I'm overwhelmed. Questions about Reservoir-/Nutrient-Management and how Plants take up Nutrients.

RookieMuffin said:

The last days my EC stayed pretty stable. Then I've increased the light intensity... Now my EC has raised so I lowered it.

Looks like EC should be lowered when light is increased. Theres some websites on the net who say that too...

Do you guys observe this behavior too? When increasing light intensity the EC has to be lower and when light intensity is lower the EC can be higher?

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Too many other variables like temp, humidity or air flow that affect EC levels by affecting evapotranspiration. The EC could be rising because there's more heat with higher wattage and poor ventilation; everything in a grow is interdependent and the sooner you start thinking about it as a holistic system where you consider every factor, the easier/less confusing growing becomes.

And what do you think of increasing light intensity bit by bit at all? Years ago when people had no dimmer on their light they used full 400W HPS on their vegging seedlings from day 1... So why increasing at all? Could just start high right away with a low EC feeding so it stays stable... What do you think about that?

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The old rule of law thumb was you needed 1/4 of the light in veg as in flower, growers have always moderated the wattage based on growth which is what's skews your example. This is why it's better to focus on learning the horticultural science instead of relying on info online.

RookieMuffin said:

The last days my EC stayed pretty stable. Then I've increased the light intensity... Now my EC has raised so I lowered it.

Looks like EC should be lowered when light is increased. Theres some websites on the net who say that too...

Do you guys observe this behavior too? When increasing light intensity the EC has to be lower and when light intensity is lower the EC can be higher?

And what do you think of increasing light intensity bit by bit at all? Years ago when people had no dimmer on their light they used full 400W HPS on their vegging seedlings from day 1... So why increasing at all? Could just start high right away with a low EC feeding so it stays stable... What do you think about that?

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I would not turn my light down if my ec was fluctuating.
Maybe if the plant was under stress , but I prefer to use my spoton for that just to eliminate one more thing.

Yes the ole mh and hps lights , just plug and go.
As long as it doesn’t touch the bulb your good, with proper air movement.

Your last idea about starting light high could also be a good idea, some notes I picked up along the way.

Once put under light , raise light and crank up maybe directing light to deflect off walls to tell small plants it’s going to get bright, then work my way down

Baby them

Observe and adjust

No wilting, light green is too much.

Watch for momentum.

Don’t touch.

Enjoy and good luck with your grow.

some pics of the plant and the roots would help

Somatek said:

Too many other variables like temp, humidity or air flow that affect EC levels by affecting evapotranspiration. The EC could be rising because there's more heat with higher wattage and poor ventilation; everything in a grow is interdependent and the sooner you start thinking about it as a holistic system where you consider every factor, the easier/less confusing growing becomes.



The old rule of law thumb was you needed 1/4 of the light in veg as in flower, growers have always moderated the wattage based on growth which is what's skews your example. This is why it's better to focus on learning the horticultural science instead of relying on info online.

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The environment didn't change a lot at all so idk I think it's the faster uptake of water since light intensity was increased. I'll keep an eye on the res over the next few days!

smokey0418 said:

I would not turn my light down if my ec was fluctuating.
Maybe if the plant was under stress , but I prefer to use my spoton for that just to eliminate one more thing.

Yes the ole mh and hps lights , just plug and go.
As long as it doesn’t touch the bulb your good, with proper air movement.

Your last idea about starting light high could also be a good idea, some notes I picked up along the way.

Once put under light , raise light and crank up maybe directing light to deflect off walls to tell small plants it’s going to get bright, then work my way down

Baby them

Observe and adjust

No wilting, light green is too much.

Watch for momentum.

Don’t touch.

Enjoy and good luck with your grow.

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Thanks I'll observe how that goes! Right now they don't wilt at all! And the new growing leaves look good to me. They were very deficient some days ago and I've changed the res and fed more nutrients but by now the new growth that's coming looks good and the deficiencies didn't get worse over time.

rkymtnman said:

some pics of the plant and the roots would help

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Right know I can't give you pictures of the roots. Later I can upload some more pictures. Right now it's just what I have.

Keep in mind that these plant had very bad deficiencies. 4 Days ago they looked worse and were not growing anymore. By now all of them are growing again! Comparing them to the pictures in my other thread 4 days ago you would see that they recovered and started to grow again. Even the smallest plant who got deficient and didn't grow anymore about 3 weeks before the other plant! I know comparing these pictures the deficiencies went on but they stopped 2-3 days ago after changing the res!

Biggest plant 4 days ago (from the other thread)


Biggest plant now


Smallest plant 4 days ago (from the other thread)


Smallest plant now

Dr.Dave56 said:

Dr. Bruce Bugbee and Sean over at Migro discuss optimum light intensity for cannabis in terms of PAR and micromols/second. You'll need a quantum meter to measure the PAR that you're giving your girls. If you have a lux meter, you can convert that to a PAR # +/-.

Veg is like 250-600 umols/sec, early flower - 601-750 umols/sec, late flower is 751-1600 umols/sec.

I push 650 umols in veg, to 750 at the flip and an average of 800 to 1,200 across the entire canopy for the duration through harvest.

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Right now I don't have a quantum meter but I'll convert it. In one video he also said that they can push even seedlings very hard if the environment is good.

Right now I'm stuck with converting and observing how the plants feel.

