PH problem

[midgaar]

I having a hard time keeping my PH level where it should be. I'm using a 6 planter DWC system with top feed for the seedling stage. I have 1" rockwool cubes in hydroton rocks in 3.5" net baskets. I'm using R.O. water and currently on day 7-8 of sprout. It seems like everyday I have to add PH down because my PH cliams 1.0-2.0 per day. I'll get it to 5.8 and the next morning it'll be at 7.0 or higher. I didn't have any nuets in the water untill just a few days ago. The neuts are at 50% strength and I was told they have PH buffers so I added some to the water but it didn't help the problem. I soaked the rockwool in PH 6.0 water for like 15 min when I first placed them into the system. I've read they should have been soaked longer or with a rockwool treatment but would that still be causing the problem over a week later? My PPMs are around 650 but 350 of that is from the PH down powder I've been using every other day or so.

I'm not sure what's causing the problem or if it's normal. This is my first grow and 3 out of the 4 plants are doing very well and looking pretty good. The one that had a slow start didn't make it, not sure why but I have a thread in the sick plants section for that matter. Any suggestions on how to keep my PH stable without adding PH down everyday. My PPMs are going to be in the 1000s soon from just adjusting the PH. I'll be flushing the system with fresh water and neuts within a couple days.

Thanks

[midgaar]

bump

The problem isn't going to fix it's self....what's going on here?

[cork144]

common mistake that isnt realy addressed is chlorine in the water and other chemicals, are you filling up straight from the tap then watering?, if you are try filling up a bucket and leaving it to sit for 24 hours to evaporate the chlorine.

[midgaar]

I've been using R.O. Water with a PH of 5.8 and 0ppm...just doesn't stay that way for very long. The plants are showing great growth so it's not a huge problem yet. I'm just not sure if this is normal to have to adjust the PH by a point or two every day or two. My first grow here.

[knoxis]

just top your res off daily with pH balanced water... how big is your res?

[midgaar]

10 gallon total, this week sometime I'm going to flush the tank with new water and nutes we'll see what happens then.

[growiusmaximus]

Hey man welcome to the world of rockwool and hydroton.

First off are you soaking your rockwool in rockwool conditioner for 24 hours before you use them? This is a critical step that many people overlook. Untreated rockwool will give you a constant need to adjust your ph. If you dont next time get some europonic rockwool conditioner at any hydro store. Only use it before you put seeds or clones into the rockwool.
Now some people may disagree but after a few years of growing I have found that hydroton even if washed very well can also cause your ph to creep up .5 or so a day. I have found that soaking my hydroton in rockwool conditioner for a day or two after I wash it before they go into the buckets. If you do not do this step get ready for 2 - 6 weeks of adjusting your ph constantly.

Also realize that using ro water with 0 ppm and the ph is 5.8 just a drop of ph up or down will dramatically change the PH. There is nothing in the water at that point to affect ph. Think of it like this. if you had 2 buckets of water and 1 bucket is mixed with nutes and has a ppm of 1000 and 1 bucket has ro water with 0 pmm. half a teaspoon of ph down will bring the nute water down to 6 lets say. that same half a teaspoon will bring the ro water down to 4

Ph control and understanding was my hardest hurdle to overcome when learning to grow. It is in my opinion the most critical factor in growing sucessfully becasue of the problems it leads to. Nute lockout, fert burn, over stressing, hermies and so many more issues.

I hope I have been of some help

[midgaar]

I don't mind adjusting the PH every day for this grow, it gives me something to do at least. Will this hurt my grow adding PH down everyday? I just got my Homebox L today and it's all setup. Also picked up some floranova nutes and PH down so I'll be flushing my system with new water on friday when my 10 gallon backup res gets here. This way I don't have to hassle moving the plants around. I can just fill the backup res with water/nutes and just swap tanks. Maybe I should start a journal.

[linedrivr]

Originally Posted by midgaar

I don't mind adjusting the PH every day for this grow, it gives me something to do at least. Will this hurt my grow adding PH down everyday? I just got my Homebox L today and it's all setup. Also picked up some floranova nutes and PH down so I'll be flushing my system with new water on friday when my 10 gallon backup res gets here. This way I don't have to hassle moving the plants around. I can just fill the backup res with water/nutes and just swap tanks. Maybe I should start a journal.

I have a 10 gallon reservoir attached to four 5 gallon dwc grow buckets.

adding the floranova will automatically bring down your ph if its drifting above 6. so feed with floranova first. give it a few hours then check ph again before adjusting the ph with up or down. hopefully you wont have to adjust. keep your nute level 1" below the hydroton and try not to pour any water/nutes over the hydroton to fill / circulate etc.

I use RO water, floranova nutes & hydroton. I dont have to adjust ph very often with ph up or down. I think I only had to twice my entire last grow and I havent had to so far on my current grow and I am 2 weeks into flower. I beleive the floranova has a ph buffer built in it that keeps mine between 5.7-5.9 which is the perfect zone for hydro.

the plants love it.

regards,
linedrivr

[midgaar]

Thanks for all the advise. Soon as my backup res gets here i'll be changing out the water and starting floranova. I'll let you know of the results.

[midgaar]

ok so I changed the water in my res using RO water and floranova grow nutes. PH balanced itself out at 5.7 and sitting stable so far. Plants looking great, good root system hitting the water and with the new nutes I'm hoping they explode with grow in the next couple days. That or they will show signs of nute burn and I'll have to clean the tank again. PPMs are at 450 and the plants are almost two weeks old and working on their forth set leafs.

I noticed when I was changing the water that some of the roots were just slightly tinted brown. Now the sides of the res were brown from the PH down and the nutes I was using. Should I be worried? Most of the roots were very white, just a few were only slightly tinted brown, more like a dirty white.

Thanks!