Cs Late Driving Anyone Elses Ph Down?

[slimjimham]

Trying to see if the cs late is driving anyone else's ph down?

I've only run it on two crops... still pretty new to hydro/uc

But both times I've run it i start at 5.8 and the next day when i check the ph is like 5.4 or 5.3... then i ph it back to 5.8 or close, and it drops again... and the cycle pretty much continues, it might go stable after a few days but it'll keep on dropping... it was at 5.0 when i checked it today, was prob about 5.5 yesterday and didn't want to fuck with it since i knew i was going to flush the next day (assuming correcting the ph too much is bad)... so i just drained it and added back 5.8 ph'ed water...

When i talked to them about it at cultured solutions they were trying to tell me i must have a root issue but they look health and happy to me... I'll look closer when i pull em down in a few days... but this happened exactly the same way to a t both times, both systems running different plants.

Also how long do you guys flash for? I've been doing it 3/4 days before cut and seems to be very smooth

 

[DapperDon]

I don't do a flush. It's flawed and bad science that does nothing. There is something in your system that is not buffering right. Can you tell me more about your system, nute schedule, and the environment that you grow in?

 

[Owlfarm]

I think it's a root health issue. Plants in the undercurrent can look perfectly fine and healthy, but usually when the ph starts dropping like that it's a sign of the root health suffering. Especially towards the end of a run the roots are larger and have been sitting in water a long time and are prone to rot. Maybe next run use more sterilizing solution like cs roots, or h202, or the pool shock formula. If roots are getting really bad the only thing I have found to turn them around is a microbe tea.
When you chop the plants examine the roots carefully, and touch them. Ideally they should be bright white and have the consistency of a healthy moss or something. If they are brown and slightly sludgy, or pull apart super easy thats a root issue.
You can also keep your nutrient solution temps lower to fight root problems. I've been keeping mine at 65 and below...

 

[slimjimham]

I'm using the uc4xl system, running all of cs products without the early bloom, using 1/2ml calimagic per gallon. I follow the schedule pretty closely. When I'm going to change the system i believe the ph was slowly swinging up, then rez change with cs late and the ph drops...

The guys at cch2o said i should add it to my topoff water and introduce it that way, but currently i don't use top off res's, i just add 5-10g to the epi when needed.

I think ill do the 13g top off res' s for each System in a float in the near future

The environment is like 74* with canopy temp at maybe 78*

I use a fujitsu minisplit, 1k light per 4xl system.... fairly sealed room with no co2 added (have the sentinel ppm2 just don't use it, co2 reading in the room is around 350 ambient i think...) some fresh air comes on through the unsealed spots on lights when not winter time

 

[Wavegem]

You are adding to much boost. And never put anything directly in the epicenter dilute it down first. Do you even need calmag?

 

[DapperDon]

I'm using the uc4xl system, running all of cs products without the early bloom, using 1/2ml calimagic per gallon. I follow the schedule pretty closely. When I'm going to change the system i believe the ph was slowly swinging up, then rez change with cs late and the ph drops...

The guys at cch2o said i should add it to my topoff water and introduce it that way, but currently i don't use top off res's, i just add 5-10g to the epi when needed.

I think ill do the 13g top off res' s for each System in a float in the near future

The environment is like 74* with canopy temp at maybe 78*

I use a fujitsu minisplit, 1k light per 4xl system.... fairly sealed room with no co2 added (have the sentinel ppm2 just don't use it, co2 reading in the room is around 350 ambient i think...) some fresh air comes on through the unsealed spots on lights when not winter time

Are you using RO water? I feel that UC setups run better in a sterile system. However I am not sold on CS's line of nutes and other products like "Roots". I like the way that bleach runs its course with a regular dosage compared to anything else out there.

 

[slimjimham]

Im using tap at 30ppm, i did a hydroponics water test and everything came out good...

Whats the dosage of bleach you use?

And i get that the cs schedule is a recommendation but you think I'm using too much boost and that's the issue where I'm following the schedule?

What nutes are you using don and and what ppm's (same as cs reccomends)

 

[DapperDon]

Even though your test result came back good, get an RO filter and build it back with CalMag. On your next rez change, try using 1 mL of Clorox Bleach regular unscented / not splash guard for every 50 gallons instead of UC Roots. After about 10 days you should have a very clean system and very happy and healthy plants. Nevermind with the boosters or any additives.

 

[slimjimham]

The bleach, do you just add it back every 10-14 days when you do a complete res change? Can i see some pics of your plants to see how the plants look... im curious how they are doing with just a/b and calimagic....

And Don you never said what nutes you use that i recall/ what ppm you run them at

 

[DapperDon]

The bleach, do you just add it back every 10-14 days when you do a complete res change? Can i see some pics of your plants to see how the plants look... im curious how they are doing with just a/b and calimagic....

And Don you never said what nutes you use that i recall/ what ppm you run them at

I like to keep my feeding schedules very very simple. I use RO that has been PH adjusted to 6.0 that sits in a 55G chilled and aerated system with a UV sterilizer to evaporate the Chlorine from the city for 24hrs. It is also floomed from the bottom as well as a waterfall from the top for maximum DO. I use Cal Mag Plus then GH Flora Series Micro and Bloom and PH Down to get it back to 6.0 @700ppms and that is it. I add the bleach back every rez change @ 10 days as I find that around the 10-14 day mark when the PH starts swinging around that my desired ratios are not going to be balanced even with top off and add backs so I like to keep it running smooth and change it @ 10 days. My Flowering System is only 48 gallons when full with a PH swing of 5.8 - 6.2 @ 65-67 degrees F.

