Grow Mediums Popping my grow cherry

I'm having to adjust ph 2 or 3 times a day, ppm at 400. Is this normal for dwc?
 
What's the readings look like, going down or up?
 
Duh, details. Starting at 5.5 in the morning when I wake up and when I get back from work 9 hrs later its screamed to 6.2. Ppm is holding steady there drinking a little water but the roots haven't quite found there way out of the pots except maybe one of two each. When topping up I use ro water at 5.5
 
This cycle happens at least twice a day, 3 times a day if I'm not working
 
Hmm, it shouldn't be jumping around that much. With the PPM staying steady, I'm a little puzzled. Are you still buffering your RO with calmag? How's the water temps?
 
Water is 70. I didn't know I should have been using calmag when topping up. Everywhere I read said to top up with plain phd water. So, whenever I add water, I should use calmag? I added 135ppm calmag to the Rez when I first filled them.
 
That's fine, I meant who you made up a fresh res. Maybe next time bring it on up to 150 and see how that does. Water temp is fine, but still can't rule out a root problem. Slime will wreck havoc on pH. I always run preventive additives as insurance. If your running a sterile res, maybe think about getting some beneficial microbes in there. There's a tea recipe in this section at the top.
 
Well, my ph pen went for a swim and zapped out. Why would anyone build a device intended to be use in and around liquids and then not make it water proof? Anyway, I think my ph issues was my damn ph pen, I was using one of those cheap yellow bastards made in Mauritius, I had to look it up on the map lol. Anyway spent 5 agonizing days waiting for my new one to arrive and I was using those ph indicator drops, to hold me over but I have issues with color shades. Like a lot of them look the same to me lol. And god it was slow. I upgraded to a extech exstick and after calibration, which was hella easy, my reading have been far more stable and that pos meter went to tenths, this one does hundredths for a reading which makes me way more comfortable. When I get some time ill upload some pics. There putting off this wonderful smell right now, but I know it will get much worse lol. Goes to show, buy the proper equipment the first time, and you'll save urself time and money.
 
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