PH Dropping quickly?

[MisterE]

5.7 and 660 today. I topped up with nuted solution. They're drinking it up really well now

Weedhound, it's possible that your water is buffering PH already too. Here is a great article on water, and where I finally got the idea to try baking soda (never would have occured to me, as the common good advice is always stick with the professional ph adjusters): http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=23357

My plants are bursting with fresh growth now.

[Weedhound]

Well I read the water article Mr E but there are still some things I don't get....all those ferts etc are supposed to already have ph buffers in them. Why aren't they working for you??!! I did notice however that when I mix a new batch of ferts the ph is usually low and I bring it up with baking soda before I do a res change so perhaps I've just plain been way ahead of you the whole time.....the last few times I have done res changes I have not had to raise my ph first and now thinking about it I realize that the ph is not staying as stable at first as it was but settles down pretty well after I adjust it with ph down for the first time. (Always goes up.... never down so ha)

[MisterE]

You may have been ahead of the game (only way to know I suppose is try store bought PH Up if you dare and try, lol), or your basic water chemistry may include sufficient buffers already. You'd need much more than a basic PH probe to test such actual numbers I think.

But also, my WORST case of ph dropping like crazy was when I was using plain RO water, no nutes at all. And it was dropping full points in a day (6 to 5 etc).

I'm glad to say though that now my PH is absolutely rock steady! Seriously like a miracle.

I think the bottom line really is that if you see CRAZY swings where you have to adjust the heck out of it one way or the other constantly, you very well may simply lack enough PH buffering in your *water* (regardless of nute brands), so a small bit of sodium bicorbonate could very well help stabalize it.

I've flipped over to 12/12 starting today, and replaced my MH with my HPS. These plants are going to be twice as big as I'd wanted them to be, but I can hope for a quick flower cycle I guess.

[Weedhound]

Yeah more buds, more trichomes what a shame The fun part is unprying all the branches and leaves that grew up into the light and ceiling beams.
Sure glad your grow is back on track!

[MisterE]

lol true. I'll have more harvest, but boy is it ever gonna stink in there.. Plus the light wont penetrate as much, but I'm supplementing it with side lights. I had to drag the tub 6 more inches from the wall because some leaves were touching this morning.

Since 2 plants are in only a 10 gallon tub, they're shoving away from/against each other, with leaves and branches all mashing together. The top looks almost like a scrog with no screen, lol. Not really, but bushy bushy. This strain would definitely be excellent for outdoor. It'd be round.

PH is still rock solid wherever I set it. The issue I'm working to keep up with now is topping up the res, because they're drinking/eating like pigs! LOL

[MisterE]

Oh, I'd forgot that you asked for pics.

Dec 2nd on left, Jan 2nd on right (best I could do with main light on and POS camera). No training or topping at all.

[Weedhound]

Ph problems or not--good job! Is the second pic one plant or two? It looks just fine for two plants but quite the beast if it's only one.

[MisterE]

It's both plants in the same little container still. Camera sucks, but there's branch tops everywhere and they're just as full on the opposite side, but I can't get back there, lol.

I rigged up a little shelf for my fan so I can remove a little cabinet that you can almost see in there, to give them the full 5 foot width to grow into.

I think this strain (alien's NLX) would scrog really well. I'm anxious to see how they fill out. Hope they can handle the weight they're going to be carrying.

[MisterE]

PH still completely fine. All I've needed to do still is up it slightly with baking soda dissolved in water when I add nutes, or top up the res. making it drop slightly.

Plants are really exploding. At least 2 to 3 inches growth overnight. One branch from the third node is now taller than the plant tops lol. It's opposite branch is quite a bit shorter due to being on the outside edge of the lights "sweet spot" with only supplemental side lighting (and a thick canopy).

Harvest will be quite affected by using only 400 watts (and it's only 2 plants). Next time, short clones thrown into flower quickly, and/or only 1 large plant.

[Weedhound]

Sounds like it may be time for bigger "light guns"