lvumlow
Well-Known Member
testing continues...
Timings for nutrients with Aeroponic set up?
- Thread starter Toaor
- Start date
leblanca
Well-Known Member
Im at 600 ppm or 0.8 ec in 4th week of flower, i run at 1/3 the dose of fertiliser. My runoff is about 400. From my understanding you are supposed to get slightly lower runoff than what you feed.
I’ve been running a heavy 16 base and I’m not liking it to much. I’m going to make a switch. I hate blaming nutrients but I have been fighting salts with heavy. I’m going back to kind nutrients after this rip. What nutes are you guys running?
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
I am running a product called FloraMax. I have been following the documention after calling the manufacturer and getting their thoughts on any changes with Aero. They recommended I stay with the recommended dose and by looking at the plant this seems to work but I have not tried lowering the dose for more than one week so I have to experiment on the next grow.
For mid-late bloom, my product recommended a ppm (Hanna) of 1100 (EC of 2.2). My Levels hold steady for about one week, then a flush is warranted because return levels start to creep up. The vendor gives me a +/- 0.2 for EC.
I throttled back my EC to 1.7 (Hanna of 850) for a week and feel like the plant started to show signs of fading/yellowing so I started slowly moving it back up to 2.2 gradually over days and I am seeing a nice green color return so for me it seems the manufacturer is right and a regular flush (weekend) is just part of the program...
For mid-late bloom, my product recommended a ppm (Hanna) of 1100 (EC of 2.2). My Levels hold steady for about one week, then a flush is warranted because return levels start to creep up. The vendor gives me a +/- 0.2 for EC.
I throttled back my EC to 1.7 (Hanna of 850) for a week and feel like the plant started to show signs of fading/yellowing so I started slowly moving it back up to 2.2 gradually over days and I am seeing a nice green color return so for me it seems the manufacturer is right and a regular flush (weekend) is just part of the program...
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
Here is an article I found on the BlueLabs site that does a good job explaining the difference in all three scales:
EC and CF are measures of electrically charged nutrient ions in a solution. Pure water will not conduct electricity. Water usually conducts electricity because it is full of impurities, in our case, electrically charged nutrient ions. The two black dots on the end of Bluelab conductivity probes are called electrodes. When these are placed in a solution, an electrical current passes from one electrode, through the water to the other electrode and counts the number of electrically charged ions present. The reading is then presented as an Electrical Conductivity (EC) reading or Conductivity Factor (CF) reading.
PPM measures parts per million. Known as dimensionless quantities, they are pure numbers with no associated units of measurement. A mass concentration of 2mg/kg - 2 parts per million - 2ppm - 2 x 10-6.
There are many different scales used for different industries around the world and for many different reasons! Did you even know there are more than two scales? Widely used ppm scales in hydroponics are the ppm500 scale, ppm650 scale and the ppm700 scale.
What's the difference between ppm500 and ppm700 scale?
The true ppm of a solution can only be determined by a chemical analysis, ppm cannot be measured by an EC meter. They are present on Bluelab products as a conversion guide only.
Bluelab meters will measure the EC of the solution, and then convert this to a ppm reading if the desired ppm scale is selected on the Bluelab device. The conversion from EC to ppm is as follows:
Because of the complications of the ppm scale(s), we highly recommend the use of EC, the international scale for conductivity.
If you must grow using ppm, you will need to know the following;
What are the different conductivity scales? What do they mean?
EC, CF, ppm500, ppm700, TDS... What's the difference?EC and CF are measures of electrically charged nutrient ions in a solution. Pure water will not conduct electricity. Water usually conducts electricity because it is full of impurities, in our case, electrically charged nutrient ions. The two black dots on the end of Bluelab conductivity probes are called electrodes. When these are placed in a solution, an electrical current passes from one electrode, through the water to the other electrode and counts the number of electrically charged ions present. The reading is then presented as an Electrical Conductivity (EC) reading or Conductivity Factor (CF) reading.
PPM measures parts per million. Known as dimensionless quantities, they are pure numbers with no associated units of measurement. A mass concentration of 2mg/kg - 2 parts per million - 2ppm - 2 x 10-6.
There are many different scales used for different industries around the world and for many different reasons! Did you even know there are more than two scales? Widely used ppm scales in hydroponics are the ppm500 scale, ppm650 scale and the ppm700 scale.
What's the difference between ppm500 and ppm700 scale?
- The ppm 700 scale is based on measuring the KCl or potassium chloride content of a solution.
- The ppm 500 is based on measuring the NaCl or sodium chloride content of a solution.
- The ppm 500 scale is also referred to as TDS - total dissolved solids.
The true ppm of a solution can only be determined by a chemical analysis, ppm cannot be measured by an EC meter. They are present on Bluelab products as a conversion guide only.
Bluelab meters will measure the EC of the solution, and then convert this to a ppm reading if the desired ppm scale is selected on the Bluelab device. The conversion from EC to ppm is as follows:
- ppm500 = EC x 500
- ppm700 = EC x 700
- ppm500 scale: 2.4EC x 500 = 1200ppm[500 scale]
- (or 1200ppm / 500 = 2.4EC)
- ppm700 scale: 2.4EC x 700 = 1680ppm [700 scale]
- (or 1680ppm / 700 = 2.4EC)
Because of the complications of the ppm scale(s), we highly recommend the use of EC, the international scale for conductivity.
If you must grow using ppm, you will need to know the following;
- What ppm scale is the book or feeding schedule referring to? Match your meter to this!
