First Tomato Setup

[JHazzardB]

Okay got the low down for the water consumption. I shut the water off to the reservoir Wednesday afternoon about 2pm. So it's been roughly 48 hours.

Wedensday: 26 gallons EC 2.87
Thursday: 25 gallons EC 2.99
Friday: 23.5 gallons EC 3.10

So my 16 plants are NOT drinking as much as I thought they would. This would mildly explain the BER as Calcium is not moving to the fruit as well (just a theory). EC is rising slowly. I'm debating internally whether or not to actually redo the reservoir because I'm kind of shocked at how little they are using. It's been 8 days since the last change. Each plant is drinking .07 gallons a day? (2.5gal/16 plants/ 2 days) Humidity has been high with the rain and has been at 75% during the day and around 55% at night/afternoon. I have a fan blowing 24 hours on them so air should be wicking moisture away.

Any thought or comments would be great throughout the afternoon and evening so I can assess if I should remake the res tomorrow morning.

[JHazzardB]

I took a pic just now of the plants. I put a yard stick in front. On average, the plants are about 26" tall. 14/16 have multiple flower clusters and about 5/16 have fruit set so far.

[JHazzardB]

Just a quick update. Turned the water back on and remade the reservoir. In 4 days, my 16 plants managed to drink 6 gallons. That comes out to roughly .09 gallons a day per plant which seems low to me. Anywho, no BER on the newly forming tomatoes yet. I've lowered my EC level also to about EC2.67 but am continuing on with CalMag supplement.

[GpsFrontier]

What nutrients are you using?
How much are you using per gallon of water?
Where did you get the amount to use per gallon from?
How often do you check your pH?

[JHazzardB]

Hey GPS!

1. I am using Masterblend fertilizer that was distributed by Morgan County seeds. I also add Calcium Nitrate, Epsom Salts, and CalMag.

2. I am currently using 6g a gallon.

3. Here's the tricky part. Morgan County Seeds relabels Masterblend fertilizer and calls for roughly 9g/gal for mature flowering plants. After running my EC near 4-5.5EC, I knew something wasn't right. I contacted Masterblend and they sent me the correct label and couldn't understand why MCS relabeled and boosted the concentration. Masterblend label calls for roughly 2.4g/gal. If I run 2.4g/gal, my EC only hits .7EC or so. I fear this is too low. I've been adding enough nutrients to get me to my desired EC level.

4. I check my pH every time I check the nutrients. It stays roughly between 5.6-5.8.

[GpsFrontier]

Hello JHazzardB,
I have some suggestions for you, but I don't think your going to like them.


1. CHANGE YOUR WATER SUPPLY. Buy a small but good water filtration system. Hopefully something that contains a combination ion as well as carbon filter. Carbon filters alone can't take out dissolved solids. If you can afford it, get a small portable RO system. You should be able to get one for about $80-$100. You'll also have to change up your water fill system a bit. Have a water storage tank above the reservoir with fresh water in it, and have it gravity feed down to the fill valve to refill as needed.

2. Change the nutrients your using. Put the masterblend and all it's parts aside, as well as the cal-mag for now. Use a different brand of nutrients. Something like GH Flora series or the more cost effective Maxi gro/bloom series. Or the even more cost effective verti-gro F-combo (or larger quantity for best price). Or something in the JRPeters line like the "Jack’s Professional 5-12-26 Hydroponic". But try a complete hydroponic nutrient from a trusted brand. Don't use anything you need to add Epson salts to.

3. Switch to a larger reservoir. For 16 tomato plants you should be using a 80+ gallon reservoir. Again Your relying on your EC meter, and you think your nutrient levels are good because you can keep the numbers on that meter relatively constant. But there are two problems you are not taking into account, and your meter cant. The larger reservoir and good quality water fixes those issues.

4. Pack up the EC meter, and store it in a closet somewhere. At least until you get the hang of being able to do things withough't it. You don't need it, and your relying on it to tell you what to do. Your focused on EC level's, and you shouldn't be. Plants are adaptive and can take a range of nutrient levels. It's the levels of whats in that water that maters most, and your meter simply can't tell you that at all. The meter cant tell you what level any of the elements are at. As an example, your water supply may be high in calcium (most are), and your nutrients should have plenty of calcium, then you go and add cal-mag as well, your calcium levels may be at toxic levels, and you would never know it by the reading the meter gives you. That goes for any of the 13 essential mineral elements for plant growth, as well as anything else that may be in your water supply. Again one of the problems I referred to above.

5. Unless your desperate, after you make these changes, I would cut off any current developing fruit. That way there wont be any question's later and easier to tell if the new fruit are developing correctly or not. The BER fruit wont be useful to eat anyhow, and takes the plants energy to try and grow.

[JHazzardB]

Ay caramba. I'll look over the list and get back to you.