 

[slimjimham]

So those plants have been harvested, when i looked at the roots they looked good, not great.... a bit of a light cream color but right away when i pulled the root mass out i saw a little like stringy thin bacteria thing.... hard to explain, almost like a little piece of snake skin that was shed if that makes sense.

I did get lax on the uc roots at the end, thinking everything was good... and i only add back to the amount of water in putting in.

So I'm in 4xl systems, about 30 gallons of water, so if i add back 5 gallons of water i only add enough uc roots for that 5 gallons (10ml)

But i believe they said the stuff dissipates in the water after like 7 days, and i was running my systems for 20 days (I'm gonna try doing change outs every 10-14 days to see if it's better...)

But after day day 10 I'm thinking i should add back more uc roots, like 40ml to a 5 gallon top off one time every 10 days (if i run my systems 21 days till change again)

What do you think?...


I'm thinking the uc roots is the most expensive so if i gotta add that back at a full res dose, might as well change the whole system.

I just found 2.5g cs flower a&b for $85 each w/ free shipping and like $365 for 5g uc roots... does this sound like a good price?

Thanks!

Overall assessment is it wasn't the cs late i don't think... (that stuff doesn't seem to fully dissolve when i mix it in... although most does)

 

[COCOAKUSHXBLUE]

So those plants have been harvested, when i looked at the roots they looked good, not great.... a bit of a light cream color but right away when i pulled the root mass out i saw a little like stringy thin bacteria thing.... hard to explain, almost like a little piece of snake skin that was shed if that makes sense.

I did get lax on the uc roots at the end, thinking everything was good... and i only add back to the amount of water in putting in.

So I'm in 4xl systems, about 30 gallons of water, so if i add back 5 gallons of water i only add enough uc roots for that 5 gallons (10ml)

But i believe they said the stuff dissipates in the water after like 7 days, and i was running my systems for 20 days (I'm gonna try doing change outs every 10-14 days to see if it's better...)

But after day day 10 I'm thinking i should add back more uc roots, like 40ml to a 5 gallon top off one time every 10 days (if i run my systems 21 days till change again)

What do you think?...


I'm thinking the uc roots is the most expensive so if i gotta add that back at a full res dose, might as well change the whole system.

I just found 2.5g cs flower a&b for $85 each w/ free shipping and like $365 for 5g uc roots... does this sound like a good price?

Thanks!

Overall assessment is it wasn't the cs late i don't think... (that stuff doesn't seem to fully dissolve when i mix it in... although most does)

ph usually drops in my system if 1: root zone is rotted like mentioned 2: your feed is to strong; be sure to watch if your ppms as your ph sways...if ppm rises and ph drops your feed is to strong.. if ppm drops and ph rises your feed is weak.... if my ph is dropping dramatically i usually rez change with fresh nutes... when you find your sweet spot without swaying set your top feed w the same amt of nutes and ph....i personally like to set my top feed up +200ppm than whats in my system and 6.0 ph to give plants a stronger feed as they are replenishing from the top feed... i rarely go over 500 ppm in veg and 850 ppm in full bloom but thats what works for me i still have plenty to learn, only been running uc for 3 years and still pushing to make my harvests better!

 

[FooDoo]

ph usually drops in my system if 1: root zone is rotted like mentioned 2: your feed is to strong; be sure to watch if your ppms as your ph sways...if ppm rises and ph drops your feed is to strong.. if ppm drops and ph rises your feed is weak.... if my ph is dropping dramatically i usually rez change with fresh nutes... when you find your sweet spot without swaying set your top feed w the same amt of nutes and ph....i personally like to set my top feed up +200ppm than whats in my system and 6.0 ph to give plants a stronger feed as they are replenishing from the top feed... i rarely go over 500 ppm in veg and 850 ppm in full bloom but thats what works for me i still have plenty to learn, only been running uc for 3 years and still pushing to make my harvests better!

Solid advice.

Quick question if I may, do you dump the stew every week?

 

[COCOAKUSHXBLUE]

Solid advice.

Quick question if I may, do you dump the stew every week?

In veg i pump out my nutes about every 2-3 weeks...in flower i rez change everytime i add something to my nute lineup.. I also do changeouts when i feel like my topfeed isnt going down as fast as usual...

 

[FooDoo]

In veg i pump out my nutes about every 2-3 weeks...in flower i rez change everytime i add something to my nute lineup.. I also do changeouts when i feel like my topfeed isnt going down as fast as usual...

So I always add in thru the epi and keep plain ro in the rez, but I'd really like to try the method you use.

So say day 1 veg I load the system up with 200 TDs stew, in the rez I'd mix 400tds stew. Then what? You just let them eat for 2-3 weeks off that mix and at the end of veg you dump?

What about say week 5 bloom. Usually 450 TDs is the sweet spot for me. Would I do 450 TDs in the system and 650 TDs in the rez. And at the end of week 5, would I dump the system AND rez or just dump system, put leftover rez into system and remake ro for rez to nute?

 

[DapperDon]

What is the difference between what is in the system and this "top feed" you speak of?

 

[COCOAKUSHXBLUE]

What is the difference between what is in the system and this "top feed" you speak of?

when i say topfeed i mean my res that is gravity feeding into my epi ..sorry

 

[DapperDon]

So you have a rez for your rez?

 

[FooDoo]

In 3 weeks I start my cornbread grow and will be attempting to feed thru rez instead of epi.

Only reason I like the idea better is because I can steal pre made nute stew from the rez for my rockwool pheno hunting table and won't need to mix small batches anymore.

Hopefully it works out better than topping off with ro and adding back thru epi

 

[DapperDon]

I'm not following you. What is a cornbread grow? And what benefit is there to feeding from the rez that feeds the Epi? I don't get why everyone growing in UC makes this harder than what it needs to be.