Grow Mediums AKsteel's First DWC, Mephisto Mystery Seed

[A4]

The pattern I am noticing is for the first 48 hours after a res change my PH climbs quite a bit so I check and adjust if necessary every 12 hours and then it balances out. Not sure why this happens but I am able to work with it.

That is from the buffers in your water. Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, different countries use different stabilizers but they add that to the water to keep metal pipes from deteriorating. Look at Flint MI water problem for example, their water wasn't buffered and now they are fighting lead being leached from old pipes. So, those natural buffers in the tap water raise the pH until your nutrients has enough time to over take the additional buffers. The buffers loose their ability to stabilize pH if the nutrient solution is stronger than the waters buffering ability. It just takes some time.

 

[AKsteel]

Update Day 22:

Well she is starting to take off now. Did a res change yesterday and bump nutes to half strength. She seems to like it. Lots more roots and new growth.

 

[AKsteel]

That is from the buffers in your water. Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, different countries use different stabilizers but they add that to the water to keep metal pipes from deteriorating. Look at Flint MI water problem for example, their water wasn't buffered and now they are fighting lead being leached from old pipes. So, those natural buffers in the tap water raise the pH until your nutrients has enough time to over take the additional buffers. The buffers loose their ability to stabilize pH if the nutrient solution is stronger than the waters buffering ability. It just takes some time.

Thanks @A4 for the explanation. It makes perfect sense.

 

[Sourdough]

I believe the company puts calcium carbonate in their rock to stablize the ph. After it happened I was pissed i was going to put them in my soil. Now I am sticking to hydrotron hard to rinse but is pH stable or what ever.

It looks like you are making it work. Tho. Looks good.
Sourdough

 

[HotBunz]

AK,

Hope all is well. Sorry to be a pest.....but.....you got an update? It's only been a couple 3 days but I am super excited for your grow and am going though update withdraws!

 

[AKsteel]

Update Day 25:
This week has been a battle. I have been away at work so Mrs Steel has been doing her best with the new program. The week started off good after the res change, let's of new growth and roots. Then we had a major PH spike on Wednesday. PH got up to 7.8. Looked like she took some lock out damage. Adjusted ph back down and she still doesn't look great. Loosing color on the bottom fan leaves and growth has slowed and leaves are drooping. PPM is going up slightly by the day so I don't think she is starving, but that's what it looks like from the pictures my wife has sent. Hope she can hold on till I get home in 10 days. Mrs Steel is not as thrilled with the DWC as I am. Say "it's like babysitting a toddler". So we will see what happens. Any advice is always appreciated. Thanks folks. Pics to follow

 

[Sourdough]

Damn that sucks......
F-ing growstones strike again..... Hydrotron to the rescue..... Normally with the a good medium, you could go a week or more with out to much problems. Don't let this discourage you guys from hydro.....

 

[AKsteel]

Damn that sucks......
F-ing growstones strike again..... Hydrotron to the rescue..... Normally with the a good medium, you could go a week or more with out to much problems. Don't let this discourage you guys from hydro.....

In all honesty it could be multiple things. Hard water, media, meters being out of calibration, or just personal error. We will just see what we can do and roll with it.

 

[Sourdough]

Knowing your water source is a must but from personal experience. I had a table with 10 plants with hydrotron and 3 with grow stones. All my plants were going in to lock out, couldnt control the pH swings. I change my res if I have to pH adjust to many times. I mostly do photos. That is what was on the table, with in days of changing to only hydrotron things changed. Now I know u can't really transplant your autos. I'm still but hurt cause I didn't go with what I know and am now few weeks behind. Which throws the my whole cycle off..... I have no idea what you would do to fix the rocks problem. Lol or your hard water..... I have to haul my water from a spring. Well my dog does most of that..... But I'm super picky with my water growing hydroponics. Really not trying to tell you what to do or anything.... Just trying to pass on my experience.
Have a good one.

 

[AKsteel]

My water is well water but it is pretty hard. PPM out of the tap is 145.