PPM. How important is it?

[AndyBoi]

Sorry amigo, not trying to hijack your post. The following quote caught my attention, so going on a personal endeavor for a moment.



So, @RR1, if one was to send you a water report (super generalized as to be expected from a utility provider) would you be able to clarify wtf is actually being said?

@AndyBoi yes, measure your PPMs. As was said, if nothing else, it helps set a baseline when troubleshooting issues.

I'm a software developer by trade. I don't push any code into production that isn't logging in some manner. Why? Because when it comes to the next bug report, I'll be able to know what is and what isn't. Sure, 90% of it is useless, but the more variables you know, the better when the inevitable happens.

I believe and agree that documentation of PPM measments can be advantageous in multiple ways. I may invest to a PPM kit in the near future. Thanks for your input.
Much Love

 

[AndyBoi]

Sorry amigo, not trying to hijack your post. The following quote caught my attention, so going on a personal endeavor for a moment.



So, @RR1, if one was to send you a water report (super generalized as to be expected from a utility provider) would you be able to clarify wtf is actually being said?

@AndyBoi yes, measure your PPMs. As was said, if nothing else, it helps set a baseline when troubleshooting issues.

I'm a software developer by trade. I don't push any code into production that isn't logging in some manner. Why? Because when it comes to the next bug report, I'll be able to know what is and what isn't. Sure, 90% of it is useless, but the more variables you know, the better when the inevitable happens.

Any advice for tomy57?

 

[tobh]

I was wondering if you could help me out real quick regarding whether the plant is feeding or there is buildup? 600PPM in and 200PPM out means its feeding correct? And 600PPM in 800PPM out means there's other stuff in there or buildup?

I watered 2 plants today. I have them in FF Frog. My filtered water was 116PPM

P1 - 569 PPM in 850 PPM out.
P2 - 569 PPM in 1234 PPM out.

Do I have a buildup of nutrients? Or is the soils nutes keeping the runoff high? I'm not using much of the GH nutes and just used water several times.

Am I reading the PPMs on my plants correctly?

Since you're in soil, I highly recommend disregarding your runoff measurements. Don't even bother. If you you're not seeing any symptoms of issues, or even if you were, runoff isn't going to do you a damn bit of good.

Pulling from the School of Seamaiden, the only accurate soil condition measurements are via slurry.

 

[tobh]

Any advice for tomy57?

Advice given

 

[AndyBoi]

Slurry?

 

[JTShakes]

I was wondering if you could help me out real quick regarding whether the plant is feeding or there is buildup? 600PPM in and 200PPM out means its feeding correct? And 600PPM in 800PPM out means there's other stuff in there or buildup?

I watered 2 plants today. I have them in FF Frog. My filtered water was 116PPM

P1 - 569 PPM in 850 PPM out.
P2 - 569 PPM in 1234 PPM out.

Do I have a buildup of nutrients? Or is the soils nutes keeping the runoff high? I'm not using much of the GH nutes and just used water several times.

Am I reading the PPMs on my plants correctly?

Hi Tommy,
There are so many factors to consider, such as: How recently they were transplanted, how big the plant is vs the size of the pot, what stage of growth they're in, genetics, etc.. Keep in mind I was just using those PPMs as examples. If the plants look healthy then you're doing fine. I'd give that 1234 PPM plant just pH'd water next time and see what you get for a reading. If they're in new soil then they won't need much for extra nutes. Happy Frog is great soil and full of nutes already, so it should feed them for a while on its own with minimal need for supplementation. Either way, best of luck with them! -JT

 

[tobh]

@AndyBoi a slurry is taking a sample of soil and mixing it with a near 0 PPM water source. So, take 10g soil and mix it with enough water to make muddy water, then measure the pH and ppm. That'll be a true reading of what soil conditions are.

 

[JTShakes]

@AndyBoi a slurry is taking a sample of soil and mixing it with a near 0 PPM water source. So, take 10g soil and mix it with enough water to make muddy water, then measure the pH and ppm. That'll be a true reading of what soil conditions are.

Agreed.
Runoff pH is far more important then runoff PPMs, but I digress.

 

[AndyBoi]

@AndyBoi a slurry is taking a sample of soil and mixing it with a near 0 PPM water source. So, take 10g soil and mix it with enough water to make muddy water, then measure the pH and ppm. That'll be a true reading of what soil conditions are.

