Dolomite Lime tea...?

[Natural]

I have no dolomite lime and have been waiting for my order for 3 weeks
... stupid shitty service at that place...

I really need to start flowering now. They said the dolomite lime will be here in about 2 weeks (BULLSHIT!!!) but can I just use the soil anyways and add dolomite lime mixed in with water later?

 

[Babbabud]

You dont have to have dolomite lime . Just be sure you check you ph of whatever you feed or water.

 

[vonforne]

adjust your nute water to 6.0 (a light yellow color on the chart) and your soil will drift to that. pour distilled water through the container and catch the first run off and test that.
that will show the true ph of your soil.

 

[Natural]

You dont have to have dolomite lime . Just be sure you check you ph of whatever you feed or water.

Can I still use dolomite lime dissolved in water to even out my ph?

adjust your nute water to 6.0 (a light yellow color on the chart) and your soil will drift to that. pour distilled water through the container and catch the first run off and test that.
that will show the true ph of your soil.

What would be the best way of adjusting my water, in your oppinion?

Thanks.

 

[the couch]

>>"Can I still use dolomite lime dissolved in water to even out my ph?"
I've only used one brand of dolomite lime, and it wouldn't dissolve in water...
You can add it to the top of the soil, it releases calcium & magnesium along with its ph buffering... I don't know how long it takes the mag/cal to become available though.

>>"What would be the best way of adjusting my water, in your oppinion?"
The easiest way is best imo, ph up & ph down. There are many other ways however.

 

[sproutco]

You will need a source of calcium and magnesium if you skip the lime. I suggest 1/4 (1.25ml) teaspoon epsom salts + 1/4 teaspoon (1.25ml) powdered gypsum per gallon of water (3.8L) along with your regular fert. if you need a source of cal/mag. You can add dolomite lime later and stop using gypsum/epsom. You would want to just sprinkle the lime on top of the pot rather than try to mix it into water. It is not so soluble and some will sink to the bottom of your watering can/bucket. A rate to try, if no lime is already present, is to sprinkle about 1 teaspoon (5ml) to the top of a 6" (15cm) pot. Remember, this will raise your ph and too much may be undesirable. Adjust the ph of your water or water + fert like what was already suggested. See the link in my signature for ways to adjust water ph without having to buy storebought ph up and down.

 

[Verite]

It depends if you are using RO or distilled then you may want to suppliment calcium and mag. But if you are using tap water then its got plenty of calcium and mag in it already.

Besides that small plants get plenty of each an dont need much boosting for weeks.

 

[Suby]

If you grow using multiple transplant just skip the lime until it gets there and then use it in your before last veg transplant and then again in a flowering transplant.

Verite is correct, "hard water" in an organic setup supplies plenty of Ca and MG, forget Epsom salts.

Dolomite Lime does not fair well in a tea, like blood meal and other soil additives it requires the soils specific environment to fully breakdown.

 

[Natural]

Ok... so if I go buy some pH up and down can I just adjust my water to 6.0 be good?
A pet store with a fish department should have this right? Like petsmart?

 

[bostrom155]

I used to buy the petsmart ph up and down, now i use apple vinegar as my ph down, pet stuff got too expensive compared to vinegar. Still have a small amount of the up i still use, when it's gone i'll see if i can find a cheaper, easily available substitute.

 

[Suby]

Generally you only need ph down, bostrum mentioned vinegar which is acetic acid which is great, I prefer organic apple cider vinegar with the mother still in it, I use it to acidify my tea in flowering but....

I don't measure ph as most teas are acidic and the lime will buffer it to around 7, i just use dolomite lime which adds plenty on Ca and Mg to the mix, the buffering is also nice but the Ca and Mg are a real help in organics.

 

[Natural]

Ok, thanks guys!

I got it down now... my test strips only go down to 6.2, so I got it a tad bit lighter than the shade of 6.2.
500mL of tap water + 2 mL of pH down seems to do the trick nicely...

The pH of my tap water was around 8!

 

[vonforne]

Can I still use dolomite lime dissolved in water to even out my ph?



What would be the best way of adjusting my water, in your oppinion?

Thanks.

PH up and down from the Hydro shop. about 20.00 and comes with a PH testing solution and a vial w/chart.

 

[BurnOne]

Dolomite must be mixed well into the soil. It must be pulverized (powdered) and it must remain moist to work. Mixing it with water won't work. And besides that, I don't think it'll mix with water anyway.
Burn1