RUN OFF PPM IS THIS OKAY?

[DaFreak]

There really is nothing accurate about reading run-off, it’s a more like a ball-park figure, regardless I’m sure that those cloth pots are filtering the salts somehow because what the OP says doesn’t make sense otherwise in which case reading the runoff would be the worst thing to do.

 

[teddy bonkers]

Saying first that everyone grows in a different way and what matters for one can be not useful for one other.. you can grow for sure without monitoring runoff, but it depends on the style of the cultivation.
Growing in drain to waste coco, I can’t imagine how I could dial in nutrients for different plants every day without knowing runoff.
If you trash the plant with a ton of solution everyday, there will be a sort of flushing happening so you can avoid to monitor runoff, but you can’t immediately know if the plant needs more or less ppms..
I get around 30% runoff and take my readings when the pot has done dripping

I have grown for over 10 yrs in peat moss, I use 1 nutrient for every strain in my perpetual garden and I have never needed to check run-off, especially at 500 ppms and my plant looks great. just my 2 cnts

 

[giantcola]

No not at all - checking run-off is useless information - so that's all you should worry about - wasting your time on useless information

For real i can’t get a reason for you saying that, unless you grow in soil and think everyone does that

 

[DaFreak]

Runoff ppm is determined by the speed which the new feed is going through the density of the medium and a bunch of other stuff that I can’t even think of probably would need to know a little chaos science to even begin to say that is accurate

 

[greenthumbjudex]

There really is nothing accurate about reading run-off, it’s a more like a ball-park figure, regardless I’m sure that those cloth pots are filtering the salts somehow because what the OP says doesn’t make sense otherwise in which case reading the runoff would be the worst thing to do.

oh okay so this cloth is filtering it thats why it read low ppm, i got it, so what do i do now? i'll just read the plant manually i guess

 

[teddy bonkers]

Runoff ppm is determined by the speed which the new feed is going through the density of the medium and a bunch of other stuff that I can’t even think of probably would need to know a little chaos science to even begin to say that is accurate

but what is in that run off ppm, what mobile and immobile nutes?? why reading the plant is key. again, just my 2 cnts

 

[greenthumbjudex]

okay so my fabric pot is filtering the salts which is i cannot read the runoff, are the salts gonna stay in the coco? or is this okay?

 

[DaFreak]

To the op, many new growers are fearful of trusting their instincts and believe that growing is like baking, all measurements and as long as you follow the recipe you will have success. And while most of that is true, the most important thing is reading your plants. Forget run-off, feed what you think they need and if you see signs of over feeding you can give them PH’d water up to the point of run-off every 3rd feeding, many styles but the point is just read your plants, you’ll have it down within a few grows.

 

[DaFreak]

but what is in that run off ppm, what mobile and immobile nutes?? why reading the plant is key. again, just my 2 cnts

100% in agreement.

 

[giantcola]

i think is something pretty simple to understand without going too deep into science:
If you get a 500 ppms solution into a substrate that has salt buildup in it, some of these salts will be found in excess in the runoff, getting it above 500 ppms.
if the plants drinks more nutes than water, the ppms in the medium will get lower and the next time you water with 500 ppms, your runoff will be a mix of the feeding solution and the salt stripped h20 that was in the medium, getting a lower runoff than imput.
That’s how you understand how much your plant is feeding if ratios are ok and the girl looks happy

 

[DaFreak]

okay so my fabric pot is filtering the salts which is i cannot read the runoff, are the salts gonna stay in the coco? or is this okay?

That’s my guess, again don’t worry, just make sure to get plenty of runoff each feeding. If you’re not sure 30% run-off would be super safe, a little wasteful.

 

[DaFreak]

i think is something pretty simple to understand without going too deep into science:
If you get a 500 ppms solution into a substrate that has salt buildup in it, some of these salts will be found in excess in the runoff, getting it above 500 ppms.
if the plants drinks more nutes than water, the ppms in the medium will get lower and the next time you water with 500 ppms, your runoff will be a mix of the feeding solution and the salt stripped h20 that was in the medium, getting a lower runoff than imput.
That’s how you understand how much your plant is feeding if ratios are ok and the girl looks happy

Or......you look at their leafs

 

[giantcola]

But as some growers said here, you cannot know which elements the plant is consuming more only with runoff. That’s why is important to both monitor and understand plant health and keep things on track.. I don’t follow a schedule, i feed based on how I feel about a plant, but runoff gives me a sort of starting point

 

[giantcola]

Or......you look at their leafs

This would be more precise no doubt, but in coco symptoms of buildup can show in 2 days with tip burn, but deficiencies can show in one week or so..

 

[greenthumbjudex]

okay thanks for your advices, I'll just stick with my feeding schedule with 20-30% runoff and will update here how this goes, but for now my problem is is how to know if this is an autoflower or photo, cause i have a gut that this is a gorilla glue strain which is an auto

 

[coreywebster]

Just continue to feed regularly until run off and don't let it fully dry out and you will be fine.
Plants healthy.

If you get a serious issue down the road, most likely after a few weeks of flower then the first thing to do is check run off.
If its considerably higher than what your putting in then flush and reset.
Salt build up is mostly from letting the coco dry fully.

Otherwise stop worrying about a heathy plant.

 

[greenthumbjudex]

Just continue to feed regularly until run off and don't let it fully dry out and you will be fine.
Plants healthy.

If you get a serious issue down the road, most likely after a few weeks of flower then the first thing to do is check run off.
If its considerably higher than what your putting in then flush and reset.
Salt build up is mostly from letting the coco dry fully.

Otherwise stop worrying about a heathy plant.

yeah that's what i think, i always make sure my coco is wet.

 

[Mr. Krinkle]

Why do you say that? In my experience monitoring runoff in coco has always been necessary to rapidly understand how to feed the plant. What is wrong with that if using salt based nutes? I’m not monitoring runoff ph, just ec
Please expose your reasons to say that and we may have some interesting debate

A debate with you would be like checking run-off....pointless

 

[giantcola]

Dude growing has no truth, everyone does it different. That’s the point of debating, listening to other people as well as saying your opinions, if you explain your reasons to say that monitoring runoff is pointless i’ll listen to you, but if you do the arrogant professor like that no one would find that useful.
There’s no black and no white, a ton of commercial and experienced growers are monitoring runoff and thinking about being smarter then all of them, because you aren’t wasting time monitoring runoff sounds so stupid to me. Stop acting like you know the truth of growing please and be more open minded to explain your answers, instead of acting like you are the best grower in the world. You may have grown for 20 years but always grown like shit

 

[B|uDreamer]

Just continue to feed regularly until run off and don't let it fully dry out and you will be fine.
Plants healthy.

If you get a serious issue down the road, most likely after a few weeks of flower then the first thing to do is check run off.
If its considerably higher than what your putting in then flush and reset.
Salt build up is mostly from letting the coco dry fully.

Otherwise stop worrying about a heathy plant.

Best answer.

Runoff in coco is information and that is valuable, but reacting to that info too quickly is where most run into problems. Don't chase numbers, chase healthy plants.