Nutrient Discussion

Thanks for sharing. So Rhino Skin is used in veg. Sounds good.

I’m assuming you’re trying to hit a target ppm for each stage? Where I can I find the ideal ppm for each stage of the plants life? is it a universally agreed upon range or is it something that depends on various factors?

Actually during flower. I used the term bloom. I will start using it at first sign of early flower with autos. But photos a little later so the stems don’t stiffen up too much to be able do any last bit of LST.

I didn’t look closely enough haha, I assumed it was Veg on top. That makes sense for the LST.

Right now I’m using the AN PH Perfect trio (grow, bloom, micro) with Bud Candy and Sensi CalMag Xtra, Big Bud and eventually Overdrive.

Do you recommend anywhere I can do some detailed readings on what the plant needs in various phases of it’s life?

ILGM’s grow guides are a good start. Advanced nutrients has a lot of articles geared toward their products. I found this summary of the AN line I use to be useful. Advanced Nutrients Organic - Ultimate AN Guide Pt.4
I also seem to find something from https://cannabistraininguniversity.com/blog/growing-marijuana/marijuana-plant-growth-cycle-stages/
I like grow weed easy articles and information. Royal queen seeds also does a good job. Maybe not as detailed as weed easy.
Anything put out by Dr. Bruce Bugbee is worth watching. This is one of his seminal youtubes https://youtu.be/JwtkHxv_3pU?t=12
Otherwise I pretty much fire up the google machine and search for it.

Ah this is great, thanks man!

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Stir or shake when making feeding solution ? Just made my first ever batch in a gallon jug, and shook each time i added each nute. Have seperate, labeled, syringes for each nute. Let sit a while, checked ph, rite at 6. Seems like a good start.

@pr @GreenSnek @Covertgrower @beardless (I believe we’ve met on another posting of mine) @Darth_Zaider ; please direct me as such.
First grow and I don’t have a clue about, uh…much of anything, but I’m learning.
I have the Fox Farms Trio and pH-Up/Down, seen above, but I don’t know Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot about how to do a “Run-off” test or a damn thing about fertilizing.
I’ve done just about everything wrong, which is okay because I have to learn somehow, with this 1st grow.
See posts…for a good laugh…: Too much light I'm sure.How to handle?
When to Top/Prune gals
and a few others. Thanks to many keeping me on track, as best they can.
In any case the 1st link is the most descriptive to explain where I am. I need help, URL/Links please, understanding how to measure Soil pH (runoff?) and simply how to determine a feeding schedule. I’m a technical guy, so step by step and calculations matter - rather, they’re better understood by me.
History: the three White Widow Autos, and one Northern Lights Auto, have been above soil since early April. Those in Red cups (Xplanted from Jiffy’s) are Blueberry-Photo, which I’m suppose I’ll keep in tent until temp’s in Zone 6.5 come up a bit - then onto the deck. I screwed-up with lighting and then watering so I don’t want to do the same henceforth. They’re all in 60%/40% Happy Frog & Cultivation Nation since 4/29PM. Had to remove a leaf, or three, due to nutrient insufficiency when transplanting.
Many thanks to those Auto growers who have already helped: @Mark0427 @Not2SureYet @Nicky @Randy_Marsh @AxemanJake23 and others.
The simple question; where can I find information about how to calculate and feed?
Best regards

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Basically for a run off test you just measure the going in to the pooling waters ppm to see how much your girls are absorbing and heres a fox farm schedule but with autos you may want to start with 1/2 doses then if they look hungry for more 3/4 doses p.s. look into mr fulvic I give my autos 1 ml every week and they re monsters you can see them over here Here

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Here is the address of all of FF feeding schedules. Direct links would be bounced so ^ have been added.
Foxfarm ^.^ com/feeding-schedules
You will have to scroll down until you reach the soil feeding schedule. This is part of the schedule you are looking for


When I used the trio I made this schedule. Note PPM has been changed from 700 to 500 which is the most common in US.

Checking runoff ph is straight forward. Water / feed the plant enough to consistently have 10 - 15% runoff. Eg. water 1000ml desired runoff is 100 - 150ml. If runoff is less than this - water more. I found this article useful.
^https://curiouscultivations ^. ^ com/2019/01/11/runoff-ph-explaining-the-bro-science/

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Im a newbie as well, but thus far, between the fox farm recipe, cut in half as suggested by most seasoned growers, and tips from ilgm forum members, my girl seems to be happy. Ph im still struggling with. Now waiting on ph up to be delivered as last batch went way down after nutes. This forum will be a huge help to you as ive found out ! Im starting a new grow soon with a journal and will tag you in for the ride and info i gain !!

