TentFarmer said:
Potus,
I appreciate you following up on this post. I apologize as I do tend to get defensive when I feel suggestions are supplied with a pointed stick. However today is a new day, a new toke, and an open mind.
Hey, sometimes I come on a little strong. It comes from a lifetime of coming on a little strong...hehe I'm working on it. I've learned so many lessons during my use of Hydro that I try to make others understand why some things are done before they make the same mistakes.
TentFarmer said:
I was under the impression that certain nuits would be used before others. In my mind if a nuit was spent and I added a small amount of water/nuit to it, it would band-aid the situation.
If your reservoir holds ten times the amount your plants use per/day during full vegetative growth, that means that during full vegetative growth and during flowering, you'll have to add freshly made nutrients each day in an amount equal to one tenth the total volume of your reservoir.
That replenishment will keep your nutrients at a very balanced strength and make it unnecessary to change the nutrient solution at all during your entire grow.
During the first part of your grow, you use a milder strength of nutrient solution. Then, as your plants get larger and more capable of handling stronger nutes, you increase the strength of the replacement nute solution and after ten days, your entire reservoir is now at the increased strength. No shock to the plants and a steady strengthening of the solution to full strength.
Then, when you switch your lights to flowering, you simply start using a full strength flowering solution as the added nutrient solution each night. Again, after ten days, you've gradually changed your nutrient to a flowering solution with no sudden shock to your plants.
This accomplishes a savings in nutrient costs and also smooths out the transition between strengths and types of nutrients when the plants grow and change cycles.
TentFarmer said:
When using this method do you mix your nuits at the same concentration as you would if you were to change out your res water? I figured a portion of my water gets used by the plants and a portion evaporates on the tray.
Evaporation is slight in an ebb and flow system. Your daily addition of fresh nutrient solution will compensate for any loss from evaporation. The nutrient strength will never alter significantly during this process.
TentFarmer said:
I keep my system sparklin clean by running fresh water through the plants, rinsing salt buildup off roots and hydroton when doing res changes. I also run a rag over the tray when I do res changes to keep it all looking new. I also make sure to clean the ring around the tub in my res. My thought was that any nuits drying on the tray due to evaporation after floods would collect and it would be better to keep fresh.
You won't have to worry about doing that but once per/grow if you use my system. After harvest, I always give my entire grow room and all the chambers a good Clorox sanitizing bath, rinse and then I cover it until use again. Just before use, I run a reservoir of fresh water through the system to clean out anything that may have gotten in during the down time.
TentFarmer said:
My eyes and ears are (now) wide open. The change in ideas is completely welcomed. I objected more to how it was presented rather then the information itself. I appreciate your help and hope you can help me fill in the blanks.
Sorry if I came on too strong. Like I said, I'm working on that. I'm working at becoming immune to arguing.
Way back when rocks were young, my Mom used to say; "Stoney, a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". I swear, I heard that a thousand times. I gotta try to stop trying to convince people against their will.
Good luck to you!