Dialing In MEGA CROP for Auto's

[HemiSync]

Sooner or later you'll have a PH issue because even your plants alter the PH of there environment and make it more acid.

Question for you, I’ve been running Autopots & MC for some time now and the only thing I have ever been confused on is the proper pH for the nutrent solution when using a soil/perlite mix. I have been using Biobizz light & perlite 70/30 and since I started growing autos and photos on the same solution it seems like the autos like the pH a little higher and the photos like it lower. They are in separate tents, but both on the same 550ppm MC. What do you recommend for a starting pH in this situation?

 

[pop22]

My last couple of grows have been a mix of photo and autos. I fed them all the same. I actually shoot for 6.45, although that might be nitpicking. If you feel you need it a little lower, that's ok go to 6.4. but I wouldn't go much lower. Some strain may be picky. I think consistency in PH is more important than an exact PH. So I try to get it to 6.45 everytime as long as I don't have to fuss too much, but I accept a range of 6.4 to 6.5.

Question for you, I’ve been running Autopots & MC for some time now and the only thing I have ever been confused on is the proper pH for the nutrent solution when using a soil/perlite mix. I have been using Biobizz light & perlite 70/30 and since I started growing autos and photos on the same solution it seems like the autos like the pH a little higher and the photos like it lower. They are in separate tents, but both on the same 550ppm MC. What do you recommend for a starting pH in this situation?

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Do you recommend adjusting pH If growing in healthy soil, feed with MC and avoid supplements with salts or affecting pH?

I am currently doing pretty good using 2-part MegaCrop base in BioBizz Light soil using common East Coast tap water, minimal supplements and never check, much less adjust, the pH. So not adjusting pH with MC can be done. But am I just lucky? What am I missing by not adjusting pH? Theoretically, with living soil, balanced nutes and OK water shouldn't there be no need to adjust feed pH?

I have always said I would rather be lucky than good. You say you are doing "pretty good" and if that is acceptable to you then just keep doing what you are doing. If you really want to excel then you need more knowledge. Your city will have a water quality report on line and that is a good place to start. It measures the water at the plant exit. The plumbing between there and your garden can change the characteristics considerably. You need good tools. An EC meter and PH meter are paramount to controlling inputs. If you get a large difference between the PPMs and/or PH compared to the water quality report it might be worthwhile to get your water tested at a lab.

I believe that Bio-Bizz uses dolomite in their mix. This will buffer quite a bit of water going in but there is a limit to anything. We get quite a few Bio-bizz grows in the Infirmary but I think most of that is operator error but some may be quality control issues. I just don't know as my observations are anecdotal.

 

[HemiSync]

My last couple of grows have been a mix of photo and autos. I fed them all the same. I actually shoot for 6.45, although that might be nitpicking. If you feel you need it a little lower, that's ok go to 6.4. but I wouldn't go much lower. Some strain may be picky. I think consistency in PH is more important than an exact PH. So I try to get it to 6.45 everytime as long as I don't have to fuss too much, but I accept a range of 6.4 to 6.5.

Once again, you show me where I was screwing up, because they are bottom fed hydroponically, I had always been shooting for the lower side of six, 6.1-6.3 around there. Now that I’m growing photos and autos at the same time I can see how that isn’t working. Just adjusted both reservoirs up to 6.4 and will see if these photos I thought were just getting hungry (paler) or if I was lowering nitrogen uptake with the lower pH.

 

[terp182]

Once again, you show me where I was screwing up, because they are bottom fed hydroponically, I had always been shooting for the lower side of six, 6.1-6.3 around there. Now that I’m growing photos and autos at the same time I can see how that isn’t working. Just adjusted both reservoirs up to 6.4 and will see if these photos I thought were just getting hungry (paler) or if I was lowering nitrogen uptake with the lower pH.

