Questions about PPM readings for soil farming

BlueCrabGuy · Jul 10, 2023

Hi Growers,

I have a question about how and when to check my PPM numbers. I am growing in soil. My water comes from a well. I bypass the water softener and it is coming out of the tap at PH = 5.60 and PPM = 196. I am following a Youtuber's feeding recommendation using, CalMag, General Hydroponics Grow, Micro and Bloom nutrients. After mixing everything I have been using PH Up to adjust the PH.

Questions:
A local grower told me to set my water/nuterient mix to around 400 to 800 in Veg. I need to add additional water to the Youtuber's feeding mix since it runs around 1100. When figuring out my watering ppm, should I subtract my tap waters PPM. For example, 1100 (water/nutrient) - 200 (tap water ppm) = 900 ppm?

Should I adjust the ppm to be within a starting range or should I adjust my ppm based on my run-off ppm? For example, if my run-off ppm is getting low (not sure how low is low) should I increase my water/nutrient ppm? My local grower friend told me to ignore run-off numbers.

Thanks Growers,
BC

BillyBanchan · Jul 10, 2023

BlueCrabGuy said:
Hi Growers,

I have a question about how and when to check my PPM numbers. I am growing in soil. My water comes from a well. I bypass the water softener and it is coming out of the tap at PH = 5.60 and PPM = 196. I am following a Youtuber's feeding recommendation using, CalMag, General Hydroponics Grow, Micro and Bloom nutrients. After mixing everything I have been using PH Up to adjust the PH.

Questions:
A local grower told me to set my water/nuterient mix to around 400 to 800 in Veg. I need to add additional water to the Youtuber's feeding mix since it runs around 1100. When figuring out my watering ppm, should I subtract my tap waters PPM. For example, 1100 (water/nutrient) - 200 (tap water ppm) = 900 ppm?

Should I adjust the ppm to be within a starting range or should I adjust my ppm based on my run-off ppm? For example, if my run-off ppm is getting low (not sure how low is low) should I increase my water/nutrient ppm? My local grower friend told me to ignore run-off numbers.

Thanks Growers,
BC

In soil, yes you can ignore runoff.

If your target is 1.2 EC (600ppm) and your water is .4 EC (200ppm), then you need to mix up nutrients that come in at .8 EC (400ppm).

BlueCrabGuy · Jul 10, 2023

BillyBanchan said:
In soil, yes you can ignore runoff.

If your target is 1.2 EC (600ppm) and your water is .4 EC (200ppm), then you need to mix up nutrients that come in at .8 EC (400ppm).

Thanks Billy. If I have this right, you are saying when you combine the 200ppm water with the 400ppm nutrient mix, the result will be a mixture (water + nutrients) = 600ppm. So, what I am feeding the plant is 600ppm right?

Or are you saying the mixture (water + nutrients) should equal 400ppm?

It kind of sucks that I can't figure out what that 200 ppm in my water represents.

I can figure out how to get the mixture to any ppm above 200 :)

Thanks Billy,
Eric

BillyBanchan · Jul 10, 2023

BlueCrabGuy said:
Thanks Billy. If I have this right, you are saying when you combine the 200ppm water with the 400ppm nutrient mix, the result will be a mixture (water + nutrients) = 600ppm. So, what I am feeding the plant is 600ppm right?

That's correct. And that 200ppm in your well water is one thing, the pH is another. But, I see you're adjusting for that .

Do you live around farmland by any chance?

BlueCrabGuy · Jul 10, 2023

BillyBanchan said:
That's correct. And that 200ppm in your well water is one thing, the pH is another. But, I see you're adjusting for that .

Do you live around farmland by any chance?

Well, I live in a development with 1.5 acer lots. I bump up against a 40-acre farm with a big pond, but they do not work the land or have animals. They do have a small tree farm. Across the street there is another 40+ acer farm. They used to have horses but now no horses or crops. Beautiful area!

Are you asking due to concerns about the water? The water I drink goes through a hole house filter, a softener and a reverse osmosis system. I bypass all that and use straight well water for my plants. I don't think the softener is good for plants. It takes out calcium and adds salt :(

BillyBanchan · Jul 11, 2023

BlueCrabGuy said:
Well, I live in a development with 1.5 acer lots. I bump up against a 40-acre farm with a big pond, but they do not work the land or have animals. They do have a small tree farm. Across the street there is another 40+ acer farm. They used to have horses but now no horses or crops. Beautiful area!

Are you asking due to concerns about the water? The water I drink goes through a hole house filter, a softener and a reverse osmosis system. I bypass all that and use straight well water for my plants. I don't think the softener is good for plants. It takes out calcium and adds salt :(

Yes, asking regarding your water. In the mid-west, a lot of farmland runoff results in high EC well water.

Questions about PPM readings for soil farming

Questions about PPM readings for soil farming

BlueCrabGuy

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BlueCrabGuy

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