Dialing In MEGA CROP for Auto's

[4d-Rock]

Last feed was a couple days ago at 4g/gal MC plus I gave 0.5g/gal BE (only second feed that had BE, first was 0.25g/gal) for a total ppm of 685 (includes 60ppm base water), 6.4pH. Runoff came back between 580-700 ppm and 6.2-6.3 pH.

 

[Anasazi]

Last feed was a couple days ago at 4g/gal MC plus I gave 0.5g/gal BE (only second feed that had BE, first was 0.25g/gal) for a total ppm of 685 (includes 60ppm base water), 6.4pH. Runoff came back between 580-700 ppm and 6.2-6.3 pH.

Do your plants look similar at that stage in every grow? Have you tried increasing the ppm? I'm no expert but they look hungry to me, even though you are already at a ppm higher than what a lot of these guys use. I've seen some people have to go higher.

 

[pop22]

Sorry if I asked this before, what water do you use, tap or RO? If tap, try some distilled water for at least one batch of solution, and if they improve, get an RO filter. If your using RO, raise you ppms to 600-626 of just MC and you PH to 6.6 for 2-3 feeds, then back to 6.4. Have you always used BE? Is there a possible correlation? The only time I've experienced something similar, it was a strain that just wanted more nutrients. I went from 500 to 600 ppms and it cleared up. not saying this is your issue. Your looks like nutrient lockout and the added PK may be making it worse. Even tough your run off ppms are ok, you could have a build up of one or more elements. As much as I hate to say it, possibly flushing the medium might help. I'd try both my suggestions, using different plants. The first one to respond positively will be the model for the others. If you decide to flush, use a low ppm solution not plain water, then when dry enough feed them. Personally, I'd skip the extras till I nailed down the issue.

 

[4d-Rock]

@Anasazi they don’t always look like that, but sometimes similar. Here’s my last several grows at about the same time 56 days

Note that the feed schedules, additives, and sometimes conditions varied from each grow to the next as I’ve been trying to “dial it in”. Although, looking at them like this (ordered from most recent to oldest), I may not have it down perfectly but I think I’ve made some reasonable progress.

@pop22 i use water from the lake I live on. It goes through charcoal and UV filters and ends up about 60ppm/7.0pH consistently.
The problems came prior to the addition of BE but it definitely hasn’t gotten better since. You may be right that the added PK could be making it worse. I’ll take the BE out on the next feed and keep the volume up (~1.5-2gal/pot) to get some fresh nutrients in there. If it keeps going downhill I’ll give it the flush

 

[F.N.]

AN's PH perfect is NEVER 5.8-6.5 for me so I don't believe the hype. It was around 4.5 with RO water when i used it. I'm told it doesn't have to be...but I've been doing this since the 70s and am set in my ways....plus it's overly expensive for the results I've had.

 

[Dreminem169]

I prefer soil, organic or not, to any other medium. I believe part of why I can run Mega Crop at low ppms is soil's CEC capacity. It holds the nutrients in place for the plants to access better than any medium other than water itself. And by keeping the ppm levels low, i don't get salts build up. As I mentioned, i have 12 auto pots that I did not change the soil in for 2.5 years. No flushing, just cut out the stump and replant. Now as you say, in a res a dosing pump might be a good thing, but last I checked they are a tad pricey for someone who grows just a few plants. My room is airconditoned and the res for my auto pots ( soon to be back in use ) is in the space near the airconditioner. It remains cooler that way, , around 68F, than ambient in the tents I believe this helps contribute to the stability of the solution.

So I just got a couple autopots to test and I realized I forgot to add extra perlite after I transplanted which was a couple days ago. I put 1” of grow stones in the bottom of only one of the pots (wanted to see difference). Do you think I will be good without all the extra perlite or should I not turn on the autopots? BTW I’m in a super soil

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

In my current run of autos The PPM that works best in this grow is ~400 in early veg to ~500 - 550 PPM in late flower. I have pressed these girls in several directions to see how the MC performed. This is what it looks like so far. Red cells indicate observable plant stress. PPMs too high or NPK ratio off. Green cells the plants grew as expected.

 

[pop22]

With soil, I long ago stopped adding extra perlite. Sometimes I mix in a little coco but it really doesn't need it. And you'll see the soil wicks better without the growstones in the bottom, and that whole concept is contrary to science. Your good to go!

So I just got a couple autopots to test and I realized I forgot to add extra perlite after I transplanted which was a couple days ago. I put 1” of grow stones in the bottom of only one of the pots (wanted to see difference). Do you think I will be good without all the extra perlite or should I not turn on the autopots? BTW I’m in a super soil

 

[NorthernLights_420]

In my current run of autos The PPM that works best in this grow is ~400 in early veg to ~500 - 550 PPM in late flower. I have pressed these girls in several directions to see how the MC performed. This is what it looks like so far. Red cells indicate observable plant stress. PPMs too high or NPK ratio off. Green cells the plants grew as expected.

View attachment 1286604

I start at 150 ppm first week and work my way up. I go to about 600 to 640 ppm in flower with just 2 part MC and nothing else added. 2.5 grams part a. 1.5 grams part b per gallon for all of flower after the stretch and no problems here. Every strain has done well like this for me in flower. Anything less of part B and I got a calcium deficiency. I found my sweet spot.

 

[Dreminem169]

Is mega crop Agricultural grade or pharmaceutical grade? And is there really a difference?