Hello @Tripl3fastaction
No adjustment to PH is necessary if using Jacks at 1 tsp/gal. Comes out at 5.5
This is exactly my worry. I put 1 drop of GH PH down in a gallon of water after mixing Jacks at half dose and the PH drops from 6.2 to 5.5. Guess I have to up my balancing act 
I can believe it is more stable. Definitely good info 
Thanks!
Hi @stiffy
I just started using RhizoTonic yesterday. I have since purchased Pro-Mix which does contain mycorrhizae. Have only used the promix sprouting some new seeds.
I have been sporadically using Garden Friendly Fungicide. I will investigate trichoderma.
Are you in soil or hydro?
Hydro always seems harder to keep PH in check. Adding tap water kind of defeats the purpose of having an RO system but understand where you are coming from
Thanks!
Sorry, I’m going through some of your older posts. This seems extremely unbalanced to me, almost 50% of your ppm coming from “cal-mag”.
Is there a specific reason? Ever try just running twice as much Jacks?
I just recently started using calMagic. Nothing before. Running RO water so need to add Cal/Mag. RO strips it all away.
I’m currently running the hottest mix of Jack’s 20-20-20. Range is from 1/2 - 1 tsp per gallon from what I understand from the experts.
Please chat to others who use RO units…I don’t need one and I never used one. But I know it’s very much like with the distilled water. It can’t hold a stable pH if pure.
About the promix…that sounds like it’s got fertiliser in it,so it might not be the best to start seeds in it…maybe use seedlings soil to start them instead.
Ok. There is “cal-mag” in Jacks ya know? I run Jacks. I use 0 ppm RO water to start. I don’t use “cal-mag”. I do use some extra magnesium via epsom salts.
The reason you may need to supplement cal-mag is your use of coco, which I agree is a thing. Has nothing to do with RO water. Also, the talk of RO water not being able to hold ph ….well, that’s true when it’s fresh out of the RO machine, but as soon as you add nutrients to it, it’s no longer RO water and that has nothing to do with any ph stability issues you may have.
One more comment re PH in your reservoir- temp can make a difference. Colder is better if possible. Heat brings biological activity which impacts ph.
Your plants - just my opinion only of course - massive nutrient lockout caused by nutrient imbalance, plants aren’t feeding. Flush them, start over.
Feed more nutrients, less cal mag magic juice.
You’ve got lotsa plants, you don’t need to treat them all the same. Try this on one or two, see what happens. Try something else on a different one …. Good luck.
Edit to add - I see the 20/20/20 Jacks has limited/no calcium in the mix, it’s designed for soil grows. I dunno, maybe not the best starting choice …. I know some run in veg but a truly balanced option would certainly eliminate a lot of potential issues.
Just going by what the calmagic bottle recommends.
Appreciate your info. Not running coco. It is equal parts sphagum peat, compost and perlite.
Plan to switch to jacks 10 30 20 on 12/12 swap.
Main Res temp remains at 72f. Also have a uv-c fish tank lamp the runs 3hr day in res to keep nasties in check.
I just completed a full flush days ago to try for a do over.
Ok, missed that. I guess that is considered a soil mix due to the compost. I’m sorry, I run pure hydro and you’ve got a mixture of things going on so I’m obviously not the best to give you advise. I still believe from a balanced nutrient input perspective (which is what we should generally strive for) your mix is out of whack due to the high levels of cal/mag relative to your base nutrients.
But I’ve also learned there’s hundreds of different ways to grow this plant. Good luck!
Lets start with the good news. Looks as if I’m finally getting things straight in the tents.
Photo tent
Auto tent
) !
5 Drunken Cherry FogDog auto fem. Thanks @darkillusion!
If you check my earlier posts, you’ll understand why these tents are an accomplishment.
It got bad enough that I was about to throw in the towel and start over.
OK, What problems have I encountered and what was the solution?
RH - I started by maintaining RH at 80% from the start of seedlings. I think it was a good idea for the seedlings, Not so much for veg. The plants were not breathing and thus not drinking which led to my next problem. Root snot.
The VPD charts can be misleading if not understood. I am now maintaining 66-68% RH in both tents. You can see the result.
Root snot - I call it snot because it did not display the bad smell and rotting of the roots. Rather it would begin with a clear slime on the roots. It would eventually develop into a brown algae slime. Solution?
I did a complete system clean of all components 7 times now. Why 7 times? Mostly I was chasing a symptom and not correcting root cause. Root cause was stagnant water in res (no drinking) combined with res PH rising every day.
Quick rundown of complete res change and cleaning of an auto feed MicroOcto pot system:
First time took at least 4 hours. Now I can do it in 45 min
Take each top pot and place on a box so net cup and roots have somewhere to hang.
Shut all valves on entire system.
Disconnect each res hose forward of shut off valve for mini res.
Dump each res intro toilet. Dump control, then main.
Choose cleaning solution dujour. I’ve used 3% H2O2 diluted with RO water, 7.5% bleach diluted and finally Hypochlorous acid at 2ppm. The 2 PPM level did not kill any plants but much higher than recommended.
