General Questions

[Megachron]

hi guys!


I'm currently growing 9 skunk#1
And I'm new to coco so just wanted to get a little help via a few questions

So my water from the tap is ph 7.7 and EC 0.3

Now I'm using ph down to get to 5.8 for veg!

I'm also using a air stone to evaporate the chlorine

Now I've purchased some calmag due to me realising my waters EC being low 0.3 and to play it safe I want to stay far away from deficientcys, what amount per liter would you guys recommend (For every water feed!!)??

And for my first nute feed should I bump up the EC to 0.6?

And if anyone has any tips for coco beginners fire away

 

[MidwestToker]

What nutrients are you using? So you're tap is around 200 ppm at a .7 conversion or 150 ppm at a .5 conversion. Depending an what's in you're water, it should be good to go. Just remember to include you're tap ec into you're nutrient strength.

 

[Megachron]

What nutrients are you using? So you're tap is around 200 ppm at a .7 conversion or 150 ppm at a .5 conversion. Depending an what's in you're water, it should be good to go. Just remember to include you're tap ec into you're nutrient strength.

I didn't quite understand you sorry I'm using Canna coco A+B
I don't have a ppm pen

 

[Seamaiden]

But you do have an EC meter. ;)

hi guys!


I'm currently growing 9 skunk#1
And I'm new to coco so just wanted to get a little help via a few questions

So my water from the tap is ph 7.7 and EC 0.3

Now I'm using ph down to get to 5.8 for veg!

I'm also using a air stone to evaporate the chlorine

Now I've purchased some calmag due to me realising my waters EC being low 0.3 and to play it safe I want to stay far away from deficientcys, what amount per liter would you guys recommend (For every water feed!!)??

And for my first nute feed should I bump up the EC to 0.6?

And if anyone has any tips for coco beginners fire away

Just keep it to EC, fewer conversion issues. .3 is great for pre-charging coir, but I believe you may need to bump up the feeds. You probably also want to read my thread on 'cal-mag' and in the meantime get something that will help you increase the available Ca (calcium). Cal-mag isn't for increasing EC, those are vital minerals the plant needs in there, and those two happen to be what coir locks onto pretty hard.

The appropriate pH range for coir is 5.8-6.2, 6.0 is the sweet spot for most strains. Don't keep the pH pegged at 5.8 is my advice.

Don't worry about using an airstone to get Cl offgassed, leave it in an open container for 24hrs and it'll offgas all on its own. If your muni is using chloramine, then you may want to treat that but honestly, you're not doing organic, you're not using microbes and it all reacts the instant it hits the organic molecules, so IMO it's really not necessary to worry too much about it. Hell, I do (small) water changes on my fish without bothering to dechlorinate. Big water changes I do use sodium thiosulfate because I know my muni supply is using Cl.

In any event, depending on how quickly the plants are growing, you can push feed EC up to 1-1.5 easily without causing issues I would think. If they're growing well using that low EC, then I say stick with it because it's money.

 

[Megachron]

But you do have an EC meter. ;)

Just keep it to EC, fewer conversion issues. .3 is great for pre-charging coir, but I believe you may need to bump up the feeds. You probably also want to read my thread on 'cal-mag' and in the meantime get something that will help you increase the available Ca (calcium). Cal-mag isn't for increasing EC, those are vital minerals the plant needs in there, and those two happen to be what coir locks onto pretty hard.

The appropriate pH range for coir is 5.8-6.2, 6.0 is the sweet spot for most strains. Don't keep the pH pegged at 5.8 is my advice.

Don't worry about using an airstone to get Cl offgassed, leave it in an open container for 24hrs and it'll offgas all on its own. If your muni is using chloramine, then you may want to treat that but honestly, you're not doing organic, you're not using microbes and it all reacts the instant it hits the organic molecules, so IMO it's really not necessary to worry too much about it. Hell, I do (small) water changes on my fish without bothering to dechlorinate. Big water changes I do use sodium thiosulfate because I know my muni supply is using Cl.

In any event, depending on how quickly the plants are growing, you can push feed EC up to 1-1.5 easily without causing issues I would think. If they're growing well using that low EC, then I say stick with it because it's money.

Cheers I'm only in ph 5.8 because apparently it's better for nitrogen uptake and I can avoid burning my plants by keeping a lower EC just seems more efficient

 

[One drop]

But you do have an EC meter. ;)

Just keep it to EC, fewer conversion issues. .3 is great for pre-charging coir, but I believe you may need to bump up the feeds. You probably also want to read my thread on 'cal-mag' and in the meantime get something that will help you increase the available Ca (calcium). Cal-mag isn't for increasing EC, those are vital minerals the plant needs in there, and those two happen to be what coir locks onto pretty hard.

