lookntoimpruv
New Member
I am not sure as to measure PPM of nutes. Is there a device that is affordable? I use soil and do not want to over do it but want to push it as far as I can. Can someone help me with this?
How to harness PPM?
- Thread starter lookntoimpruv
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$80-$100 will get you a nice PPM meter. I just purchased a Hanna PPM meter, I really like it. From my experience it is worth every penny. As a new grower I didn't think I really needed one, and thought they were too expensive. I was completely wrong.
I now know what I was doing wrong by testing my PPM. Too much, too little you name. Turns out when I thought I would be in the 1200 range (by the labels on the nutes stating ppm of dosages) I was probably at 1900!
Buy one. It makes it so much easier to pinpoint mistakes...or prevent them for that matter.
BootUmAll
Well-Known Member
Yard Dog, you just check the water your adding or the run off or what? I am an experienced Hydroponics grower and testing nutes and PH in hydro is a cinch. I am now expanding my horizons and moving to dirt. I'm using Happy Frog Natural and Organic. I have Techniflora as well as House and Garden nutes (full line) and am curious as to how I go about this. Any advice is greatly appreciated
Hi Boot, yes check the ppm of the nutrient mix before watering. Testing PPM of runoff is a great idea when you flush your soil for the first time. This is a good way to check if you're over feeding. If your runoff comes out higher in ppm than you had been feeding, odds are it's being overfed.
PH is not quite as important in soil as it is in hydroponics. The soil buffers it some. A good soil like FF should be fairly PH stable, especially for the first month or so. If your mix has a PH of 5-7 during veg, and 6-7 during flower, you should be good. I like to test (not adjust) my PH before watering, then test my runoff to compare.
For example, when I watered the other day my mix was 700 ppm with a ph of 5.2. My runoff PH came up to 5.9, now I know I'm good.
BootUmAll
Well-Known Member
What was the PH of your feed?
imho, your ph listed is low. fine for hydro, low for soil. should be in the 6.3 to 6.8 range. as far as checking run-off ppm, not necessary. you should also consider dolomite with your soil. jus' sayin....
imho, your ph listed is low. fine for hydro, low for soil. should be in the 6.3 to 6.8 range. as far as checking run-off ppm, not necessary. you should also consider dolomite with your soil. jus' sayin....
I've read the strict PH ranges here on some other posts. Some reading I've been doing lately (not on the internet) states adjusting PH in good soil shouldn't be necessary. He states 5-7 during veg, and 6-7 during flower. For soil, coco, hydro, etc.
I think checking the ppm of runoff when you flush is a good idea. It's a good way to gauge if you're overfeeding. Not the final flush, it would be too late at that point.
I'm not arguing with you, Hogdady, you grow amazing cannabis, you obviously do things right
Quick question on hydro PH...why should it be lower than in soil? I understand the PH needs to be in a precise range in hydroponics.
I don't have personal experiance with this, but my understanding is that in hydro, the plants rely on the solution to supply the needed nutrients, so you have to maintain the solution pH at a point where the best balance of nutrients are soluble. In soil, some of the nutrients are held in the soil components, and later released. So the pH at which the nutrients are most soluble, the ones that are only availible to the plants via the solution , is a bit higher.
BootUmAll
Well-Known Member
imho, your ph listed is low. fine for hydro, low for soil. should be in the 6.3 to 6.8 range. as far as checking run-off ppm, not necessary. you should also consider dolomite with your soil. jus' sayin....
Add Dolomite to Happy Frog? What about nutes in water?
I don't have personal experiance with this, but my understanding is that in hydro, the plants rely on the solution to supply the needed nutrients, so you have to maintain the solution pH at a point where the best balance of nutrients are soluble. In soil, some of the nutrients are held in the soil components, and later released. So the pH at which the nutrients are most soluble, the ones that are only availible to the plants via the solution , is a bit higher.
Got it!
Dolomite has a natural PH of 7, so yes by adding to the Happy Frog it will basically auto adjust your PH, for the most part.
There is a certain type to stay away from, but I can't remember which. Hogdady will know.
Dolomite, or also known as garden lime, is essentually calcium magnesium carbonate. As YardDog says, it has a neutral ph. When amended into your soil, it acts as a buffer to ph swings. As you can see by it's composition, it also adds Calcium and Magnesium to the soil. These are essential micro-nutrients that many growers encounter as a defiency in their garden.
Hydrated lime should be avoided, as it is a little to hot for your garden.
Disclaimer: Not all gardeners advocate dolomite in soil.
BootUmAll
Well-Known Member
When you all speak of testing the run-off when you flush. I understand this linguistic phraseology I'm just wondering, how often do you flush? Every time you water? How often do you water? This from hydro to soil transition should be simple? with me, not so much.
In reference to run-off, this is not a practice that is specifically tied to flushing. Flushing is done at different times by different gardeners. Some flush at the flip, some flush pre-harvest, and some flush when problems are encountered.
For clarification, flushing is the act of running water only thru the pot (3-5 times pot capacity) to help release the build-up of salts.
Testing your run-off is a means of accurately checking the ph of your soil. This is accomplished by measuring the ph of the initial water that flows from the drains of your pot when feeding. The ph value of your run-off is compared to the feed mix ph, and should be relatively close to it's ph.
BootUmAll
Well-Known Member
In reference to run-off, this is not a practice that is specifically tied to flushing. Flushing is done at different times by different gardeners. Some flush at the flip, some flush pre-harvest, and some flush when problems are encountered.
For clarification, flushing is the act of running water only thru the pot (3-5 times pot capacity) to help release the build-up of salts.
Testing your run-off is a means of accurately checking the ph of your soil. This is accomplished by measuring the ph of the initial water that flows from the drains of your pot when feeding. The ph value of your run-off is compared to the feed mix ph, and should be relatively close to it's ph.
Good Info Hogdaddy. Thank you very large. As I move from 100% Hydro to 50% hydro 50% soil Do you follow nutrient manufacturers recommendation for additives in your soil? Can I expect soil grows to be significantly cheaper in chemical cost than hydro?
I know I know but I've been told the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!
Sorry, my friend. I'm a dirt farmer so I wouldn't be able to answer those questions...
BootUmAll
Well-Known Member
Sorry, my friend. I'm a dirt farmer so I wouldn't be able to answer those questions...
Certainly you can answer that question. If I start with Happy Frog Organic/Natural, plan for an 8 to 9 wk veg and bloom (Tot. 18 wks.)
How would you nurture your soil through out the grow. With Hydro your plants get a 100% reservoir change every 7 days. Leaving a plant in its the exact same medium for an entire grow is going to be an easier affair if I can incorporate someone's (such as yourself) help in assuring a successful transition.
I'm not a teacher, I'm not an expert, I just know what has worked for me. Any information that I present would be based solely on that. Not to mention that there are many growers here that are far more experianced than myself. That said, I would be more than willing to help out as I can.
BootUmAll
Well-Known Member
I'm not a teacher, I'm not an expert, I just know what has worked for me. Any information that I present would be based solely on that. Not to mention that there are many growers here that are far more experianced than myself. That said, I would be more than willing to help out as I can.
Sounds like a plan. I currently have a clone room, Veg room and Bloom room.
My next grow will be 3 Hydro and 2 in Happy Frog. I use CFL's for clone and veg.
For Bloom I use 3ea. 600 watt HPS
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lookntoimpruv
New Member
Hogdady, if you dont mind me asking, what soil and nutes you like the best and would you let me know what you think about this set up?......Ocean forest soil, general hydro grow,micro,and bloom, along with fox farm solubles. Also how much dif. is a hortilux hps compared to a reg sylvania hps.
