inthetrees
Active Member
Been a while since I posted this topic but I recently found out what my problem was. I wanted to share just incase someone else reads my previous comments and goes down the wrong path... I was making 3 mistakes that were locking out my systems.
First error was running Potassium Silicate. After learning about Monosilicic I will never run Potassium Silicate again. It was raising my pH too much and in turn i was having to add a substantial amount of pH down to counteract. As stupid as it sounds I never thought to compensate for the Potassium either.
Second error was switching out the Remo Astroflower (PK Booster) for Liquid Koolbloom. I was able to resolve my issues briefly but the pH and ppm fluctuations kept getting out of hand. The only thing that would give me a day or 2 of peace was doing a full system flush.
Few days ago I cut out the Koolbloom and went back to the Astroflower. What i didn't realize was that the koolbloom was x2 as strong ppm wise compared to the astroflower. Not only was the silicate adding extra Potassium, so was the koolbloom.
Once i switched back to the full Remo line the pH stabilized, however the ppms kept rising signalling the solution was too strong (800 ppm). After dicking around for a week I have both my systems at 400 ppm @ the end of week 7. I'm finally seeing the ppms dropping and pH drifting slightly and the plants are responding much better obviously.
Last issue was using a cheap ebay ppm meter that I never had calibrated. I recently got a proper Bluelab EC meter and it turns out my ebay unit was reading over 200 ppm higher.
Hope this info helps someone down the road...
-itt
First error was running Potassium Silicate. After learning about Monosilicic I will never run Potassium Silicate again. It was raising my pH too much and in turn i was having to add a substantial amount of pH down to counteract. As stupid as it sounds I never thought to compensate for the Potassium either.
Second error was switching out the Remo Astroflower (PK Booster) for Liquid Koolbloom. I was able to resolve my issues briefly but the pH and ppm fluctuations kept getting out of hand. The only thing that would give me a day or 2 of peace was doing a full system flush.
Few days ago I cut out the Koolbloom and went back to the Astroflower. What i didn't realize was that the koolbloom was x2 as strong ppm wise compared to the astroflower. Not only was the silicate adding extra Potassium, so was the koolbloom.
Once i switched back to the full Remo line the pH stabilized, however the ppms kept rising signalling the solution was too strong (800 ppm). After dicking around for a week I have both my systems at 400 ppm @ the end of week 7. I'm finally seeing the ppms dropping and pH drifting slightly and the plants are responding much better obviously.
Last issue was using a cheap ebay ppm meter that I never had calibrated. I recently got a proper Bluelab EC meter and it turns out my ebay unit was reading over 200 ppm higher.
Hope this info helps someone down the road...
-itt
