Some stupid PPM questions

I thought I was being real smart by producing great results with minimal effort and expense. However my plants in the flower section started exhibiting some small signs of nute problems, so I broke down and bought a PPM meter. Now how the hell do I use it?

I think I remember that PPM should be about 1 to 3000. Is this right, and that's a big difference. What's best on average? And if my PPM is too high, I just use less nutes, right?

And I bought some Liquid Karma and Cal Mag. How do I best incorparate this with my other nutes and maintain the proper PPM?

For the mean time I went to half strength nutes. My PPM in them at the time of mixing was 990. Does this mean at full strength it will be twice that, or 1980?

Opie.... HI!
when using general hydropnics 3 part... the highest the PPM i would recommend is 1500...

and actualy, if it is your first time growing using this particular NUTRIENT solution then you should probably be very careful going over 1300..

If your PH is corrrect.. then your plants should be showing signs of hunger which can be eaisly fixed... as opposed to a PH imbalance which canoften leave parts of your plant necrotic.. DEAD

can you post a picture

: )

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Originally Posted by Opie Yutts

I thought I was being real smart by producing great results with minimal effort and expense. However my plants in the flower section started exhibiting some small signs of nute problems, so I broke down and bought a PPM meter. Now how the hell do I use it?

I think I remember that PPM should be about 1 to 3000. Is this right, and that's a big difference. What's best on average? And if my PPM is too high, I just use less nutes, right?

And I bought some Liquid Karma and Cal Mag. How do I best incorparate this with my other nutes and maintain the proper PPM?

For the mean time I went to half strength nutes. My PPM in them at the time of mixing was 990. Does this mean at full strength it will be twice that, or 1980?

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Well not quite.

There is a chart in the FAQ section that shows the different NPK levels for each growth cycle in the plants life. There is also another one on PPM & EC give that a read it may help you also.

I will try to explain as best I can. I will just give you the steps and not the why just yet so you can get up and running faster.

1. Plan water - Check ppm and record. Check Ph record but don't balance yet.

2. This depends on what nutrients you are using as your NPK base. The chart is for GH 3-part NPK nutrients. That type of nutrient gives you the most control over your NPK nutrient formula.

You add in the NPK nutrient in the proper amount according to the makers instructions. Mix it up and then let it set for a few min. This is just the NPK nutrient mixture.

3. Check the Ph now and the PPM level. That PPM reading minus what you started with is the real NKP nutrients salts number. Write that number down too for record reference.

4. Most NPK nutrients have a buffer built in to aid in maintaining Ph levels. Here is when you balance your Ph to match the growth cycle and the strain. Some like lower 5.2 - 5.5 and some like it higher 5.5 - 6.0 there is a chart there too that will show you the different nutrients the plant uptakes at different Ph levels so you can match Ph with the growth cycle if you choose. ( told you it could get confusing)

5. Now that you have the Ph set you can add the CalMag Plus (if you are using RO water) Also you can start adding what other enhancers you are going to use.

I.E. a Bloom booster or flower enhancer, maybe some carob load or something like that. The idea is to add them last because they are meant to enhance the base NPK nutrients. You may need to lower some of the NPK by as much as 50% if using boosters is too much for your plants. They will tell you by looking at the leaf.

Take your last reading and record it for reference. Now you have a place to start from. If the plants like it you know the next time and if they don't then you know where to start tweaking for the next time. Keep records and as your experience grows with more data so will your growing skill in using PPM as a tool for a successful grow.

Did that help you any?

Just got back from working and am in a big hurry to leave again. Had to skim but looks very helpful. Looking forward to understanding it fully later tonight or tomorrow. Thanks a bunch.

I don't ever use the General Hydropnic (3 part solution chart) recommended mixture... it will lead to problems..

: )

After several grows using 3-part, I have come up with my own recipe, also. One thing I think we all do is cut the grow-part during flower, or at least after the 1st 3-4 weeks of flower. It is a matter of using it and your own growing experiences that will bring the most understanding of the products.

Very helpful guys, thanks, but I have another question. Zandor says I can add CalMag if I am using RO water. Why can't I use it with well water? Should I just take it back? And how much Liquid Karma and Calmag do you guys add per gallon? Do you stick with the instructions or vary that? I am using Tiger Bloom for the basic flower nutes, if that matters. I would be happy to supply specifics on the Tiger Bloom if that would help, but I am leaving in a few minutes for 2 days.