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If you dont like spending money on ph down and up use lemon juice or vinegar as ph down. And use baking soda as ph up. Saves a ton of money and I have been doing it for years. And in that FF trio I dont use the schedule. Any time I got my plants run off any where near what they suggest I would get a lock out. I try to stay around 1000ish ppm on run off. Well lower for seedling. Just be careful getting up around 1700 to 2000

May need to clarify medium used. When I used the trio and fox farm ocean forest I would always be 2000+.

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Sorry that was a coco grow. See what happens when I respond to thread at 4 am

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@beardless the measurement of PPM is what - simply the PPM in the Nutrient H2O?
Why did you change PPM from 700 to 500?
Adding nutrients to H2O of ~223 must then be calculated/adjusted. No?
I will need to begin feeding “soon”. I intend to use ‘Zero Water’ H2O ™ that has very little (<15PPM/TDS Vivosun meter) and does not affect normal Tap water pH - so I can adjust accordingly before adding nutrients.

I watched the video for Runoff H20. It was only specific to pH, but not TDS related to nutrients. Still confused and searching for clarification.
Thanks!

Yes parts per million or another term is TDS total dissolved solids. The measurement after nutrients are added therefore includes all elements / nutrients being measured. Those in the nutrients themselves and the water.

No. If the target feed is 1000 ppm this includes everything in the water and nutrients. People with really high water ppm will often install reverse osmosis systems. This allows for more nutrients.

I changed because my pens use the 500 scale. Lets say I just mixed up a batch and checked its PPM. My pen reads 1500. Then I look at fox farms feed schedule and it says my PPM for week 4 should be 2100. Both numbers are correct. 500scale X EC of 3 = 1500. 700scale X EC of 3 = 2100. If I was trying to match the 2100 PPM on FF schedule I would be overfeeding them by 40%. When I did the schedule I had a cheap pen and I could not change the units of measure. It would either read EC or use 500 scale.
I upgraded my pen to a Blue Lab conductivity pen. With it I can change to the preferred scale or EC.
I hope this made sense.

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@beardless; thanks for the explanations.

  1. FWIW; after discussion with @SpinyNorman, I believe, I’ve tested pH and TDS of Zero H2O filtered water and found this - although the TDS tester that comes with a Zero Filter, they’re not as accurate as a Vivosun TDS meter. And, to the pH topic, the Zero filter only changes the pH by <5%. So I’ll be using Zero H20 Filter to remove 90%+/- of solids and can gauge my feeding reasonably accurate (-25+/- TDS).
  2. The Pens…okay, yes I understand mostly, but will need some more experience to fully “get it”.

Another FWIW: I used Fox Farms pH and TDS testing criteria, and an email or two with their support folks, and found (if my Vivosun is accurate) that Straight FF Happy Frog out of the bag has pH of 7.20 and TDS of 450 (distilled H2O and 1:5 ratio soil to H2O).

I’ll be testing the HF+CN soil tonight and expect to get some nutrients into soil tomorrow, when they’re scheduled for a watering.

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Okay @Beardless; still trying to understand the 500 to 700 Scale. My Vivosun pen can change between EC and PPM. However, I really don’t understand the correlation between EC and PPM.
I see in the FF chart: Week 4 EC: 3.00-3.40 and PPM(700 Scale) 2100-2380.
I suppose I’m slow on the uptake. I simply don’t understand what Scale my Pen uses or is calibrated to.
Vivosun doesn’t provide the information - not that I can find anyway.
Thanks again

With your pen set to EC, take a reading. What does it say?
Then change the mode to PPM. If need be take another reading. What does it say?
you will be able see what scale is being used

EC of 3 x 700 -=2100
All I am saying is if you pen reads in 500 scale it will show ppm of 1500. If you think, to get the proper nutrient mix you need to add more nutrients to get it up 2100, it would be a mistake. You would be over fertilizing.

@beardless ; did some transplanting (again) and the 1st real feeding at week 4. What a damn shame and mistakes abound on my 1st grow.
I did 1/2 strength FF: Big Bloom (6tbs/2Gal) + Grow Big (3tbs/2Gal) + Kanga Roots (1tbs/2Gal), because I didn’t want to f’up too bad.
A slurry mix test from existing FF HF+CN yielded PPM/TDS 195 (they were ready for a drink sooo…).
Starting H2O pH=8.94 (just calibrated) PPM/TDS=145, EC 290.
After mixing the above nutes: pH=6.71 and PPM/TDS=725, EC 1450.
So my starting feeding was PPM=870 - not high in the least.
As I stated above EC is 2X the PPM/TDS - so do I have a 500 Scale pen?
I asked Vivosun support - waiting for a response.
Also, given the nutrient, I suppose I’ll need to do my next watering with some additional nutes.
Anyway…that’s where I am.
Thanks for keeping-up the communications.