a garden outside so that your (weekly) reservoir change can be utilized at home (nutrients cost $) instead of going down the drain. A reservoir, drip, flood & drain can all be used with soil and smart pots too. Now whether there is an "organic hydro" like 100% compost tea, I'm not sure but I think light soil mixes can get close.
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Bobby Boucher
Active member
I only started topping off with tap as a last resort to keeping my ph from sinking below acceptable levels. I've gone back and forth trying to remove it from the regimen with 0 success. I've done everything you could think of save for eliminating the strain and switching locations altogether. There has got to be some not so very obvious solution to this particular problem. I've been trouble shooting for years and the best I could come up with is buffered starting water and a ph up doser.
I don't wanna hijack your thread, but if you could think up outside the box reasons why ph might not directly correspond with ppm, I do think it would make an excellent addition to this write up.
I don't wanna hijack your thread, but if you could think up outside the box reasons why ph might not directly correspond with ppm, I do think it would make an excellent addition to this write up.
I cant bring as much insight as a lot ofyou more seasoned folks. So take this as whatever. Ive only ever had issue with ph drop a couple times. That was when I chope plants in a pot that had others, let bacteria eat the root system. My ph stayed lower and dropped for awhile rather than raised. I dont really understand what plays into that but my ph dropping is a big red flag now.
One other occasion, was feeding a very high input. I believe my plants were consuming more water than salts and lowering my ph. Idk man, all just my pondering without and science
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
Mengsk, you're quite correct. My lawns and garden areas have benefited greatly from my res changes. Granted, the ppm is usually around 300 when I dump it at the end.
The only causes for significant pH drop I've come across are from root rot. Excess heat levels, not enough oxygen and too strong of nutrients cause the roots to go mushy and the pH drops like a stone. Personally I'm not aware of any other actions which would cause pH to drop when using r/o water and GH nutrients (any quality hydro nutrient, balanced the same way will act the same).
These are both good examples, thank you. When the roots of the chopped plant rotted, you noticed they kept the pH down. If you'd inspected the roots on the plants of your second example, you would most likely have found them to be mushy and partly rotting as well. The very high nutrient strength is too hot and burns the roots, turning them mushy and starting the rot.
Thank you!
I can only hope there's something you're not aware of which you will figure out. I'm stumped here.
The only causes for significant pH drop I've come across are from root rot. Excess heat levels, not enough oxygen and too strong of nutrients cause the roots to go mushy and the pH drops like a stone. Personally I'm not aware of any other actions which would cause pH to drop when using r/o water and GH nutrients (any quality hydro nutrient, balanced the same way will act the same).
pH dropping is a big red flag indeed.
These are both good examples, thank you. When the roots of the chopped plant rotted, you noticed they kept the pH down. If you'd inspected the roots on the plants of your second example, you would most likely have found them to be mushy and partly rotting as well. The very high nutrient strength is too hot and burns the roots, turning them mushy and starting the rot.
Thank you!
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
I've been thinking about this for a while. Only biological activity would drop pH, aside from the root rot situations I listed. As far as I'm aware, you would visually see slime build up happening as the pH began dropping. So if it was biological, it *should* be visually obvious after a few days. (In my experience it's always been pretty obvious, rather quickly)
Bobby Boucher
Active member
I haven't seen root rot in many years. My roots always fill their their 5 gal buckets to capacity, and my average gpw isn't terrible, but the lackluster in this beautiful lavender's expression just leaves me blasting everything at the end of the day. The flavor, color, and consistency of the dab is right where it should be along with the yield from the material, the flowers structure and frost looks exactly the same as it's parents, but the smells and flavors just.. aren't anywhere near as strong, and after the bud is broken up, it does seem a bit darker as well.
Ideas.. Stupid as they may be..
Radon. Haven't checked for it. Haven't researched how plants might respond to it.
Virus or pest. Maybe one that often goes unnoticed by amateurs since the symptoms aren't glaringly obvious above the surface. My basement is pretty clean, but it is a place where birds go to die thanks to the woodpeckers who won't leave my f'n siding alone. I also live in cornville, and have semi-outdoor pets.
Me. I am acid. Everything around me rusts and disintegrates in ways people have never even seen before.
Karma. I probably deserve this.
Ideas.. Stupid as they may be..
Radon. Haven't checked for it. Haven't researched how plants might respond to it.
Virus or pest. Maybe one that often goes unnoticed by amateurs since the symptoms aren't glaringly obvious above the surface. My basement is pretty clean, but it is a place where birds go to die thanks to the woodpeckers who won't leave my f'n siding alone. I also live in cornville, and have semi-outdoor pets.
Me. I am acid. Everything around me rusts and disintegrates in ways people have never even seen before.
Karma. I probably deserve this.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
If you can't find the answer, not asking questions would be stupid.
Radon: Doubtful, and no idea on pH effect
Virus or pest: Not an expert, but chances are slim. I would not rule out the possibility, while looking deeper at the issue.
You/Karma: Move forward in life, learn/let-go/grow and be better each day. Karma takes excellent notes, and you'll grow by dealing with what you may still have coming. Set and work toward achieving positive and worthwhile goals. Be honest with yourself and those around you. One day you may wake up and realize you're happy, and things have stopped rusting quickly around you.
