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how long before i need to change my water in my ebb and flow system?
- Thread starter kaigan
- Start date
Stond_Face
Member
I'll chime in here.
I don't have hard rules here. Many times, I'll run right to the final flush with out changing the rez out. I just add back water and nutes to get the rez to the correct EC, then adjust the pH.
this works for me because I only use GH Maxibloom and NO additives. If you use additives you need to change out now and then because it's impossible to know the ratio of nutes to additives after a while.
If the plants start to look funky, I'll change out the rez.
Cheers,
S_F
I don't have hard rules here. Many times, I'll run right to the final flush with out changing the rez out. I just add back water and nutes to get the rez to the correct EC, then adjust the pH.
this works for me because I only use GH Maxibloom and NO additives. If you use additives you need to change out now and then because it's impossible to know the ratio of nutes to additives after a while.
If the plants start to look funky, I'll change out the rez.
Cheers,
S_F
A gereral rule is 7- 10 days.Think of it as a liquid buffet. After 10 days how much good is left. Stone is correct and not a noobie IMHO, he can 'read' his gurls.. I have lots of goodies for my flowers 7 days sees me drainin usually.
Never! Actually, depends on how many plants, and how big of a reservoir. I have about 75 gallons and 50 plants, and I swap out the res only when flipping to 12/12, and again for the final flush.
dgr
Member
I think you should change it every time you put molasses in it
Here is the Lucas add back calculator. It isn't perfect but it gets you close:
((target - current)) / target) * X ml per gallon * res gallons
So, let's say you have the following per gallon in your original reservoir of 20 gallons and your PPM is 1000.
10 ml PBP bloom
5 ml LK
2 ml hydroplex
That's 17 ml/gallon
You add back 6 gallons and your PPM is now 650.
((1000-650)/1000) * 17ml * 20gal = 119 ml
10/17 * 119 = 70 mL PBP
5/17 * 119 = 35 ml LK
2/17 * 119 = 14 ml hydroplex
By the way, it's much easier to do a spreadsheet once than to keep doing the calcs.
HOWEVER, nutrients are not consumed equally, so without some expensive test equipment to steer your add backs, a lot of people will change the reservoir when they have added back 100%, so in this example, if I was adding back 4 gallons every two days, I would go 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and on the 12th day, change the reservoir instead of adding back over 100%.
Others will mix a res and not add back any water until the next phase of their nutrient profile. Say every week or every other week.
Still others will add back and add back the same concentration as they originally used. So, if we add back 4 gallons of water, they would add 40 ml of PBP, 20 ml of LK, 8 ml of hydroplex.
STILL others will only add back water, thus diluting their reservoir until it's time to change the reservoir.
Did I miss any?
I intentionally left out molasses. It's good in cookies. But I don't know what to make of it in what was once a somewhat sterile environment. I also have no clue what non-plant-absorbed contents of it would affect PPMs in the reservoir and require some real math to work around.
Here is the Lucas add back calculator. It isn't perfect but it gets you close:
((target - current)) / target) * X ml per gallon * res gallons
So, let's say you have the following per gallon in your original reservoir of 20 gallons and your PPM is 1000.
10 ml PBP bloom
5 ml LK
2 ml hydroplex
That's 17 ml/gallon
You add back 6 gallons and your PPM is now 650.
((1000-650)/1000) * 17ml * 20gal = 119 ml
10/17 * 119 = 70 mL PBP
5/17 * 119 = 35 ml LK
2/17 * 119 = 14 ml hydroplex
By the way, it's much easier to do a spreadsheet once than to keep doing the calcs.
HOWEVER, nutrients are not consumed equally, so without some expensive test equipment to steer your add backs, a lot of people will change the reservoir when they have added back 100%, so in this example, if I was adding back 4 gallons every two days, I would go 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and on the 12th day, change the reservoir instead of adding back over 100%.
Others will mix a res and not add back any water until the next phase of their nutrient profile. Say every week or every other week.
Still others will add back and add back the same concentration as they originally used. So, if we add back 4 gallons of water, they would add 40 ml of PBP, 20 ml of LK, 8 ml of hydroplex.
STILL others will only add back water, thus diluting their reservoir until it's time to change the reservoir.
Did I miss any?
I intentionally left out molasses. It's good in cookies. But I don't know what to make of it in what was once a somewhat sterile environment. I also have no clue what non-plant-absorbed contents of it would affect PPMs in the reservoir and require some real math to work around.
Molasses makes a mess of ur rez,lines etc. If tht's somethin you want look to Pura Vida.
I do ebb/flow SOG's, clones straight on to 12/12.
During the flowering process the plants start to use a lot of nutrients, this can be seen by the res level going down daily.
This require checking the EC and pH levels daily and adjusting accordingly.
With so much variation going on I figure it is good practice to change the res completely every 2 weeks, otherwise some nutrients go missing.
Nothing like a fresh start, like changing the oil in a car and not just topping it up.
During the flowering process the plants start to use a lot of nutrients, this can be seen by the res level going down daily.
This require checking the EC and pH levels daily and adjusting accordingly.
With so much variation going on I figure it is good practice to change the res completely every 2 weeks, otherwise some nutrients go missing.
Nothing like a fresh start, like changing the oil in a car and not just topping it up.
