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ph levels week 4/5 flowering

vro

New member
Just stop feeding and all should be good...dont flush...just fade...ph balanced water without nutes for the next 3-4 weeks. If you are already four to five weeks in a flower cycle...your ppm is probably to high for a sensitive strain.Just guessing that your plants may be done around day 63...seems to be the average. Perfect ph range for those weeks are 6.5 to 6.8. I always adjust water after nutes... to 6.5-6.6. Are you using fox farms nutes? They suggest to only use every other watering. Most chemical ferts lower ph. The tiger bloom is 2.0. Good luck with the grow.

this grow is just a test grow i didnt even expect these plants to get this far. my next grow i will be using grow big tiger bloom and big bloom. right now i am using biothrive bloom. how often should i water the plants with the ph balanced water and how much if they are in 5 gallon buckets? and by ph balanced water do you mean at 7 or 6.5?
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
this grow is just a test grow i didnt even expect these plants to get this far. my next grow i will be using grow big tiger bloom and big bloom. right now i am using biothrive bloom. how often should i water the plants with the ph balanced water and how much if they are in 5 gallon buckets? and by ph balanced water do you mean at 7 or 6.5?

I'm not sure if you are aware but your FFOF Soil has plenty of nutrients in it already and that's why it is so expensive. Your plants don't look that big to me. If you are going to use 5 gallon pots for your next grow you really don't need to add any bottled nutrients. For 4 foot bushes in 4 Gallon Pots of FFOF Soil, I only nute a few times for the entire grow. If you continue to add all those nutrients, you will lose all your flavor of your bud. The less nutrients that I add, the bigger my buds get and the more flavor that they have. The more nutes that I give, the more fluffy my buds get with much less flavor. Just a word of advise for you. If you would like to lower the pH of your soil, you can water at a lower pH. Try 6.0 and then see where your run off goes. As long as you get it to at least 6.8, you will be alright. You are so high right now with 4 weeks left of flowering, you are going to see lockouts. You don't need to add any more nutes for this grow.
 

vro

New member
when should i water them and how much should i water them if they are in 5 gallon buckets. also what size buckets do you recommend i get
 

M.R.GT

Well-known member
Veteran
water when the top 1-2 inches are dry.

most dirt guys pot up as plants become root bound. start in a 16oz solo cup, then 1 gallon pot and finish in 3 gallon pots or larger depending on plant size. Just make sure you put some rocks or something in the bottom of the pots to keep your drainage holes clear.

something like that. Just cruse some grow threads and see how others do there's, that should get you in the ball park.

good luck and enjoy your smoke.
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
when should i water them and how much should i water them if they are in 5 gallon buckets. also what size buckets do you recommend i get

I'm going to give you some really good advice right now. Just like M.R.G.T. said "start in a 16oz solo cup, "then 1 gallon pot and finish in 3 gallon pots or larger depending on plant size."

But I will elaborate further because many soil growers have no idea when to water and end up over watering as well as over feeding. You have to become used to hand weighing pots. It will be hard at first but if you want a fool proof method, get yourself a good scale. The minute that you transplant a plant into any cup or container of FFOF, weigh the container on a scale. When the container weighs that weight, it needs to be watered. One day you will become use to the hand weights and then you won't need a scale but get a scale that weighs in grams. Trust me on that one. Also add 1 part perlite to 3 parts FFOF so you get more air in there and mix it really well. FFOF doesn't come with enough perlite in it. Once a plant goes into FFOF, you don't need to add any feed at all for 2-3 weeks. Once you start feeding, don't feed again for at least 2 weeks. Less is more.
 

M.R.GT

Well-known member
Veteran
Snype is dead on nothing like a trained hand.

you should watch and study them as well. learn to read them and you can just about tell when they are thirsty. just comes with time just a slight droop, pick it up and feel the weight. with practice you'll figure it out. They will almost always tell you what they need if you can read the signs.
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
learn to read them and you can just about tell when they are thirsty. just comes with time just a slight droop, pick it up and feel the weight.

This is not always true and that's why a scale will come in handy. If your plants do not have enough perlite in the mix, the plants leaves can also droop when you water. There are also other factors that cause leaves to droop so a scale will make you sure what is going on if you aren't the observant type of person.
 

M.R.GT

Well-known member
Veteran
I guess I just spend way to much time in the flower room. part of that ocd.

not sayin don't use a scale, just to learn to read your plants. for a 5 gallon pot better get a bathroom scale.

over watering, root binding ... list goes on which will cause droop. plants are telling you something is wrong you just have to figure out what.
 

vro

New member
I'm going to give you some really good advice right now. Just like M.R.G.T. said "start in a 16oz solo cup, "then 1 gallon pot and finish in 3 gallon pots or larger depending on plant size."