Please let us know how this works for you. I'm in exactly the same situation, with a bit heavier coco in the mix. I "flushed" my over-epsomed plants a week ago, then recalibrated to about 530 ppm MC + a little PK boost. Still at about 6.1-6.2, and I'm also considering a small bump to 6.4. It's probably a bit late for that, and my girls are budding up nicely so it may be a better experiment for me next go around. Here's pics of my 3 girls a week after recalibrating the MC (v3? from Sept 2020), with no added cal or mag at 530ish ppm, with about 30 ppm being PK boost.

 

[HemiSync]

Please let us know how this works for you. I'm in exactly the same situation, with a bit heavier coco in the mix

I don’t have any coco in the mix. Only soil and perlite 70/30. Actually more than that because Biobizz has some but not enough for autopots. Mine are just starting week 3 of flower and the photos are still stretching so I expect in the next 24 hours they will become a darker shade of green or be dying. :smoking: They look really good as they are very resilient strains but it was obvious they were lightening up some.

The autos were having a worse reaction. Looked more like overwatering than anything else so just to be on the safe side I’m letting their trays go dry before hitting them with the new pH. They have been on the reservoir for 4 weeks now so you would think they would be used to it.

These are the photos as of yesterday. Acapulco Gold on the left and Jack Herer on the right.

 

[terp182]

My bad. I misread your post. Thanks for clarifying. That AG and Jack looks beautiful!

I don’t have any coco in the mix. Only soil and perlite 70/30. Actually more than that because Biobizz has some but not enough for autopots. Mine are just starting week 3 of flower and the photos are still stretching so I expect in the next 24 hours they will become a darker shade of green or be dying. :smoking: They look really good as they are very resilient strains but it was obvious they were lightening up some.

The autos were having a worse reaction. Looked more like overwatering than anything else so just to be on the safe side I’m letting their trays go dry before hitting them with the new pH. They have been on the reservoir for 4 weeks now so you would think they would be used to it.

These are the photos as of yesterday. Acapulco Gold on the left and Jack Herer on the right. View attachment 1256640
View attachment 1256639

 

[Nosias]

I don’t have any coco in the mix. Only soil and perlite 70/30. Actually more than that because Biobizz has some but not enough for autopots. Mine are just starting week 3 of flower and the photos are still stretching so I expect in the next 24 hours they will become a darker shade of green or be dying. :smoking: They look really good as they are very resilient strains but it was obvious they were lightening up some.

The autos were having a worse reaction. Looked more like overwatering than anything else so just to be on the safe side I’m letting their trays go dry before hitting them with the new pH. They have been on the reservoir for 4 weeks now so you would think they would be used to it.

These are the photos as of yesterday. Acapulco Gold on the left and Jack Herer on the right. View attachment 1256640
View attachment 1256639

Nice looking ladies

 

[HemiSync]

My bad. I misread your post. Thanks for clarifying. That AG and Jack looks beautiful!

Nice looking ladies

Thanks!
Last night before lights out I attached some clothespins to the branches trying to stretch past the others for a little LST. This morning I took them off mainly because overnight they pulled themselves back up, yet it did level them out a little. The AG stretched another 1.5 inches or so and they are drinking about an inch a day out of the reservoir which has 500ppm of whatever version of MC was out in April.

 

[terp182]

I’m noticing magenta edge spots appearing on my yellowing fan leaves on the tops of two of my three plants. The third plant looks relatively healthy. All three are budding up decently enough so far.

Any idea if I should make a change to the MC in the autopots? Quick summary - coco/soil/perlite, newest 8/20 version of MC @ -500 ppm + PK boost at -20 ppm, pH at 6.1 and 6.2. I’m at day 59 on these two.

My first thought is to add MC back to 540ish PPM and see how they do. That leaf tip curling makes me antsy above 550, which it was at briefly before I diluted to 520. Does that seem reasonable or am I missing something else here? I figure it’s either that, or the ph >6.0 is locking out manganese, which makes yellowed leaves with brown spots, at least according to growweedeasy.