calmag

[Rev. Green Genes]

Hi guys and gals. I'm looking for advice on using calmag+. Every time I add the stuff I get pH problems. I have tried letting the bucket sit overnight, mix again, triple check pH before adding. I have tried adding only to a fresh reservoir (better). Almost every time I use it, it spikes pH up. I then fix it, and it spikes down but crawls back up overnight. I am sick and tired of pH bombing my plants.

I need to find the correct method to add it. Any advice is appreciated. I think I need to have two rez available at all times so I can move them once pH settles out. I am hoping not to have to carry that much water or use that much nutes.

It seems like the calmag is reacting with whatever nutes are in the rez and causing the upspike. I can be certain that the rez is 5.8, and the new mix going in is 5.8... but they don't sit still. Frustrating. It seems like the only other answer I can come up with is stop using COB lights.


p.s. If I'm being stupid, just let me know. It aint gonna hurt my feelings, I make stupid mistakes all the time.

 

[Simplicio]

Assuming you are in hydro, mixing up gallon jugs with correct pH and ppm, then adding that to reservoirs might keep pH stable.
If pH still rises, consider mixing the nutes with lower pH to compensate.
Adding an external reservoir with a float valve, whose pH can be made to fix pH drift, might also solve the problem.
Stabilizing pH in small reservoirs can be difficult.

 

[davisgirl]

My DWC ladies are all over the place too and going through a gallon and a half a day. If you figure out a graceful way to do it, let me know. I was using ph down almost exclusively until I added Enhance Mc a root type treatment, now it’s ph up all the rage. But the plants look good.

 

[Rev. Green Genes]

My DWC ladies are all over the place too and going through a gallon and a half a day. If you figure out a graceful way to do it, let me know. I was using ph down almost exclusively until I added Enhance Mc a root type treatment, now it’s ph up all the rage. But the plants look good.

The first thing I did was switch to higher quality nutes on acount of starting with fox farm.. I use Green Planet or Advanced right now. I added a water filter, and try to let it sit out for 24 hours and pH it again. Thta seems to have the best results, of all. It's also better to swap to a fresh rez at least for flower. It would be a lot easier to have two rez to work with when doing that.

That about all there is for it unless waira or someone can answer better.

 

[nbbeerguy]

what is your base nutrient line?
and growing with LED leaf temps should be in the 80F+ if not get them there and your problems will go away most likely and will not have to use nearly as much calmag

 

[Waira]

Rev mate, what's good?

Huh, well you know I'm not a hydro guy, but,....
-- water source? if tap, pH and ppm's?
--which Ca-Mg do you use? Most are in part carbonate based, and that's the part of the chemistry that is involved with pH buffering, free Ca++ isn't so much directly,.. carbonate CO3-- in solution quickly becomes bicarbonate HCO3-, that H+ sucked up raises the pH,... Tap water has CaCO3 too as you know,.....
-- res' temps, are they in range and not swinging? this plays havoc with pH and solubility if bad enough,... O2 levels too,....
--- try using low ppm water (under 50ppm), like you can get from self fill machines, if you don't run RO,.... one less source of CaCO3,... my local machines offer about 10-15ppm,...

 

[Rev. Green Genes]

Rev mate, what's good?

Huh, well you know I'm not a hydro guy, but,....
-- water source? if tap, pH and ppm's?
--which Ca-Mg do you use? Most are in part carbonate based, and that's the part of the chemistry that is involved with pH buffering, free Ca++ isn't so much directly,.. carbonate CO3-- in solution quickly becomes bicarbonate HCO3-, that H+ sucked up raises the pH,... Tap water has CaCO3 too as you know,.....
-- res' temps, are they in range and not swinging? this plays havoc with pH and solubility if bad enough,... O2 levels too,....
--- try using low ppm water (under 50ppm), like you can get from self fill machines, if you don't run RO,.... one less source of CaCO3,... my local machines offer about 10-15ppm,...

water source is tap, filtered to 1 micron. PPM 30-50. Rez temps are 60-65F / 15-17 C usually. pH 7-7.2 .. The rez sits on concrete, and stays a bit cooler than the air.
The green planet nutes always bring it to 5.8 to 6 pH on their own. But I double check and adjust to 5.8 every time.
I use the camg+ by General Hydroponics it's 1-0-0 and it does have carbonate.

Even if I mix the calmag up and pH it seperatly, let it sit overnight, repeat until stable....

thanks for lookin Waira

 

[Waira]

-- that looks solid to me,.... I figured you had your game on this mate! I don't have any idea who makes or if there's a non carbonate based Ca-Mg,....? I'm stumped at the reaction and instability,.. barring something being wacked on the pH and/or ppm meters,...
you know what, I'd like to tag in a mate that's been kicking some Sick Bay butt here recently, a DP master grower I believe! @AutoLowRyder