Bubbleponics Nutrient Solution Question/Fox Farm Feeding schedule

I'm having a hard time understanding the water change/add times and corresponding it with the Fox Farm Hydro feeding schedule.

For example week 1-2 is the same amount of nutrients, but what do I do when the water level gets low? So I would assume throughout the week the water level will become lower everyday, as the water is being used by the plants, and evaporation. Do you top off the reservoir everyday, or do you leave it until week two? I hear people talk about "Topping it off and checking PH", which i guess makes sense, but wouldn't you be slowly weakening your nutrient solution by doing this, dilouting it?

When week two comes around do you look at your calibrated mark in the reservoir (6 gallons for the bubblepoinics system), add the correct amount of water, and nutrient according to the feeding schedule?

What am I missing??

Well, for experienced growers, they use a PPM/PH meter to fine tune the solution, as well as looking at plant symptoms to see what kind of nutrient deficiencies they are having.

But, for me, since I'm too lazy to do that, lol... Depending on the size of the system & grow op, I change the whole nutrient solution every 5 to 7 days, and it works fine for me.

nightstalker said:

Well, for experienced growers, they use a PPM/PH meter to fine tune the solution, as well as looking at plant symptoms to see what kind of nutrient deficiencies they are having.

But, for me, since I'm too lazy to do that, lol... Depending on the size of the system & grow op, I change the whole nutrient solution every 5 to 7 days, and it works fine for me.

Click to expand...

So, as the week goes on, and the water level gets lower, do you just leave the water level, or do you "top it off", as the water level gets lower?

Every week it appears you add new nutrient solution, according to the Fox Farm schedule.

Mr.Bob Saget said:

So, as the week goes on, and the water level gets lower, do you just leave the water level, or do you "top it off", as the water level gets lower?

Every week it appears you add new nutrient solution, according to the Fox Farm schedule.

Click to expand...

Yeah I think you just top up your water levels and change to new nutrient solution every 7 days.

Now if you use a PPM meter when the water levels get low you can top it up by adding water and maybe a little bit of nutes to correct your PPM?

I was wanting to know the same thing ( if you top off with water or a nutrien solution).

Roseman explains start nutes, draining and replenishing here, but I'm still a little unclear myself.
https://www.rollitup.org/dwc-bubbleponics/7897-stealth-hydro-bubbleponics-systems-1040.html

I'm using Grow big hydro, tiger bloom, big bloom, and cal-mag...but not as yet...they are barley sprouting.

Mongobud said:

I was wanting to know the same thing ( if you top off with water or a nutrien solution).

Roseman explains start nutes, draining and replenishing here, but I'm still a little unclear myself.
https://www.rollitup.org/dwc-bubbleponics/7897-stealth-hydro-bubbleponics-systems-1040.html

I'm using Grow big hydro, tiger bloom, big bloom, and cal-mag...but not as yet...they are barley sprouting.

Click to expand...

Well it took me about 12 weeks, but I think I got it figured out. I purchase a EC/PH meter after awhile, but I added straight water through out the week (PH balanced), and then after I got the EC meter, I was able to add nutrients along. I changed the water every week without the meter, every other week with the meter.

What other questions do you have?

To grow in DWC you really need a PPM/EC/PH meter. At a minimum a Ph meter and go light on the nutes to be safe.

As the plant takes up nutes the PPM and at times the Ph will change; you need to be aware of where your at "at".

Only the meter will tell you. You do not want the plant to be telling you that you burned the shit out of it. Then you have to flush and get a PPM under 200 and start over again with fresh nutes.

So where should my ppm be using 4 gal of 1/4 strength per gal. I'm also supplementing with a little superthrive and cal-mag.

Tank temp is around 68-70 deg

Also do you use big bloom for seedlings?

I suppoae that means what I do is hella bad. Even tho they seem pretty healthy. Do have some leave symptoms but I ono what they are.

I just top off every week or so n don't ever change resevoir unless its when I swap from veg to flower. N when I top off I use same as called for nute strenght n all that. N ph.

You have to be careful by not changing out your nutrient solution. As the plants uptake nutrients they use some nutes more than others. So you can add nutrients to raise your ppm level but you still end up having nutrient defficiencies. Say you start off your tank at 320 ppm with all your nutrient levels good. So the first week... say your plants use 10% more phosphorus than nitrogen. So when you top off your reservoir and bring your ppm level back up you aren't making up for the lack of that extra 10% phosphorus that was used. So the next week it does the same thing and so on... over time you'll start to developers a phosphorus deficiency even though you have maintained the correct ppm. So it's always best to change out your nutrient solution every week without a ppm meter or every two weeks if you are just adding to the solution and checking your ppm levels.