Ok. So now that my attention has been on TDS and EC today, I’ve been doing much reading on the subject.
I already do Slurries on a regular basis and from what I’ve read the readings are waaay different between slurries and runoff.
There are many differing opinions on the subject of which test to do and seems most will stand behind whatever way they choose but few do both.
The biggest ‘discussion’ point I saw was about watering down the soil with distilled for a Slurry and effectively stating that was no way to determine anything because it was fresh water… against, if you flush your plants too much they will loose all of what you’re putting into them and they get sickly. And many will point out that if you just watch your plants you’ll see what they have to say.
So I wonder why it wouldn’t be a viable choice to collect some runoff, filter it and add some of the dirt from all around the plant and conduct your slurries with both water and soil from each pot? Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds and effectively give you the most accurate readings for all EC, TDS and pH? If not, why?
Also, I’ve decided to not do the runoff/flushing test regularly. I will if there’s a problem, but I feel like the slurries are better for the plant. I do get that idw a bunch of excess minerals in my soil, but idw too little either and I think the slurry will tell me what I need to know, especially, if when I did do runoff I could use that water for my slutty tests.
Now don’t get me wrong, when I water/feed I DO it to runoff, just not enough to collect. I use pillow cases as pots so when it start coming through I stop, stir some and water some more. So I think they are getting enough and also washing away some excess too. So please don’t yell at me for that. Lol!
I grow in 3 gallon bags. That means every feed I give them 1 gallon. I get 17% runoff from one gallon. I get the run off EC and pH and that’s it. It’s that simple.
Hey there, Karen.
I’m an ignorant beginner. I haven’t earned trust by growing anything yet. But just like you, I’ve been researching EC… wanting to get it right.
So far, I’ve learned two things, and maybe one of 'em will turn out to be useful. Hope so!
As my plant grows and matures, it’s nutrient needs increase. As a result, the test results I get from a feeding/watering solution (before pouring it) should also show an increase in EC.
After researching EC, it felt important to see a real-life example from an experienced grower. If seeing an example would help you, too, then take a look at @Cap_Ron 's journal and the method he uses for charting EC.
I get what y’all are saying, and I thank you both for responding.
I’ve pretty much decided how I intend to proceed, and made this post really to see what other’s have experienced and why they chose one over the other or even if they do both regularly, when they deem it useful to do both, or if they are totally into one and don’t do the other at all. Also if anyone has done a slurry with their runoff water and soil from the pot.
From what I’ve read from other sites about it is that the difference in numbers is super wide and so tend to get people all worried about which is more correct than the other and stressing about it. I’m in this for relaxation, not stress. You know? However I do plan to do both just this once at the same time and see where my readings are. In the future, if something dictates that I need to test runoff then I will. Otherwise I’m good with slurry tests unless somebody can give me good reason why runoff tests are better.
Personally I’ll do a slurry test in the beginning when I can dig down into the soil and not worry about killing the roots. If you’re properly doing a slurry test every time you feed you’re going to kill your roots. There’s no way to dig down three to four inches without cutting all your roots up.
I don’t spend a lot of time chasing numbers and worried about what ifs or what should that takes away too much time of worrying about the thing that matters, the plant.
I feed my girls 900 EC every time I feed them. I want to see up to 200 EC more come off the runoff. This tells me the girls are eating fine. If the numbers are lower than 200 EC that means they’re hungry and they want a little bit more. The numbers are higher than 200 EC I cut back a little on their feed.
I’ve never lost a girl or got a deficiency from doing a runoff test vs a slurry test.
See there? Now that makes a lot of sense. I had forgotten about the whole those tests will determine if they are getting enough or not enough nutrients. Where all the slurry does is tell the pH of the soil they’re in. And THAT is a reason I made this post. You know, if I read something enough times I will have it memorized, but idh time for all that reading, as if reading these responses is much different - yet somehow they are. So these conversations reiterate some of the things I read and remind me of some of the key points like that that I didn’t write down. Thanks for that.
And no, I don’t do a slurry every time, but I do spend a lot of time with them when I water. I have been doing a lot of slurries because I had a problem with my starting potting mix this grow and was forced to clean up the stuff from last grow, and so I just didn’t want to put the seedlings into a.mix that might have still have the nutes for a flowering plant. I had 2 already that didn’t germinate. Now I have 4 that have effectively cycled into Veg and 3 that haven’t and they are all in the same tent. Idek what to do about taht.
If you’re testing ph because you assume there’s something wrong in the soil slurry test is very good.
I just went through a expired Happy Frog soil issue. I was able to flush the entire pre-charge of the soil and get the pH back to its accuracy. Fox farm Happy Frog soil is very common for pH issues.
I have a friend that works at advance nutrients he said the worst soil they’ve ever tested in was Happy Frog soil. He also said one of the top favorites of all time to grow in was pro mix HP with their nutrients.
My next grow I’ll go with pro mix.
Soil runoff is the Bible of your plants life (the medical records so to speak) Each run off dictates what you do next.
I’m of the mindset that slurry is really not reliable, and theres an art to reading runoff numbers no matter the source of water.
I use runoff numbers but only to get an idea of ppm range in soil and ph.
