flushing during flower?

orbo · Dec 16, 2015

Gquebed said:
Well, the PPM meter measures solids in the water. it doesn't distinguish what solids, just all solids. Run off will carry soil in it and other particulate matter, which the PPM
meter will pick up. So I always thought that was a skewed and therefore useless measurement. But if you're using the same line of nutes all the time and the same soil, it wouldn't take long to develop a scale that accounts for soil and particulate matter in the run off. So a PPM measurement in run off could be useful as a rough guage on soil "saltiness", as long as it is applied only when all conditions (soil/nutes) remain the same. My scale would not work for somebody else using different product and so on....

I'm pretty sure it does distinguish solids...dissolved solids...ie soluble salts.

Gquebed · Dec 16, 2015

orbo said:
I'm pretty sure it does distinguish solids...dissolved solids...ie soluble salts.

Yes it does. But not what solids. It picks say calcium the same as it reads just bits of peat. One is completely inert the other, in the right quantity is valuable to the plant. But the peat increases the ppm reading eventhough it is meaningless to the plant...

orbo · Dec 16, 2015

Gquebed said:
Yes it does. But not what solids. It picks say calcium the same as it reads just bits of peat. One is completely inert the other, in the right quantity is valuable to the plant. But the peat increases the ppm reading eventhough it is meaningless to the plant...

I'm pretty sure thats not how it works. We should probably look into e.c. and how that works in relationship to TDS and PPM.

az2000 · Dec 16, 2015

Gquebed said:
Yes it does. But not what solids. It picks say calcium the same as it reads just bits of peat. One is completely inert the other, in the right quantity is valuable to the plant. But the peat increases the ppm reading even though it is meaningless to the plant...

I just added a tsp of Pro-Mix HP to 2 cups of 100ppm water. It was still 100ppm after a couple minutes.

I don't understand how material in suspension affects measured conductivity (compared to dissolved). I do agree that I wouldn't trust my PPM numbers. (Someone just posted they get lockout at 750ppm in coco. That's 1/3 where it happens to me in peat/soil. :shock:

)

Gquebed · Dec 16, 2015

orbo said:
I'm pretty sure thats not how it works. We should probably look into e.c. and how that works in relationship to TDS and PPM.

Well they way i understand it is simply that pure water (0 ppm) will not conduct electricity. It is the solids in the water that make water appear to conduct electricity. Ppm meters measure the electrical conductivity of the water...so the higher the conductivity the higher the ppm reading...

If i am wrong please correct me. And ignore everything else i just said...lol

Anyway, electricity can not tell the diff between say calcium or peat...only that either it conducts electricity or not...

Gquebed · Dec 16, 2015

Okay i wiki'd it.

I am wrong. Dissolved solids only....

I am ashamed. Lol

But that makes your ppm measuring of run off more valid...

Resinhound · Dec 16, 2015

az2000 said:
I just added a tsp of Pro-Mix HP to 2 cups of 100ppm water. It was still 100ppm after a couple minutes.

I don't understand how material in suspension affects measured conductivity (compared to dissolved). I do agree that I wouldn't trust my PPM numbers. (Someone just posted they get lockout at 750ppm in coco. That's 1/3 where it happens to me in peat/soil. )

My post was in relation to autoflowering plants,the photos ive grown in soil are able to deal with alot higher nutrient concentration.Presumably due to a higher mass rootball,but thats just conjecture on my part

humboldt bear · Dec 16, 2015

im saying i used like 1-2 cups of molassas per 5 gallon bucket of water,last 2 weeks of flower,on large cali out door,and indoor on smallar scale up here in wa.the stuff i grow i usually have anayilitical 360 test, this is what i do ,i have no problems with insects indoor or out,and my friends and medical dispensorys enjoy .produces very fragrant sticky high terpene weed for me,to each his own this works well for me .i use 1 to 2 tea spoon per 5 gallon for folar.had less mold on large crops ,than other farms near by that didnt use molassas.might not want to spray if you have strains prone to powdery mildew.

Dr. Who · Dec 17, 2015

az2000 said:
I have a hard time following the arguments for/against because they often sound religious in nature. What you said reminds me of something which implies merit in flushing (especially for those who do the mutli-bottle "lineup" regimens, heavy feeding, boosting, etc.).

When there are nutrient deficiencies we hear about mobile nutrients being consumed(?). Like, N coming from lower leaves? It makes sense to me that flushing (or better yet, not overfeeding so much to require flushing) and/or reducing nutrients the last 2-3 feedings could improve performance (if salts were so high in the soil as to create acidity, impede microbial health) and taste (if the plant was approaching toxicity levels?).

I and others noticed a taste difference when I switched from GH 3-part (all synthetic) to Grow More Sea Grow (some organic sources, and I supplement with organic sources). So, it seems indisputable to me that something gets into the plant which affects taste.

I think the problem is when flushing is stated as a must-do (always helps) practice. I think it depends on the nutrients (if synthetic) and style (force feeding, over feeding).

But there's the rub. The plant does not take up "salts".....No matter how much water (or what ever) you pour through the soil - You remove NOTHING from the plant! The "flush" is useless!!
Now don't even say that letting the plant feed on it's self helps as all your doing is stressing it and removing the nutrition it would be using to build bigger buds during this time!

Any taste changes by nutrient use are the nutrient effecting the plants making of terps and enhancing them..
Did you ever know that using
Synthetics = More citrus smells and tastes - mostly lemon.
Organics = More berry smells and tastes while the citrus is still there.

Flushing does not change the plant in anyway that effects the final taste and burn.......Your mind does!

vostok · Dec 17, 2015

danny2980 said:
Is it necessary to flush at any time during flower. (Early to mid flower) or just keep the nutes full strength all the way through to last week then flush in the last week? Any advice appreciated guys.

Easy...! Just don't flush one plant use it as the control babe

Later.. post harvest see for yourself if the ash is darker on the unflushed plant

then you were correct..?

otherwise 'Who' may have a point..?

its very much a personal thing as many like to re use their soils

the advantage is you have washed out much of the nutes for the forthcoming germing

flushing during flower?

orbo

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Gquebed

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orbo

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az2000

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Gquebed

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Gquebed

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Resinhound

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humboldt bear

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Dr. Who

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vostok

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