Hydro nutrient conundrum

[sillyputty]

Growing indoors using 400w MH and baby bloomer hydro system. Everything I've read says to use high nitrogen during vegetative and high phosphate/potash for flowering. However, when I switched to a flowering formula (with 12 on/12 off) the plants did poorly and buds were small. I first tried General Hydroponics maxibloom (5-15-14), then went to a grow store and asked for the best bloom nute and was told to buy a $50 Supernatural Bloom Aqua (11-8-18), with the same results. So I switched back to the grow nutes (General Hydro Maxigrow 10-5-14) and so far budding has increased. I keep ph around 5.5 - 6.3. Any ideas on what's going on?

 

[Smokemupm8]

Hi mate, i am not a not 100% as i dont use a full hydro setup, only the light
But you may want to check your PPM. And what temps and Rh is your set up usually around???
Id be careful of switching nutes too much as if there is a build up of nutrients you may get lock out.. And plants do require Nitrogen, during flower stage, tho not as much as it used to. Toward the end of cycle you can basically cut it out all together,as P and K become more used by the plant.
So use a bloom solution as you have, and just let her settle for a while.
How far away from harvest mate???
Take it easy, Smokemup.

 

[sillyputty]

I've not used a PPM meter. Is there one your recommend? Temps are around 80 and below, with a few days in the 90s. Did you mean Ph? I keep it around 5.5 - 6.3.

 

[Jimmycricket]

No he meant a PPM meter. Its quite important for hydro. Not so much for us soil growers.

11-8-18 is a horrible ratio for flowering. I also can not believe they didnt recommend you advanced nutrients when you said you wanted the best and didnt care about the price. As Smokey said you want fairly low nitrogen in comparison with the PK. You can basically cut it completely out in the 5th or so week or flowering almost entirely.

Also a MH bulb is not for flowering (unless its one of those new super MH bulbs that cost a shitload) MH is a veg bulb. for flowering you should be switching to a HPS. LED or t5 can be used too in the right spectrum with good results as well but HPS is the easier of the 3 to gain big yeilds from. If you are trying to flower with a MH thats why your buds are small.

 

[Smokemupm8]

No he meant a PPM meter. Its quite important for hydro. Not so much for us soil growers.

11-8-18 is a horrible ratio for flowering. I also can not believe they didnt recommend you advanced nutrients when you said you wanted the best and didnt care about the price. As Smokey said you want fairly low nitrogen in comparison with the PK. You can basically cut it completely out in the 5th or so week or flowering almost entirely.

Also a MH bulb is not for flowering (unless its one of those new super MH bulbs that cost a shitload) MH is a veg bulb. for flowering you should be switching to a HPS. LED or t5 can be used too in the right spectrum with good results as well but HPS is the easier of the 3 to gain big yeilds from. If you are trying to flower with a MH thats why your buds are small.

Hey Jimmy,
Sorry.. I stole your knowledge of PPM advice and used it to help some one else Always good to pass on helpful info!!
Your advice here should help get him on track!
Goodluk Silly hope all grows well for you. Smokemup..

 

[sillyputty]

I must disagree about the MH. I've produced good budding - had to tie them up - with MH.