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HELP! pH down solution drastically elevates PPM, is it normal?

MrGreenGenes

MrGreenGenes

New member
Hello, My normal maintenance nutrient mix measures 358 PPM. (Before balancing the pH).

Nutrient mix:
Mammoth P 1.25mg
Humboldts Secret Golden Tree 1.25mg
Humboldts Secret Base A 3.5mg, B 3.5mg

Then I added pH down solution into my mix and my PPM shot from 358 to 1,190, it went up 883. Just by adding in the pH down solution.
I want to add more nutrients to my mix but the pH solution is causing it to be to high.
If I don't add my pH down solution then the plants won't uptake nutrients, they will sit and burn again.

So how is it ever possible for me to achieve a PPM lower than 1,190 when my pH balancing solution cranks up my PPM way too high?
 
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Hi Mr.Gg,
what is your PH of your base water? And are you add ph down before or after you add nutes to the water? What medium are you growing in?
 
Yes that is how ph works. It is a relationship bewteen Ppm and the ph of those minerals. If you want to lower or rise ph you need lots of particles to counter act the water and nutrients ph
 
I ask this not to hijack the thread, but if I guess right it may help. If the PH Down is contributing that many PPM's, do those PPM's count less than PPM's from nutrients? There is no N or P or K in the PH down, I don't believe. It seems to me that the PPM's from the PH down could be somewhat ignored if plants seem underfed.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will help me out on this, because I am just fishing.
 
I think you are fine with a base of 7.0 which is a nuetral ph... My water is 7 out of the well and I don't add any ph down. Is it 7.0 after adding nutes? If so I wouldn't add any ph down.
 
Flockshot thank you for sharing. Very valid question. Campesino Can the PPM's being created from the pH down be ignored?
883 in my case. In reality, having a PPM of 358 during flower is very low.
 
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Is your run off ph high? It should basicly be the same coming out as going in. If your trying to lower your run off ph yes you would want to correct it like that. But if your run off ph is 7 I would be happy with that. It's good to let ph fluctuate a little...you can add the ph down on non feed days if you need to drop it.
 
hi there,

you kinda start off with what I have as well with my water...
baseline pH - 7.3 to 7.6 ish ; ppm (NaCL) - 267

im using the flora series with CalMag extra....

i've read from the feeding chart Flora has for recirculating DWC systems to add CalMag first before adding their Micro solution....
not sure if you're using CalMag extra, or if there is a recommendation to add nutrients to water but i'd look for something like that.

when i add 30ml CalMag and 60ml of FloraMicro to 15L of plain water, i get these readings:
pH - 7.4 , ppm - 1240 (starting pH - 7.6)

when all is done, the resting pH of 45L of water is 7.4 with ppm - 840.
then i add 13.5ml of pH down to it and pH settles at 6.3. ppm at 850.


how much water are you adding those nutrients to you mentioned at the start?
 
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I haven't used it in months adding nutes usually significantly reduces my ph. Using silica then calmag should be added first. I use gh maxi series bottled recommend feed that lowers it to around 5.5-6. I then add what I mixed to another jug and add more water to a get a diluted solution to my correct ec level by adding any diluted solution to the half empty jug. Maybe have enough to feed the flowers and stuff around the house. But I've used this method getting a ph of 6.5 everytime with a nuetral starting ph. I don't add ph down to my regular waterings and my run off ph is always between 6 and 6.5.
 
ok, so... I've been reading multiple forums that say DO NOT include pH when calculating your TOTAL PPM. Measure you nutrient recipe mixture before adjusting any pH as this will greatly effect your results.

Explanation: add all your various nutrients (in the proper order) to your plain water the note measurement. Then measure PPM of your plain water. Add them together and this is your TOTAL PPM.

My example Nutrient Recipe:
Tap Water: 45 PPM
Nutrient Mix: 358
Total PPM: 403 PPM

My Goal for week 3 flowering is 800.
So I need to add 397 more PPM of Nutrients to hit goal.
 
Chefbjy my pH runoff is fine, its around 6.7. The issue is the PPM's.
I've been reading multiple forums that say DO NOT include pH when calculating your TOTAL PPM. Measure your nutrient recipe mixture before adjusting any pH modifier as this will greatly effect your results.

Explanation: add all your various nutrients (in the proper order) to your plain water and take a PPM measurement. Then measure the PPM of your plain water. Add them together and this is your TOTAL PPM.

My example Nutrient Recipe:
Tap Water: 45 PPM
Nutrient(s) Mix: 358 PPM
Total PPM: 403 PPM

My Goal for week 3 flowering is 800 PPM. So I should add 397 more PPM's of Nutrients to hit goal.
If what I'm saying is inaccurate please let me know, I've been beat up on this grow...
 
As long as ph is between 6-7 I wouldn't use it. See what your ph is when you double your recipe. Depending on how many gallons you need you could use a solution like I described below. Maybe even triple or quadruple the recipe depending how many gallons you use. Pouring 2qts into another jug and diluting may save you from using ph buffers at all. And some nutes are good for a week or so premixed in water.
 
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