General Hydro 3 part and ph???

[altaholic]

ive been using Advanced 2 part for some time and have many people trying to convince me that the GH flora 3 part is better. So ive given it a try but it seems that the ph flux reacts differently then what I was use to using Advanced. Basicly when Im in veg the ph I set my ph at 5.6 and let it climb just as I was use to doing with AN, but when Im flowering it seems to be dropping, so Im always taking it to 6.1 and letting it descend. This is new to me cause It seemed that with AN is did the same thing with bloom as it did with veg.
So Im curious if the ph has to do with the particular nutrients being taken in during veg versus bloom( nitrogen intake making the ph rise verses phosphorous making it descend???) Any comments from those who have mastered the gen?

[SpaceNeedle]

GH 3 part "automatically" adjusts the PH when you start out, say in flowering. As time goes by (a week or two), the PH will go down slowly because the plant uses it up, and you will have to drop a bit of PH-Up into it to bring it back up. I probably do it once or twice between my 2 week change in nutrients.

SN

[altaholic]

Hey Spaceneedle, do you know what the ph is that you usually start out? Seems to me that the stronger your ppm the more acidic it gets, which would make it way more acidic at the end of your bloom, you just mix and let her go through your whole veg/bloom cycle?

[tinytoon]

I have been using GH 3-part for about 1 1/2 years now and dont have much of a ph flux at all. I do weekly rez changes. during the week according to my meter I have a swing from about 5.2 to 5.9 and that is through entire grow. also when doing topoffs I do things just a lil different I guess. most what I read is peeps do plain ph'd water topoffs in between rez changes, what I do is alternate nuted water and ph water during topoffs. In other words I drain and fill my rez on Sunday. On Monday if it needs a gallon of water it gets plain PH'd water. If on Tuesday it needs a gallon of water it gets a gallon of full str nuted water and just keep swapping back and forth. Now I'm not saying what I do is the best or most correct thing to do but it works really well here!!

[LOC NAR on probation]

If you have problems like pythium your PH will rise quickly. We use GH 3 part and have had problems with root rot and PH lately. If all is fine then what kind of water are you using ?

[SpaceNeedle]

My tap water is about 6.6 to 6.8

When I finish putting in my nutes, I am at 6.2

I start adding PH up at 5.6 or 5.7

sn

[altaholic]

hmm interesting replies, thanks. My tap water is 140ppm and 7.8ph. seems like the ph hits around low sixes when I get it to 1000 ppm and them proceeds to drop as I go heavier. Ive been trying to keep things around 6.1 I guess. Im also considering switching to the hard water micro cause it seems that i might have a calmag issue??? tiny toon when you say you have a swing from 5.2 to 5.9 which direction is it going, up or down? thanks again.

[tinytoon]

slowly creeps up as week goes on. Hydro you really dont want PH above 6.0 and if you have a Calmag issue then get some Calmag to add to res. I have been cheating a lil with my mother plant as I thought I had a mag def so started a low dose of epsom salts to see if was correct and we had improvment. Calmag is on my shopping list and dont believe the hard water formula will do what your looking for. My tap starts right around the 7.0 mark

[LOC NAR on probation]

Sounds like your tap water. I know alot of peeps use tap water but the problem is yours may not work. too much chlorine or something even at 140 ppm.

Try a rez change of R/O or distilled and see how it does for you. Can't hurt.

[Daddynobucks]

in order to compare Ph and flucuations we need to consider, ratios and ppm
as well as starting water quality
otherwise its apples to oranges
I have been reading all of the posts here, and don't see a sound answer to the Ph drift, maybe just stupid or too old

TT it looks like what you are doing works very well:thumbsup:
do you use any additives? ca/mg, or sweet of florisous plus

[tinytoon]

actually to this point the only add has been Superthrive from clone to start of flower, when flower starts ST stops. With my most recent mg def with momma I do now have Calmag on the shopping list along with a GH bloom add, sorry cant remember name atm, but all is on hold till the pockets have a lil bit more change in em hehe. I basically wanted to get to know my system, check:thumbsup:, get to know my strain, check:thumbsup:, and finally start tweaking a lil here and there. I'll be starting a new log here in about a month when converting my tent from E&F to DWC and should have all new adds by then.

and yes I agree to do an acutal test on PH drift we all need to be using the same water to start because we all know mine is diff from yours and yours is diff from his and so on.