Trying to figure out the science behind this:
No nutes since 2/26, runoff that day 1904 ppm
Water only 3/2, runoff 1529ppm
Drilled stalk 3/4
Water only 3/5, runoff 1833 ppm
Water today 3/8, runoff 5242 ppm!
I just flushed her down to 712. Could drilling the stalk cause the plant to dump it’s stored nutes back into the roots? Can’t think of anywhere else they would have came from.
I’ve never heard of that ! That’s crazy high, are you sure your tds meter is calibrated?
That was my first thought. Have always used my tap water and a cup of distilled water as reference. From day 1 the tap has read 250 and distilled 7. Reads the same today.
If you could fill out the support ticket, I’m sure there are plenty of folks that can help you out.
COPY/PASTE: This “Support Ticket” into your forum post.
Answer these simple questions the best you can.
If you do not know, or do not use something; Just say so = NA
Strain; Type, Bag seed, ILGM… name of strain:
Age from Sprout:
Soil in pots, Hydroponic, or Coco / Brand and type of Soil & Size of Pots:
How often do you water and how do you determine when to do so?
PH of water and runoff or solution in reservoir:
What is strength of nutrient mix? EC, or TDS:
Indoor or Outdoor:
Light system, size and height from plants:
Temps; Day, Night:
Humidity; Day, Night:
Ventilation system; Yes, No, Size:
AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier:
Co2; Yes, No:
Add anything else you feel would help us give you a most informed answer. Feel free to elaborate, but short, to the point questions and facts will help us help you.
I never jumped on bandwagon of drilling stem, so not sure what to expect there. There’s probably a few possibilities though. I’m thinking maybe a chance some root matter breaking down. Or possibly some nutrients that were bound up letting go because the plant refused to uptake after drilling stem and repeated watering.
Undisolved salts disolving…? Air pockets full of salts that you may have left behind before?
When I do stage flushes I always flush until I see air bubbles. It helps to have the media about 50mm from top of pot so you when you water only (flush) you can have that volume of water (weight) to help push through the media evenly which means pushing through the air pockets (raising them to the top) which can hold salt buildup.
Since changing over to fabric pots I’ve found this doesnt work 
That’s my theory
You can NOT use distilled water as a reference solution! There is nothing in the liquid to get a reading against so spurious information is transmitted. I’ve seen a calibrated meter turn in numbers from 3.0 to 9.0 in distilled.
Standard Reference Solution 7.0 is what you should use for a cross check.
Have you run a flushing agent like Florakleen or Sledgehammer? That might help.
For reference when I have checked my run off on my 3 plants it has ranged from 3500-2500 ppm (7000-5000 EC) and varies between the 3 plants. I feed only organic nutrients and have a living soil that takes care of feeding the plants. I am not worried about the high ppm readings as the soil critters are the traffic cops managing the nutrients to my plants.
Are you feeding the soil critters with organic nutes or are you using inorganic/salt based chelates nutes?
Are they experiencing issues?
If not shouldn’t be a problem with high ppm in run off with a living soil.
I could be wrong but that is what I know with my process.
Are your numbers using EC readings or the ppm scale?
Also the distilled water issue can be with using the Ph meter but not an issue with using a TDS meter as it reads particles in water and TDS meter works fine in either type of water…
@dbrn32, hmmm, I wonder if you’re correct on the roots breaking down and the nutrients they were holding dumping back into the soil. The plant is definitely still sucking up water though as it’s still needing water every 3rd day.
@GreenCoat, that makes sense but I haven’t changed anything in watering technique. I water (with my pump sprayer) one gallon. That will start a few drips into the runoff (saturation). I let that sit for about 20 minutes (to hopefully soak up the salts). Then I add enough water to fill a cup with the runoff and test. I do this two more times and usually the ppms drop. These last two waterings the Ppms increased drastically after every test. I also use the cloth smart pots.
@Myfriendis410, I’m checking PPM not PH. And I can tell you things like sledgehammer are going to be in my arsenal from now on. Flushing water through is for the birds. Took 15 gallons to get to 700 and I said screw it good enough.
Plant is still healthy and bud progress in the last 4 days have been pretty remarkable. I’m just trying to figure out how a 3500 spike in PPM could have occurred in a 3 day window with no nutes being added.
I use tap water I have never had. That problem u just let it sit over night flush them for sure I agree
Have you ever flushed? and what do you consider a flush ?
