Insights
Nutrients and pH: Getting the Basics Right
In soil, the ground buffers a lot of mistakes. In hydroponics you are the buffer, so understanding nutrients and pH pays off quickly.
Start with a balanced two-part base nutrient. Part A and part B are kept separate in the bottle so the elements do not react, then mixed into your water at the strength the label suggests. Young plants want a weaker solution than mature ones, so build the strength up as they grow.
pH decides whether the roots can actually use what you feed them. If it drifts too high or too low, plants show deficiency symptoms even when the nutrients are right there in the water. A cheap pH pen and a bottle of pH down are all you need to keep it in the 5.5 to 6.5 range.
EC, or electrical conductivity, is your strength gauge. Rising EC with a falling water level usually means the plants are drinking faster than they are feeding, so top up with plain water. Check both numbers regularly and change the reservoir every week or two to keep everything in balance.