Need advice flushing Coco-coir perlite - Big pH and salts spike 4 weeks in

[ZuluLaunch]

I'm having an issue with my 1st grow, I'm 5 weeks in now and the run-off from 1 of my plants has spiked, pH and ppm going in is 5.8 and 1200, the run-off though is at 7.1 and 2500ppm

The medium is a promix from my local store, it's 50/50 coco perlite with some extras. It's supposed to be pH neutral too.
Coco Peat, Perlite, Turbo Grow, Dolomite Lime, Rock Phosphate, Powdered Kelp, Mycoroot, Diatomaceous Earth, Trichoderma & Worm Castings.

I've read and read and read and even though people recommend flushing to resolve this no one can tell me what I should be flushing with, I've tried pure water, on some bad advice, and not much luck.

I'm using EHG liquid nutrients to feed. at 3/4 recommended dose.

I've read that if the coco is shocked with pure water(pH 5) it starts dumping salts. I'm guessing after my attempt to flush with 15l of pure water it might have hurt more than helped.

Any advice welcome, I was meant to switch to flowering last week but want to get this sorted before I do

 

[Old Salt]

Flush with water pH adjusted to 6.0 and FloraKleen to draw out the salts.

The extras make this almost a soil grow. Are you also experiencing nutrient burn?

An image of your plants makes it much easier to diagnose problems. You should use this format to ask for help:
Strain:
# of Plants:
Grow Type:
Grow Stage:
Pot / Bag Size:
Lights: n/a
Nutrients:
Medium:
PPM:
pH:
RH:
Solution Temperature:
Tent Temperature:
Tent / Grow Room Size:
Pests:

 

[Bonsaiweed]

Welcome to the forum

I'm sure the group can come to some kind of conclusion to get your problem fixed.

 

[Bonsaiweed]

Flush with water pH adjusted to 6.0 and FloraKleen to draw out the salts.

The extras make this almost a soil grow. Are you also experiencing nutrient burn?

An image of your plants makes it much easier to diagnose problems. You should use this format to ask for help:
Strain:
# of Plants:
Grow Type:
Grow Stage:
Grow Cage Size:
Lights: n/a
Nutrients:
Medium:
PPM:
pH:
RH:
Solution Temperature:
Tent Temperature:
Tent / Grow Room Size:
Pests:

We posted at the same time.....I had to edit...

Thanks @Old Salt .....looks like you have an answer

 

[Old Salt]

BTW:

to the forum...

 

[Pennywise]

3/4 may be to hot, in soil I wouldn’t advise not flushing just run ph water through the pot

 

[HigherTheHigh]

Never flush while your growing in coco as it destroys the environment, dont worry about your run of neither iv had plants that have had 8-10k ppm run off, if anything just do a 1/4 strength of nutes for a few days then gradually build back up, iv just recovered 2 plants from an N deficiency by only giving 1/4 strength.

Flushing with plain water makes the plant actually store more salts, so instead just ween them down and rebuild back up.

The only time you should ever give just plain water is at final flush for harvest and even then you should use a flush agent or a very weak solution buddy.

 

[ZuluLaunch]

Flush with water pH adjusted to 6.0 and FloraKleen to draw out the salts.

The extras make this almost a soil grow. Are you also experiencing nutrient burn?

An image of your plants makes it much easier to diagnose problems. You should use this format to ask for help:
Strain:
# of Plants:
Grow Type:
Grow Stage:
Pot / Bag Size:
Lights: n/a
Nutrients:
Medium:
PPM:
pH:
RH:
Solution Temperature:
Tent Temperature:
Tent / Grow Room Size:
Pests:

2018-04-15 21.01.06.jpg

• ZuluLaunch
• Apr 19, 2018

Strain: Grapefruit
# of Plants: 1
Grow Type: Indoor
Grow Stage: week 5 veg
Pot / Bag Size: 10L
Lights: 600W LED
Nutrients: Liquid fertaliser
Medium: Coco coir / perlite
PPM: 2400
pH: 7.0
RH: ?
Solution Temperature: 20C
Tent Temperature: 24C
Tent / Grow Room Size: 2x3ft
Pests: none

 

[ZuluLaunch]

Never flush while your growing in coco as it destroys the environment, dont worry about your run of neither iv had plants that have had 8-10k ppm run off, if anything just do a 1/4 strength of nutes for a few days then gradually build back up, iv just recovered 2 plants from an N deficiency by only giving 1/4 strength.

Flushing with plain water makes the plant actually store more salts, so instead just ween them down and rebuild back up.

The only time you should ever give just plain water is at final flush for harvest and even then you should use a flush agent or a very weak solution buddy.

Thanks, that's the kinda info I've been looking for. Will try flushing with weak solution till pH and ppm in run-off drop

 

[HigherTheHigh]

I would not worry about ppm run of, im in my final flush and my ppm is just over 3000, feed just till 10% run off.

 

[BigBearNTexas]

If your soil is pH neutral, that means it measures at a pH of 7, which seems to be what you’re seeing. pH neutral doesn’t mean “doesn’t affect pH”.

We tend to run cannabis in acidic medium, rather than neutral. What could be happening is that some of the soil components are now breaking down and becoming more available and that’s why you are just now seeing the pH rise up to 7.1. I suspect the lime in the mix, since lime is basic.

 

[dakotamoon]

I'm having exactly the same problem, I put four germiated seeds in my fresh coco coir, only one plant lived till today.. the runoff from the plants is something like 1400 ppm.. I'm flushing with distilled water. My only way of going forward is to flush, till ppm's go down, and see if mung beans will sprout ..

the ph of the runnoff is: 6.8

Thanks

 

[BigBearNTexas]

If you’re using the brick type coco, most people will rinse the coco to get rid of any salt build up first. I hydrate mine in a cal-mag solution, and then mix in about 50% perlite. I haven’t had any issues with germination, but then I start mine in 100% perlite until they have a couple nodes and then transplant.

 

[Old Salt]

All coco bricks are not created equal. Coco Earth is not milled very well. It has chunks of the husk in it, and is poorly washed. It takes a fair amount of work to prepare it. I use the CANNA Coco Bricks. These are well milled, and washed. I've never had a problem with them. Trying to go cheaper with the Coco Earth 5Kg bricks was a big mistake.

I started my seeds by drowning them in water two weeks ago. Today they are about 12-13cm or 5" tall with four nodes.

 

[dakotamoon]

Thanks old salty, I wasn't trying to go cheaper - the mall town I live in had run out of normal coco .. I really wanted Canna Coco .. but there was none to be had, I drove an extra half hour just to find these bricks.

 

[Old Salt]

The availability of the Canna Coco Bricks in my area could generously be described as "spotty at best." I've got half a dozen packages stored so that I don't get caught short again. I've done the same with all of my supplies. Yes, it hurt to build up stock, but not having it when needed is not an option.

 

[dakotamoon]

Wise advise, Salty.