If I try to read the runoff to soon before m7ch hascran trough I get a low tds reading, then if I water alot to fast i can get a really high reading makeing me think the soil is liaded when in reality, I just washed it all out
The method I believe gives me the most accurate reading is when I wet the soil diwn good but no runoff at first, let that soak 10-15 mins. I usely hit a dab or two while it soaks in.
Then i water more till I get a good bit of runoff and that my reading.
These chasing tds numbers drove me crazy at first, so glad i mostly use coco-coir now
I still do soil to but it’s easier now I been doing it a while, I rarely take readings now.
I just start feeding once in flower and do a feed, water, water, cycle with plenty of runoff each time.
I only take readings if the plant shows deficiency…
Thanks for the schooling. I have seen the AN products but still am relatively new and really like the background of Gen Hydro and their Flora Series. I think it helped a lot at the end of my 1st grow and so intend to start with their 6 part this time. Soil is a whole other monster for me. Hopefully by the time I need more I’ll be able to afford something other than last years. Lol!
That’s a great idea. I know i have to pour, wait, pour, wait, yada yada. Probably would be best to water and go back in a little while and water some more. I was going to try a run off last night and got plenty of water for it. Unfortunately none of the water was in the catch pans. So there’s that. Smh. Only me. Only me would that happen to.
For a slurry test you take a sample of soil down near the root zone, mix this with equal parts of distilled water and stir. Let the mix rest for an hour or so then stir and strain this through a coffee filter and test. Not the same as a pouring water from the top that will flush the medium from top to bottom
Uh… Nope. It’s NOT just you.@ShureGreen Thanks to you, I learned something important
. . I want to grow SCROG, but I’m newbie ignorant on how it works to empty the catch pan under my plant.
. . Even for non-SCROG, I don’t want to lift every pot every time I water! And I sure don’t want a plant sitting in water for more than a couple hours.
. . So I need to set up a rack. Like this , with a catch pan underneath. And I need to be ready for when I inevitably forget to put it back. How bad was it? What did you grab first? Rags? Mop? Wet vac?!!
PHOTO CREDIT: @skippyisnohippy whose picture taught me something important
Well, luckily my tent has a liner so it will catch any excess water and next time I water, before I do, I will vacuum in there. I always make a huge mess when I water. I totally feel you on the rack. Can’t have them on the floor. Of course I use pillow cases and they are in milk crates, so it does keep them half an inch or so off the floor. I think that’s enough. I’m definitely going to take a note from @1HappyPappy and start to water some, let it sit and then go in and finish watering. I believe I I’d done that any runoff would’ve went into the pans where I wanted it to go. Live and learn, you know.
This is genius. @ShureGreen I’d never thought of that and I got tons of milk crates and can get many more. I’m always trying to think of uses for them.
Well @OUTinMN , it’s super simple and super cost effective too. I buy standard sized pillow cases 2 for 3 bucks and once my seedlings are ready to be transplanted from their 1st home they go directly into the dirt I’ve put into the cases. I fill them about halfway to a third of the way up with my dirt. About to where they almost meet the top of the crate. Then I can always add more dirt as needed because the cases will still erect as long as there’s dirt holding them up. They do tend to leak from the sides some though. Not a bunch once you get used to watering in cases. Plus, if you wanna train there are plenty places in the crate to use as tie-downs spots. Idk, originally I had bought 3 gal bags that were too small so I bought 20 gal bags that were way too big, so I just went and saw the pillow cases so cheap and said why not. Lol! It’s worked so far.
I swear I thought somebody on this thread walked through the steps of conducting the test and I sure can’t find it anywhere. I have one gal appears to have a Nitro shortage so I decided to do the test. I have a new small Ball jar full of strained runoff and not a clue as to what I’m supposed to do with it now. Lol and smdh. I googled it but it seems way more complicated than what I recall reading previously
Idky the same link I read before didn’t show in my results and I didn’t bookmark it. So who yo walk me through it?!?!?! @Lostgirl ? @1HappyPappy ?@OGIncognito ? Please?
Ok. So I went ahead and and just put the meters in and recorded all the different reads. While idk about the PPM and EC, I do know about the pH, and what I’m putting into the soil is pretty much exactly what I got out if the soil.
I did test the Tap Water and the Distilled Water with each one prior to doing the run off and those reading were well within the given parameters I got from Google, so I guess the meters are properly calibrated, so that’s a plus.
So as I said, the pH I put in is the same as what I got out, so that’s good, right? The EC and PPM are as follow: the US/CM@72°F= EC1148
PPM@72°F= 0564
Are those numbers ok? I have to wonder because I did the test because that particular plant is much smaller than the test and the leaves show signs of what I believe is Nitrogen Deficiency. (See Photos)
EC of 1148 is equivalent to 570 PPMs and about 1/2 of what they need. A good soil PPM would be around 1000 PPMs or an EC of 2.0. For the slurry test, take equal parts of distilled water and a soil sample down around the root zone. Stir and let it rest for 30 min to an hour. Stir and strain through a coffee filter and test. She looks hungry
, with a catch pan underneath. And I need to be ready for when I inevitably forget to put it back. How bad was it? What did you grab first? Rags? Mop? Wet vac?!!