Maybe what’s needed is a change … 
Run a lot of water through if it’s dwc just water
Never flushed because I would do 20-25% runoff every feed/water. Never had a runoff of over 2200. Typically it was in the 1200-1800 range. I flushed 15 gallons today because of the crazy ppm that came out today. I’ve never fed over 1800 in.
I would say you had salt build up in pockets of your root bulb. Hence the reason i reccomend from what I was taught by @raustin early on. You gots to flush 
at least once every 2 weeks.
Flushing amount is 3 times the amount of your pot.
I could be wrong but its served me well and I stick with it
I got you covered my friend.
I hope this helps It’s long
knowing What Your Plants Are Eating and How Much They Can Handle
October 20, 2016 by Devin Martinez
One big question growers ask is “Why are my plants suffering even though
I used all the right nutrients, feeding cycles, lighting cycles, and adjusted
temperatures and conditions to their absolute best?”
That’s because their pH and PPM levels are off, making it difficult for your
plants to eat. pH refers to potential of Hydrogen ions in your water, which
will determine if your water is too acidic or has too much alkaline in it.
PPM (parts per million) refers to the concentration of minerals and soluble
matter in your watering solution.
Correct pH and PPM levels are the backbone of any grow, and will be the
difference between a healthy grow and a huge waste of time and money.
pH Levels
Simply put: the right pH level will create an environment where your plants
can absorb nutrients quickly and easily, leading to a better harvest.
Nutrient-rich water is filled with elements that are helpful to your plants.
However, if those elements can be broken down properly those same elements
can harm your plants.
pH levels is important to understand because the right level will determine
the quality of helpful bacteria in your water that help break down elements,
helping the metabolic rate of your plants. How? In two ways:?
When pH levels are too low (pH level of around 5 of lower), heavy
metals like iron and aluminum change and can become toxic to your plants ?
If the pH level is too high (pH level of around 6.5 or higher)
elements like calcium and phosphorus can’t be broken down completely, which
will hinder the growth of your plants
This change in properties is due to how acidic your water is or is not.
You’ll want your plants’ nutrients to be a little acidic otherwise they can’t
break down, but too much acidity and your nutrients can become toxic.
So remember: pH too low= toxic to your plants, too high= growth decrease.
That’s why you want to have the perfect level of acidity in your water,
which will be around 5.5-6.0
Typical pH Levels ?
3.5 and below: Root Damage ?
4.0-4.5: Poor Nutrient Uptake ?
5.0-5.4: Good pH Level ?
5.4-5.8: Perfect pH Level ?
6.0-7.0: Acceptable pH Balance ?
7.5-8.0: Poor Nutrient Uptake ?
8.5 and Above: Root Damage
Note: Soil grown plants tend to need a little bit higher of a pH than hydroponics
because soil retains and releases certain elements to your plants at different times.
However, both hydroponic and soil pH levels should stay within the same optimal range
of 5.5-6.0 pH.
PPM Levels
PPM (Parts Per Million) refers to concentration of the particulates in your feeding
solution.
From minerals found in tap water to natural elements found in your nutrients, your
job is to make sure that the PPM levels in your water solution are on point so you’re
not under- or over-feeding your plants. While it’s an easy concept to understand on
the surface, it’s a little more complicated when you have to adjust elements.
Now, pH plays a huge factor in PPM levels because even though you may have the correct
PPM reading, some of the particles- and the concentration of those particles- can be
harmful for your plants.
For example, let’s say your plants need to be at a PPM level of 700. You mix your
solution and you get a PPM reading of 700 but your pH is around 4.5. That means that
the majority of the available food for your plants is likely to have lots of heavy
metals in it, which will quickly toxify the plant. You’ll need to adjust the pH level
of your solution to make sure you’re not toxifying your plants.
“But won’t that throw my PPM levels off because you’re adding particles to your feeding
solution?” It can, and that’s what’s so tricky about PPM and pH levels: When you adjust
one you usually have to adjust the other, which can be simple or a huge pain depending
on the water and nutrients you’re feeding your plants.