The appropriate pH range for coir is 5.8-6.2, 6.0 is the sweet spot for most strains. Don't keep the pH pegged at 5.8 is my advice.

Don't worry about using an airstone to get Cl offgassed, leave it in an open container for 24hrs and it'll offgas all on its own. If your muni is using chloramine, then you may want to treat that but honestly, you're not doing organic, you're not using microbes and it all reacts the instant it hits the organic molecules, so IMO it's really not necessary to worry too much about it. Hell, I do (small) water changes on my fish without bothering to dechlorinate. Big water changes I do use sodium thiosulfate because I know my muni supply is using Cl.

In any event, depending on how quickly the plants are growing, you can push feed EC up to 1-1.5 easily without causing issues I would think. If they're growing well using that low EC, then I say stick with it because it's money.

Using air raises your ph just a tip to put out there .

 

[Megachron]

Using air raises your ph just a tip to put out there .

I noticed that it adjusted my ph then used an air stone when I tested it again it was 6.5 it went from 5.8 to 6.5 over night

 

[MidwestToker]

I didn't quite understand you sorry I'm using Canna coco A+B
I don't have a ppm pen

Sorry, you where talking about ec so I thought you knew about conversion factors.

Really depending on you're water I doubt you'll need cal-mag.
I run RO and don't use any extra cal-mag in my coco, but my nutrients where made for RO.

 

[Megachron]

Sorry, you where talking about ec so I thought you knew about conversion factors.

Really depending on you're water I doubt you'll need cal-mag.
I run RO and don't use any extra cal-mag in my coco, but my nutrients where made for RO.

I'm going to use a little calmag each feed just to see I guess it can't hurt

 

[One drop]

Why does it raise it? I've noticed that too. Mix up my nutes wait 15min adjust ph come back an hour later it's gone up a few points!? It typically stabilizes after an hour, ish.......My question is: is it best to let it mix for an hour or so adjust ph and feed? Or mix , wait ten min adjust ph and feed? I've got a pond disc membrane that mixes it w air power. I've heard of aeration removing iron from the mix, is that what's going on? Minerals precipitating out altering ph?

I think that's correct I mix mine always using silica first which raises the ph even higher then I add my mutes which brings mine down to 6.4 to 6.7 leave for 1/2 to 1 Hr check and adjust the ph if needed

 

[Seamaiden]

Cheers I'm only in ph 5.8 because apparently it's better for nitrogen uptake and I can avoid burning my plants by keeping a lower EC just seems more efficient

I agree with keeping to a lower EC, that's money. But adjusting pH is often necessary. You can go by the books, or you can learn to read your plants. I like a combination. You have nothing to lose by allowing it to range here.

I noticed that it adjusted my ph then used an air stone when I tested it again it was 6.5 it went from 5.8 to 6.5 over night

That's pH bounce due to alkalinity. O2 won't raise it quite that much.

Using air raises your ph just a tip to put out there .

O2 raises water pH while CO2 lowers it. Aerating can only raise pH so much, I believe if he's observing that kind of bounce it's due more to his water's alkalinity than aeration.

 

[Pimples]

Using air raises your ph just a tip to put out there .

This^^^. Ditch the airstone and aquarium pump. Your tap is good to go. Dont worry about chlorine or chloromines. Your pH will just keep rising with the airpump. Making you add more pH down...upsetting the rootzone. Canna has pH buffers built into the nutrients. And at 0.3 ec (150 ppm) i wouldnt be adding any calmag product. Canna coco nutrients have PLENTY of calcium and magnesium. It also has fulvic acids but i would add a little more. Try BioAg Fulpower. It will make your calcium, magnseium and iron in your 0.3 ec tap water ( my guess is thats most likely what your start water consiste of and its damn near PERFECT)much more available to your plants. The calmag you think you need is your tap water. Fulvics and aminos will make it right for your plants. Listen to what i say.

 

[Pimples]

His pH is rising because hes blowing oxygen into his nutrient solution. Hes most likely using a commercial pH down which would probably be phosphoric acid. Oxygen dissipates that stuff...making your pH rise back to the starting tap water hardness which is 7.7. Same as mine and many others. Its the calcium and mag carbonates. Most local water municipalities do it. I suggest a simple fulvic and amino acid type product instead of adding calmag. Hes got plenty in the tap and base nutrient.