Recommended EC, TDS, pH for various plants

Nutrient Management

 

SIMPLE METHOD FOR HOME USERS :

  • Use Soft water (TDS < 100). Using soft water with TDS upto 200 is also fine.
  • Prepare HALF strength hydroponic solution.

Prepare 2-3 litres of hydroponic solution per plant. Like, if you have 10 plants, your system should hold 20-30 litres hydroponic solution. For big plants like tomatoes, use more. For vines like cucumber, use at least 5 litres hydroponic solution per plant.

  • For first 2 weeks, top-up occasionally with soft water, to bring back water level in reservoir.

Regular top-up is done to replace the water consumed by plants.

  • After 3 weeks onwards, start adding 1 ml of each stock solution per litre of hydroponic solution, per week.

For big fruiting plants like tomatoes/brinjal/vines, consider increased nutrient dose during fruiting stage - like 2ml of each Stock per litre per week. Do keep topping up with plain soft water also, every week or earlier if needed.

  • Replace hydroponic solution entirely after about 10 weeks. Then start over with HALF strength hydroponic solution (or slightly more) – and top-up nutrients & water every week as in previous step-4.

This method is easy, does not require TDS meter, and ensures hydroponic solution is never deficient of useful nutrients.

This method is good for all plant types – Leafy plants (like lettuce, spinach, pak choi, amaranth etc), Vegetables (like capsicum, tomatoes, brinjal etc), Herbs (like Thyme, Basil, Fennel etc), Flower plants (like Aster, Calendula, Antirrhinim, Dahlia etc).


 EXAMPLE

·   Start with HALF strength hydroponic solution = 25 litres.

·   For first 2 weeks, top-up plain soft water to bring back level in tank, say every 2-3 days.

·   Third week onwards, add 1 ml of each stock solution per week, per litre of hydroponic solution. That’s 25 ml of each stock in this example. Top-up with plain soft water, every 2-3 days.

·   After 10 weeks, replace as per Step-5 above.

Using soft water gives best results, allows to use nutrients for longer time. Municipal water is generally soft. Ground water maybe hard.

If you do not have soft water, follow above method, but fully replace the hydroponic solution slightly earlier - as per following guide :

  1. If your water TDS is 100-200, replace nutrient solution after 9 weeks.
  2. If your water TDS is between 200 - 400, replace nutrient solution after 8 weeks.

If your water TDS is 400-600, replace nutrient solution after 7 weeks. And better use TDS meter

pH :  Ideal pH range for hydroponics is 5.5 - 6.5. Actually, lesser pH is not big issue, and its OK if pH reduces till 4.

At pH more than 6.5, nutrients (especially Calcium) starts precipitating out. That’s not good. Many times, tap water itself has very high pH. That’s why, having pH below 6.5 is good. Problem is, that as plants grow, their roots increase pH of the hydroponic solution. So, pH of Hydroponic solution generally keeps increasing as plants grow up.

 

GreenLoop uses special micronutrients that remain stable even at high pH.

And addition of GreenLoop Hydroponic Nutrients REDUCES pH of solution.

Adding small weekly dosages of GreenLoop Nutrients also helps in reducing pH.

 

Please check pH and use pH DOWN regularly when plants have grown big OR if your water itself has high pH.

For best results & convenience, please use GreenLoop pH DOWN as per guidance provided alongwith it.

Temperature of hydroponic solution should be 5-25 (max 30) deg C. At high temperature, absorption by roots reduces.

Sometimes, we are doing everything right, but plants are not growing. Then pH or high temperature is the issue.

PROFESSIONAL METHOD

Follow the same “Method for Home Users” + USE TDS METER (4 digit) regularly.

Change nutrients when TDS reaches the TDS limit allowed for the plant. This method allows you to use same hydroponic solution over even longer time, more cost effectively. Can maintain TDS of specific plant type by modifying nutrient dosages.

For TDS/EC/pH for plants, please refer www.GreenLoop.co.in/Guidance   or   GreenLoop EASY HYDROPONIC E-BOOK. Quick guide :

 

Low TDS

For LETTUCE. Start with half strength & replace nutrients when TDS reaches 1100.

