How did my plant do that? TDS/EC numbers through roof

[Green thumb lou]

Hello everyone. I am kinda going to approach this with the intentions of getting some real lessons from you all. Let me start by saying I had absolutely no idea what a TDS or an EC Meter was at all till I made the mistake and ordered that instead of a ph meter. Well after a little research I gave it a try. Well first try was showing 8000ppm and 11500ish EC. Of course this explained why I felt like my plant was struggling. Huge flush later I had numbers of 300 and 540 and I figured it was good. Plant responded well even with a nutrition change. So I basically stopped worrying about it till came close to harvest time. I had Increased run off through growing to avoid high numbers. Well again I am 3000ppm and 4500ish my minds blown!! I am confused. I am missing something. My plant is at final stages and looks awesome. So to end it off I believe that I should get those numbers as close to going in as coming out. Today numbers going in from tap is 55 ppm and 106 EC. And out is finally at 110ppm and 234 EC so I must be perfect for harvest right? I am gonna harvest tomorrow as my gut says yes and I think my pics do too. Any input on what I am doing good or bad would be appreciated. Yes I must tell you I am using coco Coir / perilite / top dressing Gaia Green dry amendments and worm molasses tea weekly.
I really believe I am still making lots of mistakes but I don’t know if they are good or bad ones. Thanks everyone. Please check out my journal for pics as I am not trying to advertise i am try to be better a better grower Cheers, Lou

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Are you talking runnoff at those numbers?

If so disregard checking runnoff

2nd calibrate your meters with a known substance

11k ec is unrealistic

 

[Green thumb lou]

That is exactly what the number says @Chris Scorpio Everything is correct in what I listed above. Today my intake with ph water was 66 ppm and 140 EC. Floats between 50-70 for tap and 100-125 EC. And those out numbers are what they are. That’s why I am asking how sir

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Again

Don't test runnoff, means nothing

 

[Green thumb lou]

@Chris Scorpio I have re tested over and over. Intake and out take. This is a big reason how I question how myself. So please bear with me. I am learning still and I am no expert. So I will take any constructive criticism. But I am a smart dude and have a good understanding. Maybe not on fergation or the process but try to. And the numbers are what they were and I am positive of that.

 

[Green thumb lou]

Again

Don't test runnoff, means nothing

When you wanna flush at harvest? You sure? Did you read all of my post? I explained up today. And wanting to harvest tomorrow. I took your advice on watching the buds for browns not the sugar leaves. Done that. Things look great now. So I want to finish. And you say those numbers for outflow don’t mean nothing? Hmmm

 

[Green thumb lou]

And I must say @Chris Scorpio i harvested my baby plant at 270ppm and 475 EC. Tastes Great smokes clean. So If you have an explanation why please feel free to explain. But to chime in a say I am wrong and they mean nothing is an example of your sarcasm taken the wrong way.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

I was not sarcastic

I simply stated runnoff EC means nothing to dictate the health of a plant, same as runnoff pH

But yer good, I'm not here to make friends, just try and help the willing

Good luck

 

[Green thumb lou]

You never said it like that. And I was under the understanding that run off is extremely important when flushing. I understand you grow different then I do. But when you flush do you follow a TDS? Or do you believe a final flush is not needed? I wanted and explanation on why is my weed growing and working with those numbers. not at they are wrong response. And if it wasn’t sarcastic then I felt it wasn’t received well and for someone who is so well known here could be a little better than saying I’m wrong. Thanks.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

I never flush now


My point is, flushing and checking runnoff tells you nothing, may get a pocket of salts this time, next no salts, etc etc etc
So testing runnoff means nothing scientific to determine , well, anything, it's toooooo random

Flushing, 3x pot size, durring grow , to push out any excess salts is good
Starving plants if nutes prior to harvest isnt good
Flushing day before harvest, won't really do much either

Yer plant is doing good based on how it's uptaking nutes and watering

What goes in is not a reflection of what comes out

 

[Green thumb lou]

Awesome. That’s a wonderful explanation thank you. I have definitely done the flush in the middle for the nutrient problem I caused. I was real concerned that I had to fix those at the end. My first grow I felt like I didn’t flush enough. Second I was so much better and used final flush. And now I changed nutes and don’t want to wreck medium with chemicals as I wish to re use it. That’s why I was hoping to understanding if I am the right ball park with the TDS and EC. Thank you for a better explanation Chris

 

[Green thumb lou]

Another reason I am so concerned about tds and Ec is I am having 440ppm and 600 EC outflow on my white widows. Wondering if that’s my problem on slow growth and weird changes between two

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Sooooo

Again, runnoff EC means diddly, I assume when u say outflow you mean runnoff

 

[Green thumb lou]

Sooooo

Again, runnoff EC means diddly, I assume when u say outflow you mean runnoff

Lol. Yes. Can you lead me in the right direction on fixing my problem please

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Partially no, yer using that Guia Green time release in Coco, so no clue how it works, but I do suspect you get hot spots of nutes with it

Besides that looks like a Calmag issue, maybe up that a bit

 

[Green thumb lou]

Appreciate that Chris. I apologize for bantering with you. I know you know your stuff. I hope you will continue to help me in the future. Have a nice day

 

[TurboBucket]

Your worrying about stuff that doesn't matter and continuing to worry about it after being told not to lol.

I don't flush. I use plenty of runoff with each Irrigation cycle. I don't measure run off. What goes in is what's important.

If you have success with the Gaia stuff cool. But I don't like the idea of top dressed Coco. You need your nutrient solution throughout the container, if your nutrients are at the top and only have a fraction of a second to be absorbed and carried down into the medium how evenly distributed is it?

 

[Green thumb lou]

Your worrying about stuff that doesn't matter and continuing to worry about it after being told not to lol.

I don't flush. I use plenty of runoff with each Irrigation cycle. I don't measure run off. What goes in is what's important.

If you have success with the Gaia stuff cool. But I don't like the idea of top dressed Coco. You need your nutrient solution throughout the container, if your nutrients are at the top and only have a fraction of a second to be absorbed and carried down into the medium how evenly distributed is it?

Good morning. Yes I asked same question twice. Thought they may be different with finishing a plant and with a struggling plant .Appreciate the input. Thank you