Please help diagnose runoff - Sunshine Mix 4

[AloeRuss]

Merry Christmas

Let me start by saying that I am very gratefully for the help I received from all of you. I certainly could not do without it.

I need your help on the topic I know very little about. The Runoff.
I managed to measure it but struggle to understand what it's telling me. Need your help.

My feeding solution PH is 6.8 - PPM is 1200
My runoff (measured several times on several occasions is PH 6.1 -PPM. 2200

I was trying to find some helping material that can help me understand what my runoff is telling me but I am still and fully confused.

If you feel giving and kind this season, please tell me what my sunshine mix runoff is telling me. Also is you know of any good articles or post that can help me learn more about it.

Thank you

 

[AloeRuss]

I think I am starting to get to a conclusion of sort.
In my discovery I ran into a post on another boards that I paste below:
Question:
I was doing some reading and wanted to know if someone could explain why people test ph of the runoff water? I treat my water to a ph of 6.8 for soil growing but the runoff reads 7.3. What does this mean?
Answer:
If you are feeding at 6.8 and your runoff reads 7.3 your soil is buffering .5 up so if you make your feed at 6.2 it will buffer up to 6.6 to perfection.

I am taking away that if I am feeding at 6.8 and my runoff is 6.1, my soil acid is buffering .7, so if I mix my water at 7.5 or 7.4, it will give me true 6.7, 6.8 insight my pots.

Do you guys think I am correct? Happy Holidays!

 

[Eureka Springs Organics]

There is no need to ph the run off of soil. That is something for the hydro guys, not soil growers. With a properly built soil there is never a worry about ph.

 

[AloeRuss]

You are right if we were talking soil.
Unfortunately we are talking soilless, and that changes everything.

 

[RonSmooth]

I dont measure runoff in coco. Just make sure the water/fertilizer going in is between 5.2 and 5.8 and haven't run into any problems.

It would seem to me that if the EC is higher that what you put in, it means your plants aren't using all of the ppm's. They are using what they can/need and the rest is coming out the bottom.


I wouldnt worry about it unless the plants were affected and didnt respond to adjustment of nutrients. If you are just curious from an academic perspective, go for it.

I worry about what goes into the pot now, not what comes out.

 

[AloeRuss]

Even if we are talking soilless media? Do u think I am panicking?

 

[RonSmooth]

Even if we are talking soilless media? Do u think I am panicking?

I use straight coco and I never check runoff EC or pH.

If your plants look healthy and the input water/feed is in the correct pH range, runoff should be of little concern.

With good drainage and watering until runoff, you should not run into toxic salt buildup. Extra ppms are just wasted.

Is there a problem with the plant?

 

[Asslover]

Even if we are talking soilless media? Do u think I am panicking?

Yes!

 

[AloeRuss]

Ron

Most of my plants seems to be doing ok with ph I been giving. About 10 of them however display a mild signs of deffitiencies.
Its week 6 and i started them on shooting powder and bud XL with adjusted ph of 6.2
Today is just a plain water with clearex day. We will see how they do.

 

[GreenDream]

Your runoff is coming out more acidic because the nutrients are acidic and their concentration is getting pretty high. I bet the deficiency you are seeing is actually the beginning of nutrient lockout. 1200 ppm is pretty high (depends which scale you are using). We actually prefer to talk EC because there is no conversion factor to worry about. Personally, I would give them some plain water and see how they respond. Our plants typically do best at about 1.2 EC early on to 1.6 EC max (600 to 800 ppm on .5 scale) when grown in soiless mix.

So back to your question... the runoff is telling you that your nutrients are starting to concentrate in the medium. IOW the plants are not eating everything you are feeding them, and you might want to back off a bit on the concentration and give them a couple plain waterings to let them munch what has built up.

 

[AloeRuss]

I watered them with pure water and clearex last night.
Tomorrow will continue with regular feedings plus shooting powder + bud XL.
I am beginning my 7th week. The buds are growing very well and since I changed my ph to 6.2, there are no new plants picking up any deffitiencies and the once that did are starting to become a bit better.
Thank you for all your help so far.

 

[acridlab]

Hi, glad u got it under control,,long time peat grower, everybody defiantly gave u good info,, peat based grows don't needas much nutes, iI rarely go over 800 on a .5..and I never go over 6.3 ph,.. reason I wanted to post is because u mentioned your using sunshine,, and I gotta say that they're mix has been getting very troublesome for me lately,, Promix hp is the way to go,, if u get a chance try it out, I've had much much better oh stability with it vs. Ss#4.. just a thought.