New Grower SPZ's Mephisto Triple Automatic Redux

[Nosias]

Day 30

Topped off the res with 15L of solution at 2ml/L base nutes plus silicate and cal/mag as indicated for day 30 in the posted feeding sched.

Did a little bit of chemistry this evening. I've heard that the pH can wander over time, so I decided to test the old solution in the res before I started adding stuff, and I'm glad I did! The pH of the solution was 7.1, over a point higher than when I mixed it eight days ago and outside hydro range! I've read that having a pump in the res can cause pH problems, so as an experiment I've put the pump on a timer so it only mixes up the nutes for a few minutes once per day. I've got the res all dialed in at 5.8 as of today, I will test the pH periodically and report what happens. Science!

My plants are drinking a fair bit slower than the Hans grow at this point so I'm just topping off as needed and keeping with his guidelines for solution strength. My girls are smaller than Hans', bless his green thumb, which is one reason for sure. But another I think is that the pebbles and whatnot I've put on top of the pots are acting as a mulch and retaining moisture. I've noticed that the drying time for the pots plus the draining of the reservoir seem to be precipitously slower since I made that change. That is probably a good thing in the long run but it may throw off my feed schedule a bit.

The pump can affect the PH if it is always on at a "relative" middle to high flow rate. I am remembering that the flow should only slightly, ripple the surface. You are now putting it on a timer with a short time frame. Good that should help it stay in a "range" since it needs to act like cattle and wander the range to be happy. Different nutrients need a variance in PH to be absorbed. They all do not require 5.8. that is the low end so it can go higher.

Now all that I said is what I have read here at ATF. But heaven knows I error and not know what I am saying. Then again "Im an alright guy"

 

[SPZ]

The pump can affect the PH if it is always on at a "relative" middle to high flow rate. I am remembering that the flow should only slightly, ripple the surface. You are now putting it on a timer with a short time frame. Good that should help it stay in a "range" since it needs to act like cattle and wander the range to be happy. Different nutrients need a variance in PH to be absorbed. They all do not require 5.8. that is the low end so it can go higher.

Now all that I said is what I have read here at ATF. But heaven knows I error and not know what I am saying. Then again "Im an alright guy"

You are better than alright, you are a superstar! For better or worse we are in this together and we will conquer the coco autopot green monsters!

You are right, when the reservoir got low the pump was really causing a lot of agitation which may have caused the pH fluctuation. I am going to record pH with and without the pump so we can all know for sure whether it makes much difference with the pH. Hans and others swear by an airstone in the res which is supposed to screw with the pH the most, so that pH drift may not matter that much anyway, could be outweighed by the benefit of the oxygenated water.

I can say that my plants didn't seem to notice, they were growing just fine and now they are exploding, I will post some pics!

 

[SPZ]

Day 31

NCH 1, short and squat but she's getting thick, I expect she'll start to stretch any day. You can see NCH 4 is encroaching on her sovereign domain

NCH 2, starting to stretch, leaf tucking has paid off

NCH 3 was a runt but now she is stretching and the leaf tucking has brought out 4-5 bud sites

NCH 4, what can I say, she's my baby!

Overhead shot

Group shot

This is what I'm really excited about. Thick stems grow thick buds.

 

[KonopCh]

I don't have any airstones/pump in reservoir. Tried both tap and rain water with AN nutes. And pH is climbing to 7.2. I was told not to pH down and let it go. But I am sceptical about this since I am in coco. I guess I must try and test this myself.

 

[Nosias]

You are better than alright, you are a superstar! For better or worse we are in this together and we will conquer the coco autopot green monsters!

You are right, when the reservoir got low the pump was really causing a lot of agitation which may have caused the pH fluctuation. I am going to record pH with and without the pump so we can all know for sure whether it makes much difference with the pH. Hans and others swear by an airstone in the res which is supposed to screw with the pH the most, so that pH drift may not matter that much anyway, could be outweighed by the benefit of the oxygenated water.

I can say that my plants didn't seem to notice, they were growing just fine and now they are exploding, I will post some pics!

Thanks for the ear and always know I mean well. I may just stir the tank once a day. It is great that together, thru our errors, we will find the sweet spot.
Thanks for being you.

 

[Nosias]

Day 31

NCH 1, short and squat but she's getting thick, I expect she'll start to stretch any day. You can see NCH 4 is encroaching on her sovereign domain
View attachment 795782


NCH 2, starting to stretch, leaf tucking has paid off
View attachment 795783


NCH 3 was a runt but now she is stretching and the leaf tucking has brought out 4-5 bud sites
View attachment 795784


NCH 4, what can I say, she's my baby!
View attachment 795785


Overhead shot
View attachment 795787


Group shot
View attachment 795788


This is what I'm really excited about. Thick stems grow thick buds.
View attachment 795789

Super just SUPER. Really excited for you.

 

[Nosias]

I don't have any airstones/pump in reservoir. Tried both tap and rain water with AN nutes. And pH is climbing to 7.2. I was told not to pH down and let it go. But I am sceptical about this since I am in coco. I guess I must try and test this myself.

That is what Hansbricks has always done. He lets it go. Look at one of his latest grows. Glad your along for the ride.

 

[KonopCh]

That is what Hansbricks has always done. He lets it go. Look at one of his latest grows. Glad your along for the ride.

Yea, I know.
But as I said, I am sceptical about this, because one of my plants is not as healthy as I would like to see.

 

[Nosias]

Yea, I know.
But as I said, I am sceptical about this, because one of my plants is not as healthy as I would like to see.

Like you said "I guess I must try and test this myself". Thanks for sharing.

 

[SPZ]

First off a report that res was at 6.3 so it climbed another 0.2 points. I've totally disabled the pump so this is pump free test. I've been doing some reading on the topic here, are some thoughts...

This was the best guide I could find for the acceptable pH range in hydro:

• between 5.5 and 5.8 perfect
• between 5.3 and 6.5 good
• between 5.0 and 7.0 acceptable
• below 4.5 and above 8.0 disrupted absorption of nutrients
• below 3.5 and above 9.0 irreversible damage to the roots

Here is a chart of nutrient availability:

One thing I've read is that since different nutrients are most available at different pH levels it is actually a good thing for the pH to drift through a range so that different nutrients are absorbed. Like @Nosias said 5.8 is just a target, there's actually a whole range. Numerous sites advise against continually trying to adjust the pH by adding more ph down or whatever, as too much of that raises the EC of the solution and can also cause nutrient lockout.

Another thing I've been reading is that the AN nutrients (like most non-organic nutrient lines) are chelated so that the nutrients are available at a wider pH range.

There's some food for thought. I'll continue to monitor the res and read up on this. For now I will not adjust the pH but just record the measurements and watch the plants.