Anyone growing in perlite? Results?

[Porky101]

Never grown in perlite, only coco. Sorry if I missed it. How often are you feeding and at what ph?

Check these ratios...
View attachment 4611110

Rough guidelines...

Ca should be 1/2 to 2/3rds of K ppms

Mg should be 1/2 of Ca ppms

P should be 1/2 or less of Ca ppms

VEG:
Up to equal ppms N and K

FLOWER:
N can be as low as 1/2 K ppms

If it were coco.....I would be feeding up to 6 times a day @ 6.0ph, 1.6ec/800ppm.

I suspect you have been feeding too high EC and not often enough.

View attachment 4611113

I'm feeding once per day with PH6 EC 1. 8-20EC


Some of my plants are sitting in 2.8EC water and no sign of burn. Only deficiencys.

Why would I get lockout instead of burn? It seems like either my plants need a more than I'm used to amount of food or my nutes are causing lockout?

 

[Porky101]

I'm feeding once per day with PH6 EC 1. 8-20EC


Some of my plants are sitting in 2.8EC water and no sign of burn. Only deficiencys.

Why would I get lockout instead of burn? It seems like either my plants need a more than I'm used to amount of food or my nutes are causing lockout?

I have an idea to test my nutrients! I'll plant a clone in coco.

If it grows fine in coco then it means all my ferts are there but my ratios are wrong. Coco will feed the plant and the cec will allow the coco to hold onto the ferts.

If I do get deficiency in coco then it means the ferts must be missing completely?

 

[DaFreak]

I would never even think about doing drain to waste with perlite, seems like you're asking for a lot more work then just using pro-mix or coco. I used perlite for many years with Hempy but it really has little water retention.

 

[TintEastwood]

I'm feeding once per day with PH6 EC 1. 8-20EC


Some of my plants are sitting in 2.8EC water and no sign of burn. Only deficiencys.

Why would I get lockout instead of burn? It seems like either my plants need a more than I'm used to amount of food or my nutes are causing lockout?

Here's some techno info on Osmosis.

Understanding Osmosis and EC - Coco For Cannabis - Science

Learn how EC, PPM & TDS affect plants. Understand osmosis (how the plant absorbs water) and why it is critical to measure EC/PPM when you fertigate.

www.cocoforcannabis.com

Feeding once a day is almost certainly a huge part of the problem. I assume you are flood feeding from the top until runoff. Slow feed flow would also be a negative.

When salts accumulate on perlite, there is no way to know what nutes are included, or not included in the accumulation......so when you feed, the fresh feed salts combine with the now, partially? dissolved perlite salts, creating a who-knows-what nutrient recipe for the roots to absorb - and @ who-knows-what PH.
Just a suspicion on my part.

 

[Budzbuddha]

When I run 100% perlite ( hempy ) or 3:1 perlite / vermiculite mixes ..... I used to use Dynagro and got great one nute grows start to finish. However it’s shelf life is questionable as it routinely has elements fall out of solution ( chunky bits at bottom ) after some shelf time.

Now I find GH MAXIBLOOM a better ( powdered ) nute for entire run.
Better than Megacrop .

 

[Porky101]

can you upload here some?
needs a google account to open.

These plants are growing well. I was feeding them an EC of 1.8-2.0

 

[Porky101]

When I run 100% perlite ( hempy ) or 3:1 perlite / vermiculite mixes ..... I used to use Dynagro and got great one nute grows start to finish. However it’s shelf life is questionable as it routinely has elements fall out of solution ( chunky bits at bottom ) after some shelf time.

Now I find GH MAXIBLOOM a better ( powdered ) nute for entire run.
Better than Megacrop .

View attachment 4611418View attachment 4611422View attachment 4611423View attachment 4611425

Looking good. What EC you running?

 

[Porky101]

Here is another pic.

I'm sure it's mag Def. Adding 0.2 Epson should fix it?

 

[Porky101]

Chlorosis between veins. Magnesium?

 

[.Smoke]

Add 4ml CalMag per gallon every feed.
Feed daily to 30% runoff. Don't worry about measuring it.

Drop your Ph to 5.8
Constant 5.8

I run perlite/vermiculite hempy.



Journal link in signature if interested.

