skillet12
- 19
- 3
Hey yall,
Someone suggested to move this discussion to a new thread to keep it from cluttering the original. Here's some context:
A bit cluttered but this is where we're at. I'm mainly concerned about the medium ph and feed requirements at this point. I'm not able to fertigate daily per the schedule so I'm not sure they're fed enough. Feeding/watering will be easier once roots can reach the bottom and the autopots turn on.
Cheers!
Someone suggested to move this discussion to a new thread to keep it from cluttering the original. Here's some context:
Hey, coincidentally I've been using roots soilless for almost the same amount of time and with the same nutrient schedule (high fertigation) that you have. I'm a bit confused with this medium.
It seems like it holds a lot more water and compacts more than what I assume just coco and perlite would. I've noticed that after transplanting to larger containers, daily watering made everything droopy, slowed, and wrinkly until I started letting them dry for longer and eventually moved them into fabric pots.
The other confusing thing about it is that my runoff is always around 7.0-7.3 ph while the feed going in is 5.8-6.0 ph.
ppm of fert mix is around 630 and the source water is 1/2-3/4 of distilled water with the rest being tap water with a ph around 8.0 and ppm of 250-300
I'm running off the same schedule as op with GH flora trio, armor si, calimagic, diamond nectar, amino acids, and yucca. edit: forgot to mention I need to ph down with phosphoric acid bringing it from 6.5-7.5ph to 5.8-6.0ph
I'm waiting on a soil hydro-thermometer but air temperature stays at 73-76 F at night and at an rh of 55-60%. I've been concerned about soil temp but pots are slightly elevated in autopots (not on yet) with a rug separating the tent from the wood floor.
I'm worried more about the worm castings having bad air retention than coco. It seems like there's a lot of it but its hard to tell. I can go back to daily fertigating but they've been showing signs of over watering since transplant. It's hard to know what direction to go.
By treating it like soil, I just mean that I wasn't going to fertigate everyday until the plants fill the containers better. Eventually they'll be fed from the bottom when the roots are long enough to drink from the autopot basins so being underwatered won't be a problem by that point. They'll drink as much as they want
It gives the benefits of a soilless grow while still letting me spoon feed whats needed or dilute feed instantly.
Im in fabric pots so oxygen flows through all sides. When plants are fed from the bottom, the top medium drys and allows for constant airflow for breathing oxygen at the top of the roots. They are in gravity-filled basins so the root tips are always in water. It's similar to kratky but with a richer medium.
I forgot to mention that the ones in the larger containers have had a good bit of purple on the joints between stems and branches that seem to worsen after watering if they haven't dried enough. Could be phosphorus def but I need a pretty good dose of phosphoric acid to get the ph down so I doubt its that. The runt in the 1gal has never changed stem color but watering before it dries makes the new growth wrinkly and water logged. Purple may be genetic but its unstable so im doubting its the main reason.
Water temp has been pretty good so far but this week I've been extra aware to feed with cool/lukewarm water to mitigate shock. I'm honing in on all the little things to keep everything stable while I treat a bit of IV chlorosis. Its hard to tell if its root shock (2nd container was poorly chosen ending with transplant shock after moving to final fabric pot) ph or nutrient def/toxicity so I'm taking it slow and steady.
I'm still not sure what to think about the medium ph though. The medium always buffers to about 7.0 when testing runoff and medium ph. Its possible that the chlorosis is from a lack of iron, zinc or another mineral that needs a lower ph to be taken up. Did you mention that source water could somehow cause this even after ph-ing?
I tried buffering before even using the medium but regardless I assumed it would eventually acidify to my usual feed ph. I don't know what else it could be. The feed in the reservoir stays pretty stable after sitting for a couple days so I doubt its that. I understand that plants and microbes will buffer ph as they eat and create food for each other but I don't know exactly how that effects the ecosystem. The runt is going into a 5gal soon with a different coco perlite and peat mix so I can see if it behaves any differently. I wish I added peat at the beginning to hold a little acidity or just went straight coco and perlite.
A bit cluttered but this is where we're at. I'm mainly concerned about the medium ph and feed requirements at this point. I'm not able to fertigate daily per the schedule so I'm not sure they're fed enough. Feeding/watering will be easier once roots can reach the bottom and the autopots turn on.
Cheers!