Lowering Ec Level In Soil

[jerkchicken]

I am using bat mix soil for the first time but didn't feed for a while to start. I have been using Dutch pro. I checked my ec of my run off and it was 2.8. I consider this high for me and wanted to lower it. It's come down to 1.7 and won't go any further down for some reason. I'm watering with tap water at 0.8 and ph is 6.8. Not sure why it won't come down any further. I want to harvest in 2 to 3 weeks. They look and smell real good and a couple have started yellowing.

I've never tested run off before (bad I know but still learning) so I'm not sure what's been happening on other grows but I always flush for 2-3 weeks with canna flush and then plain water twice. It always smokes nice, sometimes ash isn't as white as I'd like though. I normally feed every watering at around 1.4 but won't be doing that going forward after reading the forums tonight.

Sorry to babble on, any help would be really appreciated!

Thanks in advice guys!

 

[12345678989]

Could there be time release fertilizers present in that soil? I'm unfamiliar with it.

 

[jerkchicken]

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm not sure, hope not! I'll have a look, it's house and garden bat mix...

 

[12345678989]

. is that the same stuff you have..

 

[jerkchicken]

Yeah mate that's the one! Read it and it reckons it has enough food for 3-4 weeks so guess it will be fine by the time I harvest. What you reckon my run off ec should be when I chop them?

 

[jerkchicken]

Does anyone have any advice on what my run off ec should be when I harvest? I'm down to 1.5 now, it's going down slowly and plants are very yellow with dense, crystaly healthy looking flowers but I'm afraid they won't burn nice if ec doesn't get down low enough... I'm using canna flush now

 

[jerkchicken]

I've just read you can't really measure run off ec in soil as the soil itself is dissolved in the run off and affects the ec. Any truth in that? If anyone could help me out with this I would be extremely appreciative.

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[jerkchicken]

Anyone?? Please help me...

 

[Seamaiden]

I've just read you can't really measure run off ec in soil as the soil itself is dissolved in the run off and affects the ec. Any truth in that? If anyone could help me out with this I would be extremely appreciative.

Thanks in advance guys!

My apologies, I stayed away from this thread after the personal attacks I received from the above poster.

First, it's important to understand that you can only accurately measure EC of those molecules that are conductive. Organic molecules are of many types, so many that, based on the discussions I've had with scientists I know in other fields, one basically needs a meter for each type of molecule one wishes to measure. An expensive proposition.

So... what are you measuring here, exactly? I can't tell you.

I can speak directly to your water issue. Municipal water suppliers have to add compounds that don't just maintain potability, but also preserve the delivery system (pipelines). Generally that means the tap pH is going to be well above 7, and along with that often the compounds used tend to keep the pH 'pushed' upward. That means that when you try to push down using acids, the pH will bounce back up. As you continue to push down, you're adding more compounds that probably add to the EC (EG; phosphoric acid).

As for what your EC 'should' be at harvest? Assuming you're using measurable fertilizers, in my opinion it should be around .3-.5 EC.

HTH.

 

[jerkchicken]

Thank you for your reply, interesting. The ph has been fine throughout but I do need to add acid when watering. I want to harvest soon and can't get the run off ec to go down. I think I may have to use ro water, perhaps? The only thing confusing me is that they are all yellow and looking close to harvest and I don't know why that would happen if the ec was 1.5 with the ph bang on. Surely they would be green at that ec, bit of yellowing from less n. That's what's making me think they are flushing because they look like they haven't eaten in a while! Keeping my fingers crossed I guess

 

[NightsWatch]

Who really cares what your EC is at in soil it has as long as plants were healthy through out flowering and your watering your plants

people tend to think that because they made a tea, it is going to have more nutrients then the raw material they used in making the tea ,,
So with that said water last week and be done with it

 

[jerkchicken]

Oh right, I was always under the impression it mattered. I'm not using a tea, I'm feeding Dutch pro bottled nutes and I've smoked bud that hasn't flushed properly before and it was not a nice experience haha. Cheers for your input though

 

[Bulldog420]

Who really cares what your EC is at in soil it has as long as plants were healthy through out flowering and your watering your plants

people tend to think that because they made a tea, it is going to have more nutrients then the raw material they used in making the tea ,,
So with that said water last week and be done with it

OP, it's pretty late to have an ec of 1.7. Your plants should be fried. I would doubt your method of testing. I send my soil samples in to Logan or Spectrum labs, as they are far more accurate.

If you really want to lower the ec, try some gypsum. Push everything off those CEC sites with your cations.

 

[Seamaiden]

He can probably achieve the same goal by using distilled water and flushing the bejesus out of the media.

Thank you for your reply, interesting. The ph has been fine throughout but I do need to add acid when watering. I want to harvest soon and can't get the run off ec to go down. I think I may have to use ro water, perhaps? The only thing confusing me is that they are all yellow and looking close to harvest and I don't know why that would happen if the ec was 1.5 with the ph bang on. Surely they would be green at that ec, bit of yellowing from less n. That's what's making me think they are flushing because they look like they haven't eaten in a while! Keeping my fingers crossed I guess

I would like you to get some distilled water and do a proper slurry test. I want distilled because we know two things about it--it's a solvent, and its EC is 0.

Take several samples from different areas of the pot, mix them together, then mix with the water. Let it set 7-10 minutes, THEN test EC. This is a much better example of what's actually going on in the root zone.

Also, just because you have a high EC running out, or even in the root zone, doesn't mean the plant can use whatever's there.

 

[jerkchicken]

I will do that and see what I find. Also I hadn't thought about them not necessarily been able to absorb what is there, makes perfect sense.

I'll do that test and go from there, cheers for the help...

 

[Seamaiden]

If you could, getting pix up would help us help you tremendously. :)

 

[jerkchicken]

Sorry guys had trouble getting online recently. I get paranoid about uploading pics, even taking them makes me feel uneasy where I am.

They're down now and some smaller flowers that are dry are smoking lovely with a white ash and the run off was still 1.5! Tastes and burns great and haven't cured yet. I won't read to much into that in future with what I'm doing and just look at the plants and make sure they nice and yellow and look ready.