Your nutrient solution is made up of macro, micro, secondary nutrients.
Macro means large and micro means little. Macro nutrients are those elements like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that your plants use a lot of.
Micro nutrients, on the other hand, are nutrients that are needed in very small quantities like iron, manganese, boron, copper,cobalt, molybdenum and zinc.
Secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium and sulfur and are used in smaller amounts than macro nutrients. All of these elements, macro, micro, as well as secondary nutrients carry either a positive charge(cations)or a negative charge(anions)and will effect the PH of your growing medium as your plants use them up.
In fact, most macro, micro, and secondary elements can be manufactured to carry more cations or anions if a manufacturer is willing to go the extra mile and spend the additional $$ required to have them custom made.
Cations include potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, copper, cobalt, manganese, iron ans ammonium. Anions include nitrates, phosphates, sulfates, carbonates, bicarbonates. And different forms of these elements carry different amounts of anions and cations.
How it all comes together is your plants roots take in both anions and cations but when they do,different things occur. Like when the roots take in cations, they give off a hydrogen ions(which are acidic)and is then released into your medium. This makes your growing medium acidic and the PH is lowered
Now, when anions are taken in by your roots, hydroxide ions are released which are alkaline and the raises the PH of the medium. But as it goes, cations and anions actually work together. Its a balancing act.
The whole trick is to balance the cations and anions;then you can maintain the ideal PH in your medium.this does take alot of work and research , but it can be done.
Why is this important? I'll let you in on a lil secret. When you use the cations in an ammonium based nitrogen source, it gives off acid molecules and that helps to maintain the ideal PH around the roots and in your growing medium,But when you use a mainly nitrate base nutrient source, it gives off alkaline molecules and that raises the PH. This means you will have to continually adjust your PH down. Why do the extra work when you can just maintain the right balance of ammonium and nitrates,Cations to anions, right from the start.And i dont know for sure, but because of this imbalance of anions and cations you may have a high PH in your growing medium. And the worst part is, you aren't even aware that this harvest robbing culprit is lurking in your growing medium. Also if you use a recirculating system you will be continually adjusting your reservoir's PH in a unending cycle of PH balancing. And this directly affects the bigger yields you could be getting.
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" WHEN YOU THINK YOUR CROP IS READY, WAIT A WEEK AND SEE THE DIFFERENCE"
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