OK, after some more searching I think I get it about the CalMag. People mostly just use it to replace the elements that RO strips out. True? I don't remember it saying that on the bottle. I just bought the smaller bottle of Cal Mag, and it's not really worth the trip back to the store. Should I go ahead and use it up (slowly)?

Latewood... can you post your recipie for the three part gh nutes?? Ive got the one from the faq but i think its generic because it includes grow in the bloom cycle.

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Originally Posted by Garden Knowm

I don't ever use the General Hydropnic (3 part solution chart) recommended mixture... it will lead to problems..

: )

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Why?

If that chart gives you trouble then quit using that miracle grow shit and that won't happen again. lol

Using any nutrient improperly will give you problems. I have used it for many years and had great success with that product. Are you saying I'm giving the wrong advice about that chart?

It could be just YOU; did you think about that?

It is a great place to start and each strain is a little different. How many times have I said that (I lost count)

If you take growing serious then don't use that MG crap anymore. If you can't use a simple 3-part nutrient NPK formula then you may need to go back to class and read the books this time.

Opie, ypu you are right about the calmag+ (replenish essential elements removed by R-O process.

my recipe is:
0- 5- 10,
grow, micro, bloom
10ml per gallon Liquid karma
5-10ml per gallon calmag+
Hygrozyme. follow directions.

for Organic Hydro/Soil I substitute, Pure Blend Pro for 3-part.
Pure blend Pro...come in either Soil and /or Hydro formula; the difference is the PH buffers. basically, and there is a tweak to formula due to bacterias/microbes located in soil.

Remember, you can always use the full values on bottles, but have to watch EC/ppm if you use alot of additives.
A safe way to start is Use 50%-75% ratio recommended on bottle. hope this helps.

LW.. thanks for the mix.. i personally substitute diamond nectar for liquid carma and I havent used hygrozyme but I will go look it up. Thanks!

Are you saying I'm giving the wrong advice

Zandor give wrong advice? Never happen. Especially about spider mites.

I love you and appreciate you Zandor. However, I think that you are human.

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Originally Posted by Opie Yutts

Are you saying I'm giving the wrong advice

Zandor give wrong advice? Never happen. Especially about spider mites.

I love you and appreciate you Zandor. However, I think that you are human.

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My advice here and even the thread about spider mites is 100% correct and backed by science. You have the right not to listen and not to believe me at all, that is your choice.

That does not change the FACT that I am right.

I will NOT apologize for being correct!

At no time that I can remember I have never said I was anything but just a person who also is a lover of this plant. I have grown this plant for more years then most of the people around here have been smoking. I have never said I was better; just more experienced then most.

I have done research for the past 15 years on growing the very best plants I can grow. I have traveled extensively for most of my adult life around the world to learn from others. Hell even vacation time with the family ended up stopping by some nutrient plant or another growerâ??s grow-op to discuss how to grow quality plants. I have seen what has worked and what has not worked.
I try my best to share my experience with those who choose to listen; listening to me is not required (recommended but not required).

My goal here when I joined this site was just to help people grow. There were only a few threads here and one guy trying to help everyone but he grew with MG and did not know as much about other growing techniques. I was asked to takeover the moderation of this section because it was very thin in the facts and only had a few sections. My self and several others here have built this up to what you see today. When I made changes to the cultivation section was to only provide ACCURATE and CORRECT information as I see it from my experience.

There are many here that have taught me quit a bit about other growing techniques. I have never said I was a growing god or anything else but just someone who loves this plant and a person with a lot of experience to share.

I was even nice to you in the spider mite thread and chose to treat you with respect. You still choose to flame me after that but even that I ignored. If you want to continue to try to flame me in other threads I will not stand by and allow you to disrespect me or this forum.

Choose your words with care please; bantering only serves to taint good quality information and do harm to the forum as a community.

I for one value your opinions here and as well as many others I am sure.

