ph, ppm, is it really important!

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ytrew

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now that i got my setup running i am curious about the ppm, and ph thing. i use tap water for the res. what should the ph be. what is ppm and is it important. Please help. also could someone give me a list of the settings to grow best. PH, PPM, Temps, how much c02 etc.
 
what is ppm, and what does it do and how do i fix it:eek:
 
It is the amount of dissolved solids in the water. When plants eat they also give off a sort of waste. Too much solids won't let the plant uptake nutes, you must monitor it for a successful harvest. You need a digital meter you can get a your local grow shop, they are like 50 bucks or look around the net
 
so which would be the most important thing to get in order. Electronic ph meter, ppm meter, ro water system?
what should the ppm be and ph?
 
You can get a meter for 129.95 that will measure ppm and ph. 69 in air or water temp?
 
now 68 air and 67 water.
so what is first on my list
the meter or ro water system.
also, i have 2 4 gallon res and 2 5 gal res.
how often or do i change the water, or do i just keep adding to it.
 
i dont understand what i am trying to achieve with the ppm thing.
also i see they have a multible meter.
ec/ppm/ph
what is the ec?
 
Ph always 5.8-6. The ppm is low (400-500) for new babies, and they can go up to 2000+ ppm but the second to last week b4 harvest. Each strain takes different to ppm amount. Start low and work a little at a time dont exceed about 1400-1600 ppm, too risky if you are a newbie. Change the res. once every 10 days during veg and I change it to every week in flower. You dont have to understand ppm just measure it and maintain it.
 
so how do you adjust the ppm, is it a chemical like ph up/down?. also instead of moving all my buckets and cleaning them can i just siphon the res's and put new water in every 10 days?
what is ec?
 
Adding most nutes will raise the ppm. Watering it down with distilled or tap water will lower the ppm. Tap water has some kind of ppm value dependng where you live. Electrical Conductivity, its a better more accurate way of measuring amount of nutes, or ppm. Just another method of measuring Total Dissolved Solids or TDS
 
so if my tap is 800 coming out, add my nutes then check the ppm. dilute with water or add additional nutes (which ones) along the way maybe increase by 100 each week?
how do you do it?
do you use tap or r/o, what do you recomend?
 
this is what my water co says is in it!
hardness of City water is approximately 86 parts per million (ppm), which is considered moderately hard and suitable for all purposes
 
If its 800 you got a prob. It won't be much over 300 if that. Use a 3 part nutrient mixture and follow the guidelines on the bottle, its a good reference point and yes add or dilute as needed there is no chart it is all individual with each plant. R/O is good it has very low ppm but not necessary, I use half tap and half distilled distilled has 0 ppm. I would go with tap its easier for a beginner
 
this is what my water co says is in it!
hardness of City water is approximately 86 parts per million (ppm), which is considered moderately hard and suitable for all purposes.
if i use this will it hurt my harvest?
also instead of moving all my buckets and cleaning them can i just siphon the res's and put new water in every 10 days?
 
That water will work great. You can siphon but the larger the plants and higher the ppm the more residue will be left in the bottom of the res. You will need to scrub them every other change if you siphon. Remember keep the water in the res. as close to 65 as you can. Have to go GL keep me informed
 
any PPM over 500 is not safe for human consupmtion! i hope your tap is not 800 lol.

your stressin man, smoke a bowl.......your doin fine. You do what sweetnug says and your gunna have some sweetnugz

get some ferts for your plants, keep a close watch on the PH, don't overdue the nutes, good luck on the girls.

peace
 
I use a meter daily and adjust ppm to 800 and ph= 5.5...this is for a flood and drain sys, gh flora series nutes and rod water...called the Lucas formula,
 

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