- What ppm scale is your meter using? Ensure it matches the feeding schedule or book being followed.
- What ppm scale is the nutrient formula referring to? Match your meter to this!
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
That sounds like you are using the Truncheon scale? I am thinking about creating a two stage reservoir system on the next run which will allow a more precise measurement of run-off.
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
On that scale, I am currently at 1050ppm and this is week 11 of flower and day 134 overall. My nutrient manufacturer recommended 1100 (+/- 100ppm) or an EC of 2.2
What nutrients are you using with your system? And are you using ro water? I’m curious what recipe you’re using at that EC
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
I am using a product line called FloraMax with Distilled water as my base. Since I start with a 2.5gal bottle, I use the chart below. I am a little confused why the documentation states to NOT use Cal-Mag but yet the company sells a Cal-Mag-Fe product? I have found I need to use a little tap water and have recently started using a small amount of cal-mag as the leaves indicate.
**NOTE**
I do adjust for EC in the water if I am using a different source so the overall upper EC rate is always added to the base water EC (which is factored into the online calculator). This is important because even a home water distiller is not 100% TDS free. I have found that the unit I use gets higher and higher TDS numbers between cleaning so I always measure when using a dynamic source (tap water or home distilled). When I buy distilled water, it usually measures 0.00
I don’t understand why they would say that especially using distilled water. I have a ro water of 0 EC and it’s a must I add cal-mag the first 4 weeks then mag the last 4 weeks on an 8 weeks flowerI am using a product line called FloraMax with Distilled water as my base. Since I start with a 2.5gal bottle, I use the chart below. I am a little confused why the documentation states to NOT use Cal-Mag but yet the company sells a Cal-Mag-Fe product? I have found I need to use a little tap water and have recently started using a small amount of cal-mag as the leaves indicate.
**NOTE**
I do adjust for EC in the water if I am using a different source so the overall upper EC rate is always added to the base water EC (which is factored into the online calculator). This is important because even a home water distiller is not 100% TDS free. I have found that the unit I use gets higher and higher TDS numbers between cleaning so I always measure when using a dynamic source (tap water or home distilled). When I buy distilled water, it usually measures 0.00
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
I am at the end of my first indoor grow period, let alone adding all the Aeroponics stuff so I can honestly say that I bit off more than I can chew ...but seem to gravitate towards challenges so it's business as usual; trial by fire. I wish I could feel better about a strategy for feeding but all I can really do it start with the manufacturer recommendations and experiment from there. My main problem is lack of experience and have no real way to compare anything I observed until my next run. Hey, the plant is still alive so I will take that as a win and keep trying to improve where possible along the way.
I have never seen anyone using this nutrient line but maybe someone will see this and chime in.
I have never seen anyone using this nutrient line but maybe someone will see this and chime in.
As long as you don’t get a big salt build up and it’s a clean nutrient , nutrients are nutrients. For our style of growing, we can’t afford to have salt build up, scum, or matter in our reservoir. Using heavy 16 I have all successful grows but so much salt build up and I have to keep my ppm/EC low. I have to flush once in a while also. I’m going back to botanicare kind nutrients on the expert feeding schedule. It seemed to work best for me. Are your plants healthy or are you experiencing nute burn at all? This weekend I’ll be assembling my new “prototype “ system. I’m pretty excited about that. For a LP system I really think this thing will be the best and closest set up to a HP aero system. I will keep everyone on here posted in hopes this is a success. These are the nozzles I’ll be using. Literally breaks the water into a mist compared to the ez clone sprayers.
I should add my goal is to get shorter intervals with less run off to make the plants excel.
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
Here is a picture from today (last week I lowered the EC to 1.7 but after a week I noticed some yellowing so I recently bumped it back up to 2.2 and feel like my color is starting to come back).
Consider posting up a grow journal so you can share your setup with others? We are all experimenting and there is not much Aero action so I would enjoy seeing your whole setup along with a grow from start to harvest.
Mine is oriented more around a "pocket grow" where space was the primary consideration. I have my whole grow documented and see a regular climb in runoff every 4/5 days like clockwork so now I simply run one 2.5g bottle of distilled water with H202 (35ml of 3% non-stabilized) through my root chamber every weekend and my plants seem to say thank you...
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
The interval calculation will be different for everyone depending on hardware but I have 4 - 1ml/sec misters running at 80 psi. and my current timing is 0.5 sec on and 48 sec off. I centered in on this based on total consumption and tried to overshoot that slightly over a 24 hr. period. I still believe I need to make some more changes but have a completely new root chamber coming so I will have to start all over again with rev 2 but at least I have some notes to start with.
You are yellowing because you are about done brother. Those look great for your first grow! You’re winning.
I was experiencing nute burn with this heavy16 nutrients but finally got it dialed in and changing reservoirs every week is a must with these nutes. Starting ppm going into flower is 360-400 for the first 3 weeks then up 120ppm every week until flush. Plants looking great. I’ll send you some pics
I was experiencing nute burn with this heavy16 nutrients but finally got it dialed in and changing reservoirs every week is a must with these nutes. Starting ppm going into flower is 360-400 for the first 3 weeks then up 120ppm every week until flush. Plants looking great. I’ll send you some pics
lvumlow
Well-Known Member
Start a journal in the grow section to showcase your setup/process. I love seeing some of the homegrown (no pun intended) solutions on this site and might learn a thing or two along the way...
leblanca
Well-Known Member
Im using emerald harvest full series with ro water and enzyme komplete with peroxide