You have me curious about the physics and chemistry behind “slurry”. I will do some research into it. If your technique is reliable, I see it as superior.

love hearing about things like this. Thank for sharing

 

[tobh]

You have me curious about the physics and chemistry behind “slurry”. I will do some research into it. If your technique is reliable, I see it as superior.

love hearing about things like this. Thank for sharing

Do a search for Seamaiden here. She was... beyond anything I could ever hope to be in terms of understanding the physics and chemistry of working with dirt. That's why I'm full hydro now, shit is too fuckin complicated for me. Hydro is like programming. Start at zero, and build byte by byte. Dirt starts with fifty variables and builds as time goes.

Sorry, going on a tangent. Long story short, she's the one that brought the slurry concept to my attention, and goddamn was she consistent with insisting on it being the most reliable method. Miss her something fierce.

 

[Tommy57]

I know very little about PPM. But i have heard about this same issue in fox farm soil. Based on logical deduction, i would assume you have a build up.
How are your plants looking?
What stage are your plants in?

Looking great as far as I can tell. I'm in flower 3rd and 4th week. Leaves look great. I just see the very high PPM numbers going in on other threads and I'm nowhere near those. I'm following a nute schedule that someone developed for when planting in FF Frog and it's light.
I find it hard to believe there's buildup. I've been trying hard to keep nutes low.
Thanks for the input.

 

[Aqua Man]

Sorry amigo, not trying to hijack your post. The following quote caught my attention, so going on a personal endeavor for a moment.



So, @RR1, if one was to send you a water report (super generalized as to be expected from a utility provider) would you be able to clarify wtf is actually being said?

@AndyBoi yes, measure your PPMs. As was said, if nothing else, it helps set a baseline when troubleshooting issues.

I'm a software developer by trade. I don't push any code into production that isn't logging in some manner. Why? Because when it comes to the next bug report, I'll be able to know what is and what isn't. Sure, 90% of it is useless, but the more variables you know, the better when the inevitable happens.

Post up a water report if ya need i can break it down for ya.

 

[Aqua Man]

IMO i agree ph is the thing to watch with runoff in soil (true soil not peat)

Ppm is one of those things its good to monitor for the most part. In soil and organics its much less useful but if you are going by the plants and paying attention it can be an indication of possible issues.

With synthetic its helps a fair bit more but in soil still need to be taken with a grain of salt and should have runoff.

 

[Tommy57]

Since you're in soil, I highly recommend disregarding your runoff measurements. Don't even bother. If you you're not seeing any symptoms of issues, or even if you were, runoff isn't going to do you a damn bit of good.

Pulling from the School of Seamaiden, the only accurate soil condition measurements are via slurry.

Thank you. I was just about to read that post. Things seem Ok? I didn't write down the ph. I did check it. Going in the ph was 5.8.

 

[tobh]

Thank you. I was just about to read that post. Things seem Ok? I didn't write down the ph. I did check it. Going in the ph was 5.8.

yeah, your plants look healthy and happy. The yellowing on those leaves looks more genetic related than anything. Like there's some chem or something in it (chems do that weird half blade yellow thing, as do a few other lines).

 

[Tommy57]

Hi Tommy,
There are so many factors to consider, such as: How recently they were transplanted, how big the plant is vs the size of the pot, what stage of growth they're in, genetics, etc.. Keep in mind I was just using those PPMs as examples. If the plants look healthy then you're doing fine. I'd give that 1234 PPM plant just pH'd water next time and see what you get for a reading. If they're in new soil then they won't need much for extra nutes. Happy Frog is great soil and full of nutes already, so it should feed them for a while on its own with minimal need for supplementation. Either way, best of luck with them! -JT

Thanks. I actually did that to the plant last watering. Just ph water. I think we were up in the 1700 prior. These are autos, in a 4 gallon pot. They were never transplanted. They are in 3-4 week of flower. I appreciate the info.

 

[Tommy57]

You have me curious about the physics and chemistry behind “slurry”. I will do some research into it. If your technique is reliable, I see it as superior.

love hearing about things like this. Thank for sharing

Me too! Great to learn something new. Thanks for keeping my question in the conversation.

 

[Tommy57]

yeah, your plants look healthy and happy. The yellowing on those leaves looks more genetic related than anything. Like there's some chem or something in it (chems do that weird half blade yellow thing, as do a few other lines).

Yea, I asked about those earlier. I thought I had it too close to the light. I've been showing the pics around and most are saying the same things.