Grow Mediums DWC nute shift from Veg to Bloom?

shovel1966 said:

I don’t usually ask many questions here because I tend to find the answers to my questions using the search function of AFN. But.....I can’t yet find an answer to the following question.
When do we switch from the veg nutrients to the bloom nutrients in DWC (single 5 gal buckets)?
I am currently using the FloraFlex V1/V2 and B1/B2 nutrients with one Pineapple Express Auto and one Blue Dream Auto. They are 5 weeks from germination and I’m still using the Veg nutes. They just performed the pre-flower stretch and getting ready to do their thing.
Am I already too late in switching? should I switch now, or wait a bit longer?
Thanks for your help. This is also my very first attempt at 5 gal bucket DWC with 6” net lids.

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Mañ'O'Green said:

Nutrients do not "push" a plant into flower. You simply want the nutrients in the root zone when the plant needs them. In DWC there is a telltale of when to switch. The plants exude substances into the root biome that lowers the PH to stimulate the microbes to produce more P-K when flowering gets underway. By watching your reservoir for a sudden drop in PH to below 5.4 you will know it is time to do a transition week of 1/2 veg 1/2 bloom and then bloom from then on. If you miss the PH swing go by what the plants look like:

Transition week:

View attachment 1291273

Bloom nutrients:

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BallsackSal said:

If the pH keeps dropping after the switch to flowering nutes can you read anything into it? such as if it keeps dropping you need more P&K. Whenever I do a reservoir change the pH creeps up for maybe 24 hours then it starts dropping and fairly quickly

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