yes letting the coco dry out too much will cause wild ph swings,best to keep it moist, i too have ruined a few by lazy neglect
Yesterday I went to work and noticed a small og kush clone in the tiny 1L airpot. It was wilted with two others. So I made up some solution for em and two of three bounced right back. After an hour I noticed the one not picking back up and I a$$umed I forgot to water her the time before so shes gone and went to hell in the burn barrel. Luckily I needed to cull a lil more cause I still have more plants than I have lights for.