Common PPM Readings
These readings reflect the PPM your water should have at a given stage of growth
? Seedlings: 100-250 (nutrients aren’t really needed here, hence there’s not a
lot of particles needed)
? First Half of Vegging Cycle: 300-400 (this is usually after you transplant,
which still don’t require many nutrients)
? Second Half of Vegging: 450-700 (you’ll start giving your plants more nutrients
at this stage)
? First Half of Flowering: 750-950 (your plants will be eating more as they grow,
so they’ll be taking in more nutrients)
? Second Half of Flowering: 1000-1600 (this is when your plant’s eating the most,
especially if you give it additives)
? End of Flower, Entering Harvest: As close to 0 as possible (this is when you’ll
be flushing your plants, so you don’t want there to be a lot of particles left over)
Adjusting pH Levels
When it comes to feeding plants there’s two ways of looking at it: homemade or store bought.
Same goes with balancing your pH: you can either purchase a pH buffer from a store or you
can use ingredients you can find around your home or in the grocery store– but both come
with their advantages and disadvantages.
Homemade pH Buffers
? Advantage: If pH levels are low you can use a little citric acid or even white
vinegar to help bring your water’s pH down. When you need to raise your pH levels you
can use a little bit of baking soda in your solution and bring those readings back up.
This will cost you less than picking up a buffering solution.
? Disadvantage: The issue with using these solutions is that they don’t work for
very long. You’ll find yourself having to add a little lemon juice every other day, then
having to use a little baking soda to even things out. Moreover, we’ve also heard of
growers using these ingredients and seeing severe spikes in pH, which if not handled
properly and quickly and bring your grow to a halt.
Premade pH Buffers
? Advantage: Most hydroponic companies out there will have pH buffers, usually
called . They’re much easier to use than citric acid or white vinegar mixes. They’re
designed raise and lower the pH of your water while keeping your water’s pH levels
balanced for longer than it would be without them.
? Disadvantage: As we’ve always mentioned, easier usually means more expensive.
These solutions usually won’t cost you an arm and a leg, but they’re definitely something
you can’t simply make at home and will cost some money.
Adjusting PPM Levels
Before you start adjusting your PPM levels, you’ll first want to make sure your tap water
is ready to feed your plants. That means you’ll want to adjust the PPM of your base water
before you start feeding it to your plants Now, any time you add anything in to your watering
solution, you’ll be adding more particles in to it, so keep an eye out on your PPM levels at
all times.
? To rid your water of too many particles you can use things like a carbon filter or a
reverse osmosis machine to clean your water. However, many growers agree that most tap water
has helpful minerals (like calcium and magnesium) that actually help plants.
? During and after the vegging stage, your plants will want more out of their feedings
so filtering isn’t really necessary. That’s why we recommend only using filters at the
beginning of the plants life when low PPM readings are needed
? For a quick fix when PPM’s are high just add a bit of fresh water with a good pH
level and watch them drop. Filtered, pH’ed water is great when things get a little too
much in your reservoirs.
? When readings are low it’s usually time to feed your plants. When you add nutrients
to your feeding solution your PPM’s will go back up, and when your PPM’s and pH’s are in
balance your plants are going to be happy and healthy.
? Just remember that these readings need constant adjustment, so if you haven’t been
keeping a close eye on your plant’s PPM and pH levels there’s not better time to start than now.
@GreenCoat
If your using non organic nutrients and or tap/well water that are above say 200ppm TDS you will have salt build up over time and quicker if using both and not as often if just tap/well water with organic Nutrients.
If your using a living soil that is healthy and RO or distilled water and organic nutrients the need for flushing becomes remote.
As far as flushing using x times the size of pot I’ve seen your 3x and I’ve seen all the way up to 5x and more stated. I would when I’ve flushed do an amount to get runoff and test and based on those readings decide if another round was needed. In other words I don’t just use 15 gallons (5 gallon pot x3) and then test but do so in stages until my last run off gets me where I want to be so I’m not flushing more than needed.
Again these are my thoughts based on my observations and what I have been reading in books etc by those that have decades of experience.
Again I’m always learning and will modify my thinking upon new credible evidence as I go so don’t take what I suggest as gospel…
Lol
Yeah whatever works for you mate. But I flush 3 times the amount without fussing in between. 3 times the amount usually gets me where I want to be for a nice reset for fresh nutes.
It’s been going good so fat
No argument there they look great
Why thank you kind sir! I’m very proud of them, I’ve really enjoyed the bond you build with something that’s living but not in the living sense of the word.
It’s very cool
But I’m somewhat confident in the advice I give because its everything I’ve done with my plants and I’ve done ok I think.
