kuz, i'll take just one more stab at helping you here.
from my perspective, you seem to be completely hung up on running a high level of nutrient solution from the beginning of your grow throughout . . . . even when the plants are showing tremendous stress from doing this. for some reason beyond my understanding, you seem to believe that this is "conventional wisdom" in dwc.
you refer to ben's grows (and your own previous success) as support of your actions. having not seen your previous grows, i can't respond to your experience. but i can respond to the example of ben's grows that you direct our attention to.
as a whole, ben's grow diaries do not provide the level of information regarding nutrients that make them ideal examples. the diaries are flush with good information regarding his environments, especially bells and whistles . . . . . but it would have been more helpful to others if he had provided weekly EC readings along with his pics. he did not. perhaps you saw his peak TDS and interpreted that to mean that it should be the nute level throughout the grow, from beginning to end?
there are other diaries of UC systems on the farm which provide better nutrient information that i urge you to study. some of them are stickies in this section.
ben dropped only a bit of information regarding nutrient levels, which i can only assume that you either misinterpreted and/or misapplied. here's what he says in his first diary (House & Garden Nutes., Under Current Systems, 30,000 Watts, 10 Tons of A/C, Co2) when advising another grower about introducing his plants into the UC system:
"Another thing to consider is your EC or ppm (which ever you use). Your EC should be around .5 which is between 250 to 350 ppm considering the calibration of your meter."
this advice is consistent with what CC recommends. i have no idea why you insist that this is not "conventional wisdom."
did you look at the link that ucmenow provided? if you did, you noticed that by week six or so of flower, the nutrient levels advised are much higher, slowly building from the levels that you begin with. the peak levels that CC currently recommends are significantly lower than the levels recommended a few years ago. i have one of their earlier charts that peaks at EC2.0 in week five. but it too recommends introducing and establishing the plants roots at an EC of .5.
if i have missed the successful grow diary that shows that nutrient levels of 1,700 ppm in the second week of vegging in the UC system are better, please direct me to that example. if i have missed the post where ben advises the same, please direct me to it.
all4 very eloquently explained the importance of this issue. yes, you have other bad things going on with bugs and H2O temps, and losing/not reading instructions, etc. . . . . . but the largest issue your plants have, and the primary reason your roots are not showing the growth the UC system is known for, is the fact that you hit them with a radically out-of-line nutrient strength right out of the gate.
peace and good luck.
