pH Plan
What I mean here is we are after consistency?....NO
The plant manages it's pH. People don't get this but I have watched for months with sensor graphing on my laptop. I typically get a full POINT swing, in 24 hours. So, it is never really steady, even day to day, I cannot say when the peaks and valleys will be. But, pH is part of light cycle in bloom. But, in Veg, pH is more steady, but still drifts around. The plant is doing it.
So, you cannot chase it, you don't want to chase it and the plant itself is against that.
So, what I realize is I just want to set the starting condition in the middle of the range. If the roots are in water, the range is slightly lower than is a draining media. So for me the middle is about 6.1 -.2. When I was hydro, it was more like 5.9.
So, I began to think differently. What if I carefully test my feed portions until I get a mix that comes out the correct pH every time? BINGO. The more simple the better for long term success.
RO water for me, is about 6.4 pH. OK. I want to be a little bit acid at the end. So good start.
Now I measure the pH of 16-16-16 Sea Grow, my base feed, in RO water. Hmmm....not bad.
I check that across the PPM range I intend to use. 200-800ppm. OK, stable.
Now, after a full year of dicking around with NEWTS, I know I only need two main supplements.
I used to have a spreadsheet to keep track of 15 additives and now I hate the Dutch Hippies.
Go figure?
Cal/Mag and Silica. These, for me, were the pH muggers. It really depends on brand, I guess.
And how those brands work at various dilutions. But, I lucked out. Well RIU helped.
Sensai Silica Blast for Bloom (I use in Veg, also)
Bontanicare Cal/Mag (needed, most flower feed doesn't have enough)
These brands are stable across dilution, and scale with the pH of the water.
Now it is time for the dip strips, and pH experiments.
I got to mixing it up in 5 gal buckets.
4 gal RO
2? scoops of Sea Grow (depends of your ppm need)
Then after well mixed, you have to look at what 1 capful or tablespoon of Silica does to the PPM.
It is a heavy add. And what did that do to the pH? (raised it)
You need to look at the proportions. Silica goes in like it was a sponge. They love this. So. you don't need a lot.
OK, now Cal/Mag. Oh, this helps. So, I just get a ratio, I can't remember now. But, I think it was another capful of Cal/Mag or maybe 1.5 caps.
Measure again and figure out if that will do it in 5 gals. And yeah, I get 6.2 pH in 5 gals. Very even with the water almost.
Then my next great idea, with to mix up 10 gals of that and set the PPM for 3000 or I even went to 5000. What you are looking for here is even more simple.
I had 4 feed sources at 3 different PPM in 10 gal totes, and a 1 gal hand feeder for the 1st month.
So, I take a cup of 5000 ppm and put that in top up the reservoir and have 800 ppm feeder.
1/2 cup gets the 400 ppm bloom res and the 400 ppm Veg res.
A tablespoon in a gal of RO for the hand feed at 200ppm, is the concept. You have to measure. This is not a recipe since i am going from memory.