But I will elaborate further because many soil growers have no idea when to water and end up over watering as well as over feeding. You have to become used to hand weighing pots. It will be hard at first but if you want a fool proof method, get yourself a good scale. The minute that you transplant a plant into any cup or container of FFOF, weigh the container on a scale. When the container weighs that weight, it needs to be watered. One day you will become use to the hand weights and then you won't need a scale but get a scale that weighs in grams. Trust me on that one. Also add 1 part perlite to 3 parts FFOF so you get more air in there and mix it really well. FFOF doesn't come with enough perlite in it. Once a plant goes into FFOF, you don't need to add any feed at all for 2-3 weeks. Once you start feeding, don't feed again for at least 2 weeks. Less is more.

before you transplant do you check the run offs in the soil then feed it? do you have to flush it before you transplant it so it gets the flower nutes? so if i was to use a solo cup and a 1 gallon and 3 gallon bucket would i flush the plant out before i moved it into the flowering bucket with the different nutes? if i was to veg for 1 month then change to flowering is 3 gallons enough?
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
before you transplant do you check the run offs in the soil then feed it? do you have to flush it before you transplant it so it gets the flower nutes? so if i was to use a solo cup and a 1 gallon and 3 gallon bucket would i flush the plant out before i moved it into the flowering bucket with the different nutes? if i was to veg for 1 month then change to flowering is 3 gallons enough?

No, stop thinking about feeding with Fox Farm Ocean Forest. There is food in the soil. You don't need to check the run-off when you transplant every 2-3 weeks as long as you water with 6.8 pH water. You don't need to feed until 2-3 weeks after it enters it's final pot that you will flower in. Those grow shops are destroying your mind. Don't worry about Grow nutes and Bloom nutes. It's all in your soil. If you used a big enough pot, you would never have to feed anything at all the entire grow.

3 Gallons is enough for flowing with a 1 month VEG. You would see from the scale that you would need to water more frequently.
 

vro

New member
so pretty much the next grow i should just end up feeding it twice or 3 times the entire grow? and would i be watering it with 6.8 ph water when its vegging or just flowering?
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
so pretty much the next grow i should just end up feeding it twice or 3 times the entire grow? and would i be watering it with 6.8 ph water when its vegging or just flowering?

You got it! Transplant every 2-3 weeks until you are in your flowering pot. Only use 6.8 pH's water. Nute with 6.4 pH feed every 2-3 weeks after your final pot. Water with 6.8 pH. When you have problems, check the pH of your Run Off. Make sure it's between 6.0 - 6.8. Then enjoy smoking your tasty flowers.
 

vro

New member
if i was using fox farms line up with grow big, big bloom and tiger bloom how much should i feed when i do feed them? i was using 2 table spoons for the other nutes that i used this grow. should i add anything to the ocean forest soil? i was reading some people mixed perlite in theirs, i just left mine how it was out of the bag.
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
if i was using fox farms line up with grow big, big bloom and tiger bloom how much should i feed when i do feed them? i was using 2 table spoons for the other nutes that i used this grow. should i add anything to the ocean forest soil? i was reading some people mixed perlite in theirs, i just left mine how it was out of the bag.

This is the guide that I made for feeding. It is for hydroponics. It is the same for Soil except you test your Run Off to make your feed tests and also ignore the sterile section because you are in soil with organic:

Feeding
Variety of strains requires different amounts of nutrient levels. This is why you wouldn’t want to grow multiple types of strains in the same system at the same time. If you have some heavy feeding strains mixed with underfeeding strains, it would be impossible to meet the needs of both types at once. For this purpose, it is always best to have all your plants in each system from the same mom in clone form. Of course you can grow similar feeding strains together but you would not maximize the yield of the grow and this is about maximizing your grow.

Overfeeding can cause lack of flavor in your final product and usually does. I will explain how to learn what your plants want by using your EC/TDS/PPM meter. Having one of these meters is a necessity when growing hydroponically and if you don’t have one you are flying blind. Always make sure that your meter is calibrated and that you check re-calibrate the meter every 2 weeks and when you see potential problems going on. Most grow shop meters are made with cheap components and are not lab grade so reading can be off frequently throughout your grow.

