Probe health check/cleaning/calibration

Community
#1

Just going by what I’ve seen in the last couple months I’ve come to the conclusion that probe health checks need to be done more often and should probably be integrated into the weekly notifications that we get, but on weeks 4,8,12, etc. Especially for first time growers, by the time something has set in on the leaves to see said deficiency it’s not “too late” but in a sense it is. Would probably lead to less tickets being sent in as well just to find out that the pH is off and is likely due to having dirty probes.

Anyone else feel free to chime in on this but I feel it’s pretty necessary, I’m on day 50 something of my grow and my probes both need a good clean, which I will be doing later today when I have time :+1:

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Brown spots on plant
#2

Yes, 1st time DWC growing so all new to me.
Great suggestions.
Thank you

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#3

Seen video say do a welfare check every 30 days so that’s what I’ll be doing from start to ensure no buildup

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#4

Oh really, from Grobo? I didn’t know they had that in a video.
It needs to be within the app or weekly notifications though cause I feel like not a lot of people are doing it

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#5

Yeah i misread it does say 3 months check but I still will be doing mine like I say every other month especially if you use different types of additives

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#6

Have any tricks for for getting the res lid open when the roots have decided to hook around things and clamp it shut? :slight_smile: I usually wait until end of grow when this happens as they seem to snap apart easier after they’ve dried out.

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#7

Makes some sense

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#8

Yeah push the pod into reservoir and quickly retrieve it after you take lid off…but like you say it will have to be done at harvest

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#9

I asked the same, definitely bugs me out, don’t know which option is the lesser of two evils… do you chance it and not calibrate until the end of the grow, or chance it and risk ripping up roots that could be entangled? :man_shrugging:t2::grimacing:

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#10

I would check the drained water and see what that pH level is, if it looks off then chance it – if it doesn’t then leave it be.

It hasn’t been using either pH up or pH down lately so am not too concerned but have been wondering if there’s any trick to minimizing the tearing of roots when they wrapped around things. There is a lot of resistance when trying to open the lid, and some roots have managed to hold my bottom float sensor up – that’s what I’d really like to reach in and fix.

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#11

Yes, I always do. So far it has been perfect and I agree, little to no pH up or down is used. (I pre-pH)

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#12

They reached in around the plexiglass root guard?!

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#13

Now that’s tough

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#14

Yeah, I can dig up a pic of it earlier on – had noticed one strand making its way behind but it was only one little root at the time.

Fast forward a few weeks and then the sensor stopped working. :slight_smile:

This was the last I saw of that root:

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I should’ve dealt with it at the time but didn’t notice until it was too late (sensor had stopped working, and res was held tight at that point).

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#15

Tricky little sucker

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#16

Agreed. I’m going to put an airstone in that little chamber next time, I think there is some current from my existing placement which causes the roots to gravitate to that area.

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#17

agreed. On day 53 myself so ill check mine this weekend.

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#18

This is a great suggestion !!!

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#19

I’m not going to lie I’ve been lifting mine every d/f. I have fungus gnats so they’ve been under the hood. I can lift mine up 5" at least until I feel roots tugging. Let me tell you I have lots of roots lol. Maybe just luck of the draw this time or maybe cause I keep lifting it’s made it easier for me. I got both probes out no problem. My lights are off currently so I’ll do the check in the morning, just getting home from work. Nothing like welding in 40+ degrees :hot_face: lol

I’ll post my findings when I clean it :+1:

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#20

Even if you can just get the front of the lid open enough to get the top of the probe wire, that’s what I would do and just try and wiggle it out of the little slot it’s in.

I’ll try out some ways to see if I can describe it better cause I have some room to play with lol. Better me trying things out than you if your worried about the roots tearing

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