Boatguy said:

View attachment 5245654

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Thanks I already know that table. Strange that there is a 420mag watermark... The original came from somewhere else lol

what is your nute regimen?

and what are you using to prevent root rot?

is that white lid on your container light-proof? i also saw a clear airline that would be better in black silicone

rkymtnman said:

what is your nute regimen?

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General Hydroponics Flora 3 part and Cal/Mag because I use distilled water.

rkymtnman said:

and what are you using to prevent root rot?

is that white lid on your container light-proof? i also saw a clear airline that would be better in black silicone

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Nothing to prevent it other than no light and low temps. Yes it's light proof. The clear airline is outside the tank coming from the air pump. The airline that goes into the tank isn't clear.

RookieMuffin said:

General Hydroponics Flora 3 part

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u
what ratio? i think 1;1;1 is a really good veg ratio. looks like they could use a bit more Mg. do you have epsom salts? 1 gram per gallon should fix that up

i would also think about something for root rot: peroxide, chlorine, beneficial bacteria, etc. you're asking for trouble by not using anything

rkymtnman said:

u
what ratio? i think 1;1;1 is a really good veg ratio. looks like they could use a bit more Mg. do you have epsom salts? 1 gram per gallon should fix that up

i would also think about something for root rot: peroxide, chlorine, beneficial bacteria, etc. you're asking for trouble by not using anything

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I've edited my post. I already feed cal/mag more after the deficiencies started. Always when I don't add cal/mag (or not enough) the deficiencies start and after adding cal/mag they stop so yeah it was a Mag deficiencie due to distilled water.

1:1:1 is the first true leaves schedule from the bottle. I use the grow schedule by now! at about 50-60% strength.

I think beneficial bacteria would be my choice out of that list... Can you recommend something?

RookieMuffin said:

I've edited my post. I already feed cal/mag more after the deficiencies started. Always when I don't add cal/mag (or not enough) the deficiencies start and after adding cal/mag they stop so yeah it was a Mag deficiencie due to distilled water.

1:1:1 is the first true leaves schedule from the bottle. I use the grow schedule by now! at about 50-60% strength.

I think beneficial bacteria would be my choice out of that list... Can you recommend something?

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instead of feeding cal/mg to fix a mg issue, use epsom salts instead. any grocery store has them . you are adding more N and more Ca to fix only Mg

i use southern ag garden friendly fungicide. same stuff as hydroguard but much cheaper and stronger

i use 1;1;1 until i flip to 12/12 for flowering. just increase EC but ratio stays same

rkymtnman said:

instead of feeding cal/mg to fix a mg issue, use epsom salts instead. any grocery store has them . you are adding more N and more Ca to fix only Mg

i use southern ag garden friendly fungicide. same stuff as hydroguard but much cheaper and stronger

i use 1;1;1 until i flip to 12/12 for flowering. just increase EC but ratio stays same

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Will check out epsom salt method!

Ok cool will take a look into the fungicide and the beneficial bacteria in general! Thanks a lot!

Wow really the 1:1:1 ratio through veg? And when you flip to 12/12 you use the preflower schedule and then the flower schedule? Nothing bad happens using the 1:1:1? Sounds a little easier without calculating the right ratios... 1:1:1 is easy.

RookieMuffin said:

the fungicide and the beneficial bacteria

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depends what you can get where you are at. there are many brands of bacteria products for hydro

RookieMuffin said:

Wow really the 1:1:1 ratio through veg? And when you flip to 12/12 you use the preflower schedule and then the flower schedule?

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i actually use the Lucas formula after the stretch phase for the rest of flowering. it's even easier: 1:2 ratio of micro to bloom (no grow formula) .

rkymtnman said:

depends what you can get where you are at. there are many brands of bacteria products for hydro


i actually use the Lucas formula after the stretch phase for the rest of flowering. it's even easier: 1:2 ratio of micro to bloom (no grow formula) .

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Do I have to look for specific bacteria? Like do you have some names of bacteria that is in your formula?

Ok yeah I know the lucas formula for nearly 8-10 years or so cant remember exactly. Was using it back in the day too... Want to use it soon again since I got good results with it!

Ok so you use the lucas formula but after the stretch so about 3-4 weeks after switching to 12/12? Sounds good you like your results? I will use the lucas formula too soon. Do you go full strength 8/16?

RookieMuffin said:

...snip...

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eventually you'll stop worrying about this stuff, that will *never* be answered here, and just get the basic stuff right. The secret knowledge is that it's all about the roots, get the roots right and everything else should follow.

RookieMuffin said:

Like do you have some names of bacteria that is in your formula?

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bacillus amyloliquefaciens

yummy fur said:

eventually you'll stop worrying about this stuff, that will *never* be answered here, and just get the basic stuff right. The secret knowledge is that it's all about the roots, get the roots right and everything else should follow.

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Thank god I'm already calmer after I got help at RIU! I'll keep the roots in my mind and try to make them happy!

rkymtnman said:

bacillus amyloliquefaciens

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Thank you I'll be looking into this and other root bacteria products and will choose whatever I'll have available!

RookieMuffin said:

Thank you I'll be looking into this and other root bacteria products and will choose whatever I'll have available!

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I use hydroguard. It was the most readily available to me and works fine.

Boatguy said:

I use hydroguard. It was the most readily available to me and works fine.

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So that's what you recommend to keep the good bacteria killing the bad bacteria? I think I've read hydroguard in a store already so seems to be available too!