I believe in growing in sterile growing systems at all times. This doesn’t mean that growers who do use live nutrients or suppliments are wrong but this isn’t what this manual is about. Things can go wrong real fast in hydroponics and potentially kill your whole crop within days. Because of this I use refined nutrients and the brand that I like to use is General Hydroponic Flora Series. I enjoy the results that I get with this product but I mainly use it because I can keep my pH more stable with it compared to some other brands. Whatever brand you choose you will notice how the pH acts and if it swings too much you can try another brand and see what works for you. When I use GH Flora, I only use the Micro and the Bloom. The Micro has all the nitrogen that you need in your grow. In my grows it doesn’t matter if I’m in Veg or Flower, I use the Flora series in the exact same rates but if you choose to use another brand then you will have to experiment until you find the right rates that work for you. The rates that I use for GH flora series is 1 part micro to 1.5 parts bloom. You will first have to test all your clones in the same system to see how these plants eat so you can maximize the yield without burning them and ruining your flavor. The way that I do this with my nutrients is once I have roots, I start with a low PPM around 300. I keep data and write down what the PPM is every day once I top off the rez to the same point that it was when I first put the nutes in when it was 300. What I want to see is the PPM come down but not real fast. If your meter is reading 240 in 3 days then I would raise the solution to 360 and continue to record this data. I know that I am where I want to be when the meter is only going down 010 ppm per day. I like to look over a 3 day period cause it is hard to see 10-20 PPm per day as opposed to 60 ppm over a 3 day period. If the PPM is not going down then you are too high so when you raise it you don’t want to go too high or you’ll have to change out your system and nute at a lower level. As your plants are growing, you are recording the data that you get and when it reaches the levels of 10-20ppm of a decrees per day, then you know how much to use on your future grows with that pheno.

Throughout the years I’ve learned to keep it as simple as possible and don’t be fooled by variety of high priced snake oils that the grow shop has to offer. Cannabis doesn’t require as much as most growers think and a lot of new growers and even people who have years of growing experience make the mistake of following the directions on nutrient bottles. This can fry your plants.
 

vro

New member
how would i add 1 part of perlite for every 3 parts of fox farms? is this like adding 30% perlite to the soil? and if i dont have a tds meter should i pick one up for the next grow? what are some good brands to look for at the grow store. and what exactly is the ppm? this measures the amount of nutrients in the soil?
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
how would i add 1 part of perlite for every 3 parts of fox farms? is this like adding 30% perlite to the soil? and if i dont have a tds meter should i pick one up for the next grow? what are some good brands to look for at the grow store. and what exactly is the ppm? this measures the amount of nutrients in the soil?

In a big lobster pot or container mix 3 parts soil and 1 part perlite and mix with your hands. It's pretty simple. A PPM/TDS/EC meter is all the same. I can't answer these questions anymore. Everything you need is in this thread or on Google. Good luck
 
Fox Farms Ocean is very strong... sometimes higher than 3000 ppm. When using for small plants in one gallon pots such as clone upgrades a good mix is about 1:20. One cup of FFOF to 19 cups of promix,hp, inert dirt, etc... When upgrading to 3 to 5 gallon, a dirt mix 1:3 apprporiate. This is One gallon of FFOF to 2 gallons of inert mix. Also be aware the the FFOF does not contain any calcium or magnesium which are very important micros for flower. My two cents and the best of luck.
 

Snype

Active member
Veteran
Fox Farms Ocean is very strong... sometimes higher than 3000 ppm. When using for small plants in one gallon pots such as clone upgrades a good mix is about 1:20. One cup of FFOF to 19 cups of promix,hp, inert dirt, etc... When upgrading to 3 to 5 gallon, a dirt mix 1:3 apprporiate. This is One gallon of FFOF to 2 gallons of inert mix. Also be aware the the FFOF does not contain any calcium or magnesium which are very important micros for flower. My two cents and the best of luck.

This sounds pretty crazy. I've been transplanting cannabis in FFOF for many years with great success. No burned plants. I don't use FFOF from seed though because the soil is hot so I agree with you there but not your ratios. Those sound crazy. Why grow in FFOF if you are barely going to use it.

You say that there is no magnesium and calcium in FFOF but you are wrong. Oyster Shell and Granite Dust is where your Calcium and Magnesium comes from.
 

vro

New member
Fox Farms Ocean is very strong... sometimes higher than 3000 ppm. When using for small plants in one gallon pots such as clone upgrades a good mix is about 1:20. One cup of FFOF to 19 cups of promix,hp, inert dirt, etc... When upgrading to 3 to 5 gallon, a dirt mix 1:3 apprporiate. This is One gallon of FFOF to 2 gallons of inert mix. Also be aware the the FFOF does not contain any calcium or magnesium which are very important micros for flower. My two cents and the best of luck.

i forgot to add that i used calmag to. if i used calmag for flowering would i just feed it along with the nutes? or since theres none in the soil would i be feeding it more? do you start to use the calmag right when you flower? and since the ppm is high what would i lower it to?
 

vro

New member
This sounds pretty crazy. I've been transplanting cannabis in FFOF for many years with great success. No burned plants. I don't use FFOF from seed though because the soil is hot so I agree with you there but not your ratios. Those sound crazy. Why grow in FFOF if you are barely going to use it.

You say that there is no magnesium and calcium in FFOF but you are wrong. Oyster Shell and Granite Dust is where your Calcium and Magnesium comes from.

i cant edit my post. i did a lot of reading last night and i found out what the ppm does. are you supposed to start low and slowly move it up as the plant gets bigger?
 

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