First id like to say good day to everyone im pritty new to all the in side grows but im on my 3rd grow i grow in soil feed fox farm use tape water that sets out for 3 to 4 days befor useing but iv been looking in to getting a better yeld and had a few people tell me to bring my ppm up but im not to shur what to bring them up to im in the 4th week of flower and found when i feed them its around 700 and i no u should bring it up in stages. But dont no to much about that part ust seeing if any one could simplify it for me i no u can kill thim if u use to much
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@ronnie_miller PPM or TDS (the same) gives you a more accurate reading of how much nutrients you’ve added to water. If you add more nutrients, you get higher PPM’s.
As you progress in your experience in growing, you’ll be able to test your run off to see how much you plant is uptaking, and plan accordingly.
Example, if you put in 1500ppm and you test the leftover run off from the bottom of the soil and you get 200ppm. Your plant would be telling you she’s very hungry.
Same is true if if you put in 1500ppm and run off is 2000ppm. Your plant would be telling you she’s full, and not using all the nutrients, and you should give just PH’d water for awhile.
I know this is a long answer, but I hope it answers your question.
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Thank u i see what u r saying thanks for the info
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You can also use your TDS meter to tailor a nutrient regime for an individual plant. That said; many newer growers over do it with the nutrients. I did a run in coco which requires you to provide all of the nutes. I was steered to keep the TDS around 900 ppm in veg and 1,300 or so in flower and had plants that looked artificial they were so perfect.
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I use a peatmoss sand perlite and lime mix thats what i found that works for me tryed coco and others and had a bad time with them so i have to give my plants all the nut so my ppm is normally around 700 in veg right not should i bump it to 900 then thanks
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Look at your plants: are they happy? That’s the metric.
When putting together a nutrient package remember that the base TDS value of your water adds to your total. In other words; your 700 ppm if in distilled water indicates the entire amount of your nutrient load. But the same amount in a base water with 300 ppm will bring that value up to 1,100 ppm. So there are advantages to using purified water, depending on what is in your municipal water supply. I run 900 ppm (give or take) with a base of 300 ppm so my actual nutrient load is 600 ppm.
Your media sounds like a good mix; PH to 6.2 or so nominal. Good idea with the lime.
You will (or should) see accelerated growth in a media like you have or coco or Promix. I see larger plants and larger yields in media other than soil. I really think the trick is, for me, to not overload the plant. Some folks push the envelope (Hi, @raustin) but she’s a better grower than I am lol.
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Thank u thats what i have been looking for i appreciate all the info u all are awesome
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@Covertgrower so ideally what are the type of ppm numbers are we looking for?
Your ppm numbers will vary based on what phase of your grow you’re in, how much your base ppm is, and will vary based on per plant.
Some are pickier than others.
The short answer is, there isn’t one, but those are some of the factors that contribute to so many variables.
Your brand of nutrients that you are currently using might have a general PPM reading available. Again, even those are guidelines. @Psu8286
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You have to look at each plant like a child. Some children are special needs children and others need very little attention.
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You’re an excellent grower as well, @Myfriendis410. He’s right, I like to push my PPM very high, as high as the plants will tolerate. I do this by just getting the tips of the leaves to burn and then I know how far I can push the nutes. I don’t recommend this to a beginner though.
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@MAXHeadRoom @Covertgrower thank you guys.
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perfect analogy @MAXHeadRoom…
just like a bunch of kids,some want this some want that,and some just want to be left alone…lol
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That’s not a long answer …. lol This is a long answer lol
PPM AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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.
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So to see if thay need feed u check the run off on the plant first befor adding anything to is is what that brakes down to and not to add to much to the plant thats what im getting out of it if im wrong let me no i appreciate everything u help with befor i found this site i couldnt even get them to grow thank u so much
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And always adjust the ppm befor adjusting ph
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