Respect is something that is earned by deeds and granted by others not the individual seeking self gratification. â?? Nikola Telsa

I don't know what you are talking about. I spent hours trying to help people with the absolute best possible solution to a problem. One that helped me more than anything I tried, and you just kept insisting that the solution won't work, even though you have never tried it, and even though everyone who has tried it agrees that it works, and even though people are now thanking me because they did try it, and it did work. I said this is bad moderating, and I still believe it. You can call that flaming if you so desire, and you can go ahead and ban me if you so desire. Like you say, I am not a weed god, but many people could benefit from my experiences and wisdom.

I don't care how many years experience you have and I am not asking you to apologize for being correct. I am not even asking you to apologize for being incorrect.

peace n luv n stuff

Oh, and I always choose my words with care, but I still will not hesitate to speak the truth when it is appropriate, regardless of the consequences.

Dont be measurin em or nothin:dance:

I am just happy BOTH of you explained in great detail what works for you. Never hurts to have more than one weapon in yer arsenal.:rasta:

So I guess to "nuke" them so to speak, one could bomb AND use the strips. If I ever get them, that will be my approach.


Have a great weekend all,
b0nger

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Originally Posted by bongerstonerd00d

I am just happy BOTH of you explained in great detail what works for you. Never hurts to have more than one weapon in yer arsenal.

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Exactly. That's one of the great things about forums like these. Many opinions to choose from to find what works best for you. I am not mad at Zandor, just a little dissapointed. I'm sure he knows a lot about weed. He just happens to be wrong when he keeps insisting that the pest strips cannot possibly work. I don't know why he does this. He tells me the bombs work, and I believe him.

zandor i have to harvest ?
my plants are ready and i flushed with clear x and pure water
but ppm is still 1500 - can i harvest or do i need to get the ppm lower

I am not Zandor, but I harvested last time when my nutes were 1800. Why would that be a problem? If you want them flushed more, then flush more. The THC will degrade a little over the next few days, but you will also get a stronger high if it doesn't degrade too much.

Zandor, I got confused on your post earlier when you were talking about the PH.

You said "Now that you have the Ph set you can add the CalMag Plus (if you are using RO water) Also you can start adding what other enhancers you are going to use."

I'm all confused about PH, from my understanding you check the PH after you mix the nutes, am I right? Why would you have your PH set, and then add the Calmag and other enhancers after you have a set PH? Would the cal-mag and other enhancers not lower or raise the PH?

Confusing or not, you da man-

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Originally Posted by dingobaby

Zandor, I got confused on your post earlier when you were talking about the PH.

You said "Now that you have the Ph set you can add the CalMag Plus (if you are using RO water) Also you can start adding what other enhancers you are going to use."

I'm all confused about PH, from my understanding you check the PH after you mix the nutes, am I right? Why would you have your PH set, and then add the Calmag and other enhancers after you have a set PH? Would the cal-mag and other enhancers not lower or raise the PH?

Confusing or not, you da man-

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You check before, during and after.

Before is your control number so you know where you started. Most modern nutrients on the market today for this plant have buffers in their mixture. If you pre Ph then mix your nutrients they will hold the Ph better and closer to the number you want.

CalMag Plus is what you use to replace nutrients the RO process takes out but the plant still needs.

Not all nutrients play well with each other, some of them duplicate each other but with cleaver marketing you never know unless you understand the label and what they put in to make the formula.

Enhancers are just that.....they enhance the base NPK nutrient. They are not meant to replace a good quality full NPK nutrient mix. You may need to tweak your NPK so you don't over feed your plants. That depends on the life cycle the plants are in as well.

I hope that helped you.

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Originally Posted by Humboldt sticky

zandor i have to harvest ?
my plants are ready and i flushed with clear x and pure water
but ppm is still 1500 - can i harvest or do i need to get the ppm lower

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Check the starting PPM and the ending PPM if there is less then 50 points difference or less then they are leached properly and ready for harvest.

SORRY TO INTERUPT THIS THREAD.

Opie Yutts,,, PLEASE USE THE WHITE CURTACY PHONE TO CONTACT ME.

I HAVE COMMENTS ON YOUR "NO PEST STRIPS".

I NEED THE WORLD TO KNOW THE GREATNESS OF THESE.

BOYZNUS AT YAHOO. COM

YOU ARE NOW MY MENTOR.