Ph&ppm

Hey, I am relatively new to growing and have done a couple of grows without the asking care of ph&ppm readings. I am now in my last week of veg on a 8 week cycle. The plants are looking pretty healthy and am happy going into bloom for 8 weeks. However I've been advised on the importance of ph&ppm so have purchased a tester for both. I'm not sure what the levels should be, so below is my grow info and if anyone can help me to determine what levels I should set them at at this stage, I would really appreciate the help. I am also contemplating changing my nutrients as I am running low on my Dutch grow pro is it a bad idea to say swap to Ionic nutrients? I did have an issue of the leaves being light in colour, this is why I'm gonna start monitoring the PH&PPM now. (Bit late).

-Plants are approximately 1.5-2.00 feet tall and bushy
-Nutrients used are dutch grow pro A&B, Multi total and Mag/Cal all have been added to water at the recommended dose it states on the chart.
-Grow medium Coco 18 litre pots
-18/6 light cycle for 7 weeks so far
-600 watt light, in a controlled tent
- Have been topped and super cropped
-Blue cheese & white widow strai think that's about everything really, but if someone could let me know a link or something to a feed chart, that is specific to my circumstances it would be a big help, don't want to F*** it up just before bloom.

Cheers Gareth

Optimal ph of nutrients for soilless is around 5.8 in veg, 6.2 in flower.

Optimal nutrient PPM is something you discover from feeding too much and/or providing too little runoff to wash away unused nutes.

Best thing you can do is measure your runoff ph and ppm. Runoff ph isn't accurate, but the trend is valuable information. If you see your runoff ph going lower and ppm going higher, that's a good indication you're feeding too strongly or without enough runoff. At some point this will lead to nute lockout. For me, around ph 5.2 and ppm 2500. For you, you have to find it yourself. Runoff ph and ppm is good info to see it happening and get ahead of it. After you learn the strength/runoff combination that doesn't build up, you don't need to monitor runoff.

az2000 said:

Optimal ph of nutrients for soilless is around 5.8 in veg, 6.2 in flower.

Optimal nutrient PPM is something you discover from feeding too much and/or providing too little runoff to wash away unused nutes.

Best thing you can do is measure your runoff ph and ppm. Runoff ph isn't accurate, but the trend is valuable information. If you see your runoff ph going lower and ppm going higher, that's a good indication you're feeding too strongly or without enough runoff. At some point this will lead to nute lockout. For me, around ph 5.2 and ppm 2500. For you, you have to find it yourself. Runoff ph and ppm is good info to see it happening and get ahead of it. After you learn the strength/runoff combination that doesn't build up, you don't need to monitor runoff.

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az2000 said:

Optimal ph of nutrients for soilless is around 5.8 in veg, 6.2 in flower.

Optimal nutrient PPM is something you discover from feeding too much and/or providing too little runoff to wash away unused nutes.

Best thing you can do is measure your runoff ph and ppm. Runoff ph isn't accurate, but the trend is valuable information. If you see your runoff ph going lower and ppm going higher, that's a good indication you're feeding too strongly or without enough runoff. At some point this will lead to nute lockout. For me, around ph 5.2 and ppm 2500. For you, you have to find it yourself. Runoff ph and ppm is good info to see it happening and get ahead of it. After you learn the strength/runoff combination that doesn't build up, you don't need to monitor runoff.

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Hey thanks for replying I am not experienced and this helps. Like I say my ph after I've added nutrients to my water is about 5.8 now are you saying measure the run off meaning the stuff that drains out the bottom, because hardly any water comes out the bottom of my plants. Does this mean I'm watering them too much?

Gareth Jehan said:

hardly any water comes out the bottom of my plants. Does this mean I'm watering them too much?

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It means you're using an insufficient quantity. 20% runoff (20% of the container size) is good insurance against salt buildup (which is common, especially with new growers). You can find the exact strength of nutrients that the plant will consume, leaving nothing behind (and therefore, no need for runoff). But, there's some benefit to feeding more and flushing away excess each watering. (Or, some people don't do runoff each feeding. They just flush 300% when they transition to flower. I personally think that's unnecessary stress. Better to do a little flush each feeding. But, that's three different styles.).

Since you don't know how much is too much, I'd do 20% runoff, track the runoff ph and ppm, and you'll be *far* ahead of the game when (not if) you have the common deterioration in early flower. You'll have the info to know if it's salt buildup.