What do you usually use in a reservoir during flower? I remember discussing this with you before, but not the details or where. Would you list any nutrients and supplements along with the amounts per gallon please.
Radon: Doubtful, and no idea on pH effect
Virus or pest: Not an expert, but chances are slim. I would not rule out the possibility, while looking deeper at the issue.
You/Karma: Move forward in life, learn/let-go/grow and be better each day. Karma takes excellent notes, and you'll grow by dealing with what you may still have coming. Set and work toward achieving positive and worthwhile goals. Be honest with yourself and those around you. One day you may wake up and realize you're happy, and things have stopped rusting quickly around you.
What do you usually use in a reservoir during flower? I remember discussing this with you before, but not the details or where. Would you list any nutrients and supplements along with the amounts per gallon please.
Bobby Boucher
Active member
All that's been ruled out. I use the same nutes that you use at the same strength. I buffer with a bit of quality tap water, which helps to slow the swing, and the dmzone I add def isn't the culprit.
I can't help but think after all this time that it isn't something with my environment in particular. Honestly, I've seen my cuttings express better smells and flavors in the hands of novices across town in growing conditions that were less ideal than what I have here. It's puzzling.
I can't help but think after all this time that it isn't something with my environment in particular. Honestly, I've seen my cuttings express better smells and flavors in the hands of novices across town in growing conditions that were less ideal than what I have here. It's puzzling.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
So, only Flora or Maxibloom GH nutes. No additives besides Dmzone? What's dmzone anyway?
Bobby Boucher
Active member
Copper sulfide er sum shit. Bleach substitute. Smells like chlorine but I remember reading there isn't actually any in there.. It's a disinfectant. Haven't lost a crop or found any slime since I implemented it 4-5 years back.
No additives. I'll add fulvics or skip the zone and use heisenberg tea in the final weeks, but honestly not regularly enough to warrant mention.
No additives. I'll add fulvics or skip the zone and use heisenberg tea in the final weeks, but honestly not regularly enough to warrant mention.
gardener60
Active member
Very interesting! This gives me something to think about. Never saw it that way. Thanks for the info.
Hello BB.. I do not doubt your suggestion but reading about Copper Sulfide here: https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=8405
there are a ton of safety information and precautions that make me wonder. Just the word 'copper' makes me nervous.
EDIT: after posting and re-reading, I guess I am doubtful..
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
So sorry I missed this reply, things got a little crazy there toward the end of last month. lol
I believe you're correct, there must be some local variable causing your pH drop. Unless your ppms are also going up while your pH drops your system seems to be fine. Would you refresh my memory and give a quick run-down on the system you're using? You mentioned 5-gal buckets? What lights and room size?
Bobby Boucher
Active member
I run two 3'x3'x6' tents side by side and trolley a 3' long 600w cooltube along unistrut between the tents every twelve hours like a weirdo.
I run one 5 gallon bucket per tent. In between the tents lies a 30 gallon hdx tote which serves as a communal res which is hooked up to a bluelab ph controller. Everything is set up more or less like big-tokes "biobuckets". Recirculating 24/7.
I have been having some success by just keeping a regular supply of bicarbonates from the tap in the tank, and the nugs keep improving each round, but I am going to try running heisenberg tea as a preventative from now on, ph probe be damned. I've also set the doser to 5.4 so that ph up is only pumped in as a last resort.
Will report back with results.
I run one 5 gallon bucket per tent. In between the tents lies a 30 gallon hdx tote which serves as a communal res which is hooked up to a bluelab ph controller. Everything is set up more or less like big-tokes "biobuckets". Recirculating 24/7.
I have been having some success by just keeping a regular supply of bicarbonates from the tap in the tank, and the nugs keep improving each round, but I am going to try running heisenberg tea as a preventative from now on, ph probe be damned. I've also set the doser to 5.4 so that ph up is only pumped in as a last resort.
Will report back with results.
DiverDave
Well-known member
I am confused with this statement :
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Can you show a photo of this setup ?
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It may help in seeing what your doing.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]DD[/FONT]
[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
Bobby Boucher
Active member
Its just unistrut and a couple unistrut trolleys. Slides over in 30 seconds flat. I had to upgrade the stock cool tube closures with paracord and metal spring closures. They see a lot of traffic.
I've been doing it this way for a couple years now and the regularity of it all is pretty therapeutic. Plus, theres less equipment involved, less mechanical failure points, and no electrical patterns.
I started doing it this way a few days after they installed my smart meter.
Foil hat status.
I've been doing it this way for a couple years now and the regularity of it all is pretty therapeutic. Plus, theres less equipment involved, less mechanical failure points, and no electrical patterns.
I started doing it this way a few days after they installed my smart meter.
Foil hat status.
Attachments
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
**FacePalm**
Sorry I didn't ask before... your problem is bacterial. Main reason I don't do RDWC is because of all the nooks and crannies bacteria love to thrive in. I like a simple open tub with a couple airstones, veeery little for them to grow in.
Big-Toke was really big on having a living bacteria load to combat pH drop. Do you have the lava rocks and such he recommends? If you're serious about keeping this system, I would strongly recommend looking at keeping worm bins.
Make regular teas from high quality worm castings and add it to your res. You're basically going to breed tons of beneficial bacteria and use them to control the bad stuff.
