What do most hydro growers run their EC at?

[Bennyweed1]

Im new to this hydro game. What are most growers maxing out at EC wise? My meter converts 500ppm to 1.0 EC.

So far everytime I exceed 700ppm or 1.4 EC, my plants and roots do not like it.

Being new to this game I gotta keep telling me self less is more.

And yes, I know it is strain dependent and different for all phases of growth. I am looking for a broad consensus.

 

[forgetmeplease]

My opinion is that for a nubi you are right on target. Pay attention to the plants leaves and roots. Like you said different strains have different abilities and tolerances. Some strains don't like it above 1.2 and some can take it as high as 3.0. You will also have to determine what works best for your system. Also when the plant has access to the nutrient solution all the time like dwc and others the ec must be lower. Again this is just my opinion, different environmental conditions and water quality will have to be factored in to the equation also.

 

[FlowerFarmer]

Under HID lighting I've never had a problem hitting my plants @ 1.8 - 2.0 EC from clone through flower.


When growing straight water culture / hydroton I would see deficiencies otherwise.
This was running FloraMicro & FloraBloom as per Lucas's ratio/teachings.


I'd say if you're running straight hydro in which you don't have a media like rockwool or coco to hang onto your nutes/salts you'd be safe pushing to about 1000 ppm @ .5 conversion. Nutrient retaining medium I'd run less.

Let your EC meter tell you what's happening though.

EC rises + dropping pH = your feeding a bit too strong. Plants are consuming more water then nutes and leaving behind a more concentrated solution. Dilute with RO water (no nutes).

EC dropping fast + pH rising = you might be feeding a hair weak. Add more nutes.

EC pretty much stays the same as water volume drops + pH gradually rising = Great! plants are consuming as intended and a equilibrium is sort of met between EC vs. water level/volume.


//

Broad consensus in my book.
1.0 EC veg (T5 lighting) / 2.0 EC flower (HPS lighting)

or

1.8 - 2.0 across the board if well rooted/healthy plants under HID lighting their entire life.

 

[TheCleanGame]

---snip---

 

[rangergord]

I keep it way down in soiless mix but in hydro with inert media I run 1.2-1.6 EC 600-800 ppm. Less is more and I find they stop feeding when I go higher than 1.6.

 

[Andyo]

agread

agread

I keep it way down in soiless mix but in hydro with inert media I run 1.2-1.6 EC 600-800 ppm. Less is more and I find they stop feeding when I go higher than 1.6.

yep 1.6 ec is the point i found in ebb/flow buckets hydroton

 

[LAION]

max 1.5EC

 

[noodles05]

i found it useful to look up the brand of nutrients your using online.
most of them have a nutrient calculator online, and an ec feeding program displaying the number of weeks in both veg and flower.
you watch your ladies accordingly, and varie strength.
always watch the ph also

 

[rangergord]

Yes I use the AN nutrient calculator. The problem is the calculators are designed to sell fertilizer. AN bloom schedule starts at 1200ppm or 2.2 EC. Far too high for soiless mix and far higher than needed in flood and drain. I cut the calculator results in half and go from there. Using the calculator is the best way to get the relative ratios of your base nutrient along with the ridiculous number of supplements.

 

[cannaera]

2.0 ec, 1000 ppm on 500 scale. at 5.8-6.3 ph if soilless, 5.5-6.0 if full hydroponic.

 

[TheCleanGame]

---snip---

 

[Crooked8]

In rockwool i run flood and drain at up to 1.8-2.0ec. In dwc i run 1.4-1.5 tops. 1.0-1.2most of the time.

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

As flower farmer says, the aim is to get your reservoir, in a recirculatung system, to have the same EC once it has had a days running..

If your EC drops over 24h, you should raise it a little, if it rises, you should run it lower.

This way there are no great swings in EC.

This I believe is a good thing, look at commercial greenhouses growing Tomatoes etc. They have complex, expensive machines to adjust the EC and pH constantly, they do not do this for fun... Clearly extensive scientific research has shown that swings are not good for their crops, so I take it that they are not good for mine.

 

[TheCleanGame]

---snip---

 

[Crooked8]

I go from 5.8-6.2 across the weeks. Weeks 1-2(5.8) 2-4(5.9) 4-5(6.0) 6-7(6.1) 8-9(6.2) this has always given me my best results and im on my ph game daily.

 

[cannaera]

I go from 5.8-6.2 across the weeks. Weeks 1-2(5.8) 2-4(5.9) 4-5(6.0) 6-7(6.1) 8-9(6.2) this has always given me my best results and im on my ph game daily.

odd technique I know of it vice versa, start higher ph to asorb more nitrogen, and as flowering matures start lowering the ph, that way p and k are asorbed as the plant needs those two most during this time, also the last week the lights should be cut in half, the lower light levels help to get excess chlorophyl out and the plant helps convert everything to higher sugars (brix) giving better burning tasting bud, flushing with enzymes and humic acids also works wonders.

i am very interesting in ph increase during last few weeks of flower as compared to decreasing it.

 

[gonzo`]

odd technique I know of it vice versa, start higher ph to asorb more nitrogen, and as flowering matures start lowering the ph, that way p and k are asorbed as the plant needs those two most during this time, also the last week the lights should be cut in half, the lower light levels help to get excess chlorophyl out and the plant helps convert everything to higher sugars (brix) giving better burning tasting bud, flushing with enzymes and humic acids also works wonders.

i am very interesting in ph increase during last few weeks of flower as compared to decreasing it.

hmm i've been told to start at a low pH and increase it too... I get you on the higher N part but P K S MG CA are all less available at lower pHs... So your way is actually making those elements less available??

 

[cannaera]

hmm i've been told to start at a low pH and increase it too... I get you on the higher N part but P K S MG CA are all less available at lower pHs... So your way is actually making those elements less available??

guess it just depends on what ph you run and if your hydro,soilless, or soil. such as example if you were soil i would not see raising up to 7.0 in the last weeks to be as productive as to dropping it to a 6.5 range.. depending on your method of growing i would have to say that raising ph on the end if full hydroponics might hold some truth, I would like to see some tests on this thow, I feel in soilless peat that if ran at a 6.3 ph most flower and dropping it to 5.8 by the finish of flower, I always grow rock dense buds that come in heavy on the weight. I also have tried some pyramiding, starting 6.3 lower to 5.8 gradual, and near last two weeks start bringing it back up to 6.1 range.

 

[Crooked8]

The reason for the increase in ph over time is because of the correct macros being available at the ph i mentioned. Pk is more readily available at higher ph. N is more available at lower ph. Im prett sure about this. I dont think your dense nugs were a result of lower ph.

 

[CaStoner]

I'm at 2.0 E.C just started flowering mode under T5's