Normal Ph Flux or Problem?

So with every single run I have done in my garden, Ive always had to add PH down to lower the Ph level in my hydro garden. This time thou...As my plants are growing...Im adding the same type of regular tap water to my REZ...but before I add any nutrients I always check my levels...PH and PPM. Since I started this run...I ve never had to add any PH lower..The Ph level has been staying around 5.3 to 5.6...normally on all my other runs...I keep it at 5.5= so this is just as good and I dont have to any Ph lower...

This just comes as odd to me since I add about a gallon to two gallons of water to my plants per day durring any given run....

Also..on other runs..I would add water and the Ph level would go up a bit..and I would be forced to add Lower just to keep it level or within the ball park...


So what do you guys think about this low and stable ph level?

i have found 2 major reasons for this issue. the first in the presence of beneficial or hostile nematodes eg trichoderma/root rot. the second is when plants feed so much that the ph stays stable or close too. i would stay between 5.5 and 5.8 for optimal conditions

hey med man, i agree with you, but this post is almost a year old =) as mine mature they drink up water and nutes faster, plants that take up more water than nutes leave behind a higher salt content throwing off PH and giving higher TDS reads, this i have found on my own. if this is the case, lower the nute load till the TDS readings stay the same or even get lower so you will know the plant is taking up as much water and nutes. medman i gotta toss you some rep for that, too often people believe its water quailty, rather than having a higher nutrient concentration causing PH flux

sorry man, you are 100% right, i have exactly the esame things. what i do is the more they grow, the more water i add to stablize the ppm and ph in the rez. assuming you dont do this already: running fresh water for 24 hrs every res change does wonders for your plants and irrigation lines ie salt build up

another underated aspect of a successful grow is what you had just eluded to, maintanence flushing...all too often people wait for a problem to happen before trying a flush. i took a look at your gallery, impressive setups you run