High TDS

For Tomatoes, Beans, Peppers, Brussell Sprout, Cabbage, Taro, Brussel Sprout, Eggplant, Broccoli, Hot Peppers

Start with half strength in sapling stage. Switch to full strength in about 3 weeks. When TDS reaches about 2500, replace entirely with full strength solutn.

Medium TDS

For all other plants, start with half strength solution, and replace nutrients when TDS reaches 1600 for following plants. Make it full strength during fruiting stage.

VEGETABLES – like Artichoke, Pea, Asparagus, Leek, Parsnip, Cauliflower, Pak-choi, Fodder, Capsicum, Strawberries, Spinach, Silverbeet, Sweet Corn, Celery, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Endive, Okra, Cucumber, Bell peppers.

HERBS – Fennel, Lavender, Thyme, Sage, Basil, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Parsley, Marjoram, Chives, Chicory, Cress, Mint.

FLOWER PLANTS – like Alyssum, Calendula, Snapdragons, Dahlia, Nasturtium, Phlox, Nemesia, Osteospermum, Petunia, Cineraria, Begonia, Anthurium, Antirrhinim, Aster, Gladiolus, Chrysanthemum, Gerbera, Carnation.

In Professional hydroponics, problems are :

1)     Different TDS meters give different readings in same solution. What to do ?

2)     How to calculate “Useful TDS due to Nutrients”, and Useless TDS due to water hardness ?

3)     How much nutrient when added, will lead to how much TDS of hydroponic solution ?

For these answers, use GreenLoop Nutrient Management Calculator.

Probably the first world-wide.

Easy, in Excel. Useful if you want to progress into professional hydroponics.

GreenLoop empowers its users to develop hobby into professional hydroponics.

 

Growing in Media Bed (Coco Peat etc) : Use half strength solution to water the bed – just once in 7-10 days initially and increase frequency when plants are big. Use plain water to water the bed on other days, whenever bed appears dry. Keep bottom drain hole open to prevent water logging. Once in 3-4 weeks, wet the bed throughly with normal water (this refreshes bed by washing out left-over unused nutrients & prevents build-up) and then after 2-3 hours, add the half strength nutrients again on the bed.

 

Additional Information : This is how TDS is calculated :

TDS of hydroponic solution = TDS added due to addition of nutrients + TDS due to hardness of water.

  • with “LEAFY-200” nutrients : Every 1 ml of each Stock A & B per litre water, adds nearly 117 TDS to solution.
  • with “Tomato & Veggies” nutrients : Every 1 ml of each Stock A & B per litre water, adds nearly 101 TDS to solution.

Example :  For water TDS = 100, adding 5 ml Stock A+B of LEAFY-200 per litre, hydroponic solution’s TDS = 100 + 5*117 = 685.

                  And by adding 10 ml of Stock A+B per litre, hydroponic solution’s TDS becomes = 100 + 10*117 = 1270.

 

We provide best & easy hydroponic experience & information. FREE information for our valued customers :

1. GreenLoop- Easy Hydroponics E-Book. It covers all practical aspects. Brief & to-the-point.

2. GreenLoop Nutrient Management Calculator. For large hydroponic systems, professionals.

 

Please send email to GreenLoop123@gmail.com , and we’ll send these to you. FREE.

 

 

Your review really matters. PLEASE DO YOUR KIND ONLINE PRODUCT REVIEW. Thanks.

With other nutrients

Different compositions for different plants. Change strength at different stages of growth. Very Complex.

With GreenLoop Nutrients

Same nutrients, same strength works for all plants & all growth stages. Easy Hydroponics with Excellent results. Only with GreenLoop.

 

GreenLoop Hydroponic Nutrients Leafy-200 : Suits almost all plants. Better for Leafies.

GreenLoop Hydroponic Nutrients - Tomato & Veggies : Suits almost all plants. Better for Tomatoes.

BULK BUY of GreenLoop Hydroponic Nutrients is available at www.GreenLoop.co.in