Aqua Man
- 26,480
- 638
I just came home and started to fill the tank further with RO water. My tap water has an EC of 0.8. The solution in my tank is also 0.8 and the pH has been stable all night. So, I’m not going to add tap water. I’m using RO water untill I get a EC of 0.7.Yeah I'm gonna say the 400 ppm is prob fine. 300 is my feeling.
The 50/50 is not only for minerals and buffering but also reduce the amount of RO since it creates waste water.
The nutrients will mix absolutely fine in tap or tap/ri mix.
If using the 50/50 and want silica then go with a silicon dioxide as that form is ph neutral and will eliminate the needing to mix at high ph. The 59/50 SHOULD eliminate the need to add additional buffering.
Nkw when we are talking ppm of nutrients it's just that nutrients only. 300ppm increase to whatever you are adding it to.
For eg. Your do 50/50 ans starting ppm is 150, add silicon dioxide to say 220ppm then you add the 300ppm of nutes. You will finish at 520ppm.
Ppm can be a confusing thing even when sharing between experienced growers because there is no one way it's used.
Generally we talk in terms of total ppm of NPK and micros. Extras that we add like silica are usually excluded. Fast explanation of why.
Total ppm when you measure say a slurry test of an organic amended soil can be 3000 to 4000. Ppm measure the total dissolved solids it does ot however tell you what they are and while some contributions to nutrients many do not.
Ok in hydro not the same but same principle. Not everyone uses say silica, fulvic, aminos, enzymes, bacteria etc. A of which can contribute to ppm but not necessarily NPK or micros so they don't have an impact on nutrient ratios or atleast minimal.
Eg. someone use a single source base nute may have a ppm of 300 and someone else using all the additional products may have 600ppm but both may have the same NPK and micros. Where if the guy using only base was at 600pm you will see toxicity from the high NPK. Example not actual numbers.
Ppm is a good guide but all things need considered as to what the makeup of it is. Some water sources are ok at 300ppm but other may not be.... it depends what it's made up of. Generally 300 will not be good due to the high content of something in it but not always.
What if you want to use mono Silicis acid based Silica? It won't help you at all for a basic solutionYeah I'm gonna say the 400 ppm is prob fine. 300 is my feeling.
The 50/50 is not only for minerals and buffering but also reduce the amount of RO since it creates waste water.
The nutrients will mix absolutely fine in tap or tap/ri mix.
If using the 50/50 and want silica then go with a silicon dioxide as that form is ph neutral and will eliminate the needing to mix at high ph. The 59/50 SHOULD eliminate the need to add additional buffering.
Nkw when we are talking ppm of nutrients it's just that nutrients only. 300ppm increase to whatever you are adding it to.
For eg. Your do 50/50 ans starting ppm is 150, add silicon dioxide to say 220ppm then you add the 300ppm of nutes. You will finish at 520ppm.
Ppm can be a confusing thing even when sharing between experienced growers because there is no one way it's used.
Generally we talk in terms of total ppm of NPK and micros. Extras that we add like silica are usually excluded. Fast explanation of why.
Total ppm when you measure say a slurry test of an organic amended soil can be 3000 to 4000. Ppm measure the total dissolved solids it does ot however tell you what they are and while some contributions to nutrients many do not.
Ok in hydro not the same but same principle. Not everyone uses say silica, fulvic, aminos, enzymes, bacteria etc. A of which can contribute to ppm but not necessarily NPK or micros so they don't have an impact on nutrient ratios or atleast minimal.
Eg. someone use a single source base nute may have a ppm of 300 and someone else using all the additional products may have 600ppm but both may have the same NPK and micros. Where if the guy using only base was at 600pm you will see toxicity from the high NPK. Example not actual numbers.
Ppm is a good guide but all things need considered as to what the makeup of it is. Some water sources are ok at 300ppm but other may not be.... it depends what it's made up of. Generally 300 will not be good due to the high content of something in it but not always.
500. Never looked at using it but can when I get a break.What if you want to use mono Silicis acid based Silica? It won't help you at all for a basic solution
What scale are you using for PPMs?
If you're a fan of Silica it will blow your mind. But I've seen Facilitor go fo $1 a ml. In Canada. Power Si has a good reputation, but ive had issues with solubility, and cloudiness when adding it. It will cloud up quite a bit in my tap water. I'm using MSA Stout from Alchemist right now. I think I like it... I need to give it some time. The first time I used Facilitor I grew my first 1 pound plant. I'll never use Potassium based again500. Never looked at using it but can when I get a break.
