A question for Stinky

My plants (grown in quality soil) are about 5 weeks old. Last week (7 days ago) I watered them with ph 6.8 RO water and gave them some nutes (@700ppm). Their runoff measured 1400ppm and the pH runoff was 6.8. I transplanted them into 1 gallon bags because they were outgrowing their container. Today I watered them with ph 6.8 RO water (no nutes) and measured their run off. The ppm was of the scale, real high and the ph read 6.0. I know my meters are accurate. I don't know how this happened but I need to fix it before they show signs of lock out and become sick. Right now they look perfect. I think I need to flush but my husband thinks that it may shock them which may turn them male or hermi. What would you do to fix this problem?

First, they won't 'turn male', no worries of that. Herming is most often associated with light or heat stress.

What soil are you using? Specifically, is there peat in it?
What have you been feedin ghtem, and have you ever flushed yet?
Why are you using RO water? Is your tap water THAT bad? Are you adding CalMAg Plus (you have to if you use RO)?

Soil growers don't have to be so concerned with ppm in general, but in your case havin gthat data is useful. It sounds like you DO need to flush; do it next time your soil starts to feel dry, and flush with pH 7 water to bring up the soil pH, then feed immediately with pH 6.8 fertilizer solution mixed at half strength.

Here in socal, with the fires and living so close to the border, I don't trust the water. I always add a half teaspoon of epson salts to their water tho. I don't have any CalMag plus. I use a potting soil that I get from my local nursery. I've used it for years with success. Not much peat, however they were grown from seed in half peat half perlite in quart size pots until a few days ago when I transplanted then into the 1gallon bags of potting soil. But like I said they look fine. I'll go ahead and flush next week with neutral ph water. They have not shown their sex yet so I hope your right that the flushing won't interfere with that. Thanks Stinky

I'd lay off the Epsom salts- MgSO4- still does not give you the Calcium you need, and can lock out other nutes in the process. Try to pick up some CalMag as soon as possible. Just for shits-n-giggles, what's your ppm out of the tap?

I'll lay off the epsons. My taps ppm is around 450, sometimes its around 580. I onced used one of those pool testers to test for chlorine and it was real high. Burn your nose hairs. I don't even like my kids brushin their teeth with that crap. It's not like you can leave it outside to let the chlorine evaporate because sometimes the sun does'nt come out here until 3pm.