Fill main with cleaner, dump and refill after cleaning, dry w paper towel.
Same on controller. same on mini res. Make sure to open valves when dumping to clear any residual nutrient solution in tubing.
Secondary flush of entire system from main to controller out through each tube via manifold verifies all orifices are clean and flowing well.
Clean tent surfaces before placing system components and reconnecting.
PH control
I’m still working on this one. I have begun hourly PH checks on all mini res. The PH is easy enough to maintain if checked often. Overnight, I am seeing drift from 6.0 to 6.3-6.7. Correction sometimes takes up to 16 drops of PH down in one mini. At least the PH is being maintained at proper levels most of the time.
I am still not certain why I am seeing such drift. Possibly Jacks 20-20-20 being mixed too lightly. Current run had .75 tsp/Gal. Will bump up to 1tsp/Gal next fill.
The Auto tent does not experience such large swings. Worst case I see a res or two that need a drop of PH down in the morning. Running auto tent with Jacks 10-30-20 .5tsp/Gal
Any insights into PH control issues appreciated.
Couple questions:
Photo tent OG plants are at least 8 females from seed.
Only one not showing.
One fem Stardawg Corey cut.
They now stand 16-22 inches above soil.
Only training was one FIM.
When should I flip to 12/12?
Asking because I didn’t plan on having this many females.
Also trying to decide if I should switch from Jacks 20-20-20 to 10-30-20 to see if it improves Ph drift.
Seeing a brown algae bloom on controller. Wondering if this is a byproduct of GFF and or RhizoTonic.
The green is just reflection from above.
Thanks!
@Jetdro @Papalag @GrouchyOldMan @SaintAliasKnife @HolyAngel @Not-Notjosh @MNGrower @ifish
Any thoughts on the last 3 posts?
Thanks in advance for your time 
what plants really want more than a specific pH number is a steady pH just pick whatever number you want within reason and make sure all the water that you used to make up your jacks mix with is exactly at the same pH when you mix it
slam it into the pots or your auto feed or whatever in an LITFA
Let it stabilize it will take a week or so just run the same constant PH of the water and I do it prior to mixing in the solution
The plants are in vegetative stage and they need the nitrogen from the 20 2020 when you flip them keep them on the 20 2020 the first three weeks after the flip then you may start feeding the 10 3020
can’t tell you when to flip because I don’t know your headroom but a 24 inch tall plant flipped will become a very nice sized plant at full stretch here I’ll flip a 24 to 30 inch and typically run to the very top of my tent
of couse , as always
JMHO
likely something in the pipes or water coming in. I started seeing it as soon as I got into this new house. Didn’t have that issue at the place before. but anyways, my fix was to run sterile. Calcium Hypochlorite or poolshock. Bleach in a pinch. The brown snot and quick PH rise are indicative of bacterial bloom, assuming its not water off-gasing. Usually there would be a smell associated with the PH rise.
@Jetdro
Problem is the PH will keep climbing into 7+Ph. It never stabilizes and if it did plants would be in bad shape.
@HolyAngel
I am using RO water from city tap.
Seen the algae bloom before, thought algae would push Ph lower, no?
Last time I flushed the entire system with 2ppm Hypochlorous acid. I tried to buy from the store you pointed me to but they never responded when I signed up. Need membership approval before shopping.
Anyway, I have done 7 full sanitzations of this sytem from the main res to each mini res including all tubing and fittings.
No bad smell.
Using Garden Freindly Fungicide and RhizoTonic. Otherwise would have already dumped in some disinfectant.
Do you add Epson salt and 15.5/0/0 ?
If so how much
I run 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of the 20/20/20 or the 10/30/20
I do add 1/4 teaspoon of each Epson salts and 15.5/0/0 each fill
Question do you let the reservoir in the Octopot empty?
You can root prune the sad looking roots
I’ve never had an issue with PH as long as I set the mix between 6.0/6. Before I fill the reservoir
It would speed up the plants showing sex
As big as they are they should show soon
It will take 2 weeks it see sex if you flip
But it depends on what your planing to do
Wondering if this is a byproduct of GFF and or RhizoTonic.
I use rhizotonic I’ve never seen an issue I use 1/2 the recommended amt
GFF ? What is it sorry 
If you’re using RO you need to add 15.5/0/0 and Epson salt for minerals
I would try 1/2 tap and 1/2Ro
If you’re water is very hard
papa just said exactly the same thing I did
take your pH like I said and mix your water to that pH then just leave it alone
I couldn’t tell you how many pots I have grown and I have never adjusted pH in a pot never
if I am Ph ing I do it on the plane water before I add nutrients and then I just leave it alone
if it creeps up it creeps up I can tell you that jacks 20 2020 and pH water do not harm my plants here nor pappa’s
Only adding 3.8ml/gal CalMagic.
Up CalMagic or add epsom?
Let res run completely empty each time.
I was more aggressive on the roots last full clean of system, if the roots were weak enough for me to break them with a little pressure, they were coming off. Previously, I probably left roots that should have been removed. Not rotten, just not strong and white.
All plants are shown female except one. im now worried about the jungle I can imagine in a 10 pot 4x4 tent.