 

[Porky101]

Add 4ml CalMag per gallon every feed.
Feed daily to 30% runoff. Don't worry about measuring it.

Drop your Ph to 5.8
Constant 5.8

I run perlite/vermiculite hempy.
View attachment 4611942
View attachment 4611943
View attachment 4611946
Journal link in signature if interested.

What is your ec you feed?

Here is a plant in week two flower. Slight yellowing between veins.



Why do I get burn on the side of the leaf? Is this actually a deficiency?




Looks like cal mag?

This appeared after I added Epson





I fed today ec 1.7

 

[Porky101]

Add 4ml CalMag per gallon every feed.
Feed daily to 30% runoff. Don't worry about measuring it.

Drop your Ph to 5.8
Constant 5.8

I run perlite/vermiculite hempy.
View attachment 4611942
View attachment 4611943
View attachment 4611946
Journal link in signature if interested.

I want to try lower my nitrogen so I don't want to add more calmag. That's why I'm only adding mg but if it need the cal then I'll add it to the mix.... But I do have too much N it seems...

 

[.Smoke]

I agree you have too much N. I cant say if just Epsom will fix it. I feed @ 2.0 ec. But, I know I have my Ca/N/Mg ratios correct also.
If the Epsom doesn't work, I'd cut back feed to around 1.4ish and add the CalMag.
Best of luck.

I want to try lower my nitrogen so I don't want to add more calmag. That's why I'm only adding mg but if it need the cal then I'll add it to the mix.... But I do have too much N it seems...

 

[cobshopgrow]

the new burned edges can be K related, in relation to the Mg or simply overfertilized.
NOT sure at all.

the brown spots look more like calcium to me, while you give a lot allready.
no real idea, wildly guessing.

You can lower your calcium nitrate to get the nitrogen lower and if you want more calcium use calcium sulfate (gipsum).
You can also try to simply go to 90ppm nitrogen and accept the lower level of Ca.
Maxibloom on RO water should have still less Ca, compared to.

 

[Porky101]

I agree you have too much N. I cant say if just Epsom will fix it. I feed @ 2.0 ec. But, I know I have my Ca/N/Mg ratios correct also.
If the Epsom doesn't work, I'd cut back feed to around 1.4ish and add the CalMag.
Best of luck.

Mind sharing your CA/N/MG ratios?

 

[.Smoke]

Mind sharing your CA/N/MG ratios?

I don't break things down enough to know the ratios, but feed on my last grow was...
4ml/gal CalMag
Mega Crop 1 part 4grams/gal for veg that I bumped up to 6g/gal in flower.
Ph'd @ 5.8
Some tap water some RO. Didn't see a whole lot of difference but I didn't get the RO until the last month.
I've found if you feed like the nute recommends and mix your Calmag first it all seems to work out ok. Maybe chemists do know a little something

 

[Porky101]

I don't break things down enough to know the ratios, but feed on my last grow was...
4ml/gal CalMag
Mega Crop 1 part 4grams/gal for veg that I bumped up to 6g/gal in flower.
Ph'd @ 5.8
Some tap water some RO. Didn't see a whole lot of difference but I didn't get the RO until the last month.
I've found if you feed like the nute recommends and mix your Calmag first it all seems to work out ok. Maybe chemists do know a little something

What EC of Calmag are you adding?

The formula you have linked too looks like my flower feed. My Veg feed has more N than K. Maybe I should use my flower food + cal mag?

 

[.Smoke]

What EC of Calmag are you adding?

The formula you have linked too looks like my flower feed. My Veg feed has more N than K. Maybe I should use my flower food + cal mag?

No clue what 4 milliliters Calmag per gallon comes out to EC wise. Just know that's how much I put in.

 

[Porky101]

No clue what 4 milliliters Calmag per gallon comes out to EC wise. Just know that's how much I put in.

Which calmag brand are you using? I can tell you if you link me to it.

I'm thinking of increasing bloom nutes as K helps to decrease availability / lock out N. Maybe that will help me lower my N. I'm going to try add some bloom booster and increase ph a bit.

 

[TintEastwood]

Ref


Bloom city 2-0-0 per ml
N 5.3
Ca 5.3
Mg 1.6


1-3-2 is a common bloom NPK ratio. Jacks 10-30-20 for example.

What is your NPK ratio?