I use potassium silicate as a buffer. The form plants uptake silicon is silicon dioxide.If you're a fan of Silica it will blow your mind. But I've seen Facilitor go fo $1 a ml. In Canada. Power Si has a good reputation, but ive had issues with solubility, and cloudiness when adding it. It will cloud up quite a bit in my tap water. I'm using MSA Stout from Alchemist right now. I think I like it... I need to give it some time. The first time I used Facilitor I grew my first 1 pound plant. I'll never use Potassium based again
It increases all sorts of stuff. Plants are physically bigger.I use potassium silicate as a buffer. The form plants uptake silicon is silicon dioxide.
Never heard of it increasing yields though
Hmm I can see it reducing the reduction in yield for many different reasons. But can't see it increasing them in any significant manner.It increases all sorts of stuff. Plants are physically bigger.
Btw, here are some photos of my lights. What are your thoughts about the hight difference between the 600W lights and the 900W light? The 900W light is currently around 30cm higher. I can adjust the lights with chains. But they all are connected to the wooden structure and are ease adjustable, all at the same time. Adjusting the hight individual is a bitch tho.Hmm I can see it reducing the reduction in yield for many different reasons. But can't see it increasing them in any significant manner.
It's light intensity you need to find out. Lux meter (cheap) par meter (mid) quantum meter (not cheap)Btw, here are some photos of my lights. What are your thoughts about the hight difference between the 600W lights and the 900W light? The 900W light is currently around 30cm higher. I can adjust the lights with chains. But they all are connected to the wooden structure and are ease adjustable, all at the same time. Adjusting the hight individual is a bitch tho.
I’m going to use rope to get the wires of the lights. For heat prevention, but I just need to be sure first that the difference between the 900W and 600W lights are good. I’m gonna do some research.
Urgent problem showed up. For some reason my air filter isn’t working. It blows air but nothing comes out of the airstones. I checked for leaks everywhere and I’m going to continue doing that for awhile. I did a 12h test run and it worked fine. I was amazed at how much air came out of the stones giving how little air was being pumped. But now no air comes out. When I did the test run and I stopped the airpump. I saw that water was getting in to the air hoses that lead to the air stones. I was supprised becaus the water had to get higher then the water level in the pots. I emmeadietly started the air pump and got the airstones out of the pots/water. And let the pump work the water out. After a couple of houres They were still working. I disconnected the main hose from the airpump to make sure no xater would get into it. But today it wasn’t working.It's light intensity you need to find out. Lux meter (cheap) par meter (mid) quantum meter (not cheap)
I use an app on my phone just for reference but learning to read the plants eliminates and need and they are all only capable of reading the intensity and not what the plant wants.
You need to put the pump above the water. I would install a 1way check valve also they are cheap. Don't shut air off when the stones are in the water.Urgent problem showed up. For some reason my air filter isn’t working. It blows air but nothing comes out of the airstones. I checked for leaks everywhere and I’m going to continue doing that for awhile. I did a 12h test run and it worked fine. I was amazed at how much air came out of the stones giving how little air was being pumped. But now no air comes out. When I did the test run and I stopped the airpump. I saw that water was getting in to the air hoses that lead to the air stones. I was supprised becaus the water had to get higher then the water level in the pots. I emmeadietly started the air pump and got the airstones out of the pots/water. And let the pump work the water out. After a couple of houres They were still working. I disconnected the main hose from the airpump to make sure no xater would get into it. But today it wasn’t working.
so my question, can my clones survive 2 days in the system. Without airstones? While I wait for my next stronger pump?
edit: I just putted them in the water at the same time, and it worked perfectly. I feel kinda stupid.
Thanks. I have a follow up question.You need to put the pump above the water. I would install a 1way check valve also they are cheap. Don't shut air off when the stones are in the water.
I use potassium silicate as a buffer and just grew a 2.5 plant indoors without any silica.If you're a fan of Silica it will blow your mind. But I've seen Facilitor go fo $1 a ml. In Canada. Power Si has a good reputation, but ive had issues with solubility, and cloudiness when adding it. It will cloud up quite a bit in my tap water. I'm using MSA Stout from Alchemist right now. I think I like it... I need to give it some time. The first time I used Facilitor I grew my first 1 pound plant. I'll never use Potassium based again
What are they made of... probably not a problem.Thanks. I have a follow up question.
I just looked at my hydro pebbles. I thought that they were pH neutral. But now I open the discreet black plastic bag and see the real plastic bag of the pebbles. It says that it has pH 6,8-8,3. And an EC of 0,5-0,8 and I should wash them after transport.
Looks like the pH is a problem, even after washing them, no?
Clay. It says nun fertilised, salt free clay pebbles.What are they made of... probably not a problem.
Yeah they be fine.. I have to wash the shit out of mine if I get em out of the bags..... I just fill the tub and dump em in soak for 20-30 and pull em out with a strainer.Clay. It says nun fertilised, salt free clay pebbles.
No you just got lucky. It happensI use potassium silicate as a buffer and just grew a 2.5 plant indoors without any silica.
So was the 2.5 yield because i used potassium or because i didn’t use any silica?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?