How to reduce PH in soil

[sativo]

Dolomitic lime is supposed to act as a buffer, if your ph is higher than 7.0 it brings it down, if it is lower it brings it up, it buffers it to a constant 7.0,
supposedly.

 

[Tactical Farmer]

Lime is called a buffer but it doesnt bring anything down, its for buffering up to 7 but not down to 7. If your soil medium is over 7 then the addition or pre-amened level of lime is high you will fight the alkaline runoff monster to death. You very well may never see runoff readings in the 6's even if you try to flush the lime out.

People use lime for the fact that it:

1. Helps w/ peat based mediums that have acidic levels that drop w/ time.
(Pro-Mix - Fox Farm - Pretty much all mixs consist of large amounts of peat)
2. Feeds Cal & Mag throughout the entire grow.
3. Raises your mediums PH when feeding acidic nutes (guano's / earth juice)

 

[ThereIsHope]

Props.

Been there and done that and when I read all this non-sense...oh well.

Dolomitic lime is the shit and so is micorizzahae and so is CO2 but what do we know?

 

[inflorescence]

Lime is called a buffer but it doesnt bring anything down, its for buffering up to 7 but not down to 7. If your soil medium is over 7 then the addition or pre-amened level of lime is high you will fight the alkaline runoff monster to death. You very well may never see runoff readings in the 6's even if you try to flush the lime out.

People use lime for the fact that it:

1. Helps w/ peat based mediums that have acidic levels that drop w/ time.
(Pro-Mix - Fox Farm - Pretty much all mixs consist of large amounts of peat)
2. Feeds Cal & Mag throughout the entire grow.
3. Raises your mediums PH when feeding acidic nutes (guano's / earth juice)

Nice post.
I would just add that MOST nutes are acidic, not just guanos/teas. Most hydro nutes are acidic even though they have their own buffers, ESPECIALLY when mixed with ro water.

That's what I was trying to say in my previous post. Use the acidity of the nute and ro to your advantage if you have overlimed and you'll even get away with feeding a little more than if the soilless was normally limed.

 

[Microwido]

Ok so now I am up to par on how to decrease the PH and or increase the PH in soil. I am at day 13 into the grow and my babies look healthier than I have ever seen a plant this old look. So instead of trying to add chemicals to my soil, I am going to leave it alone and just let nature take it course. I only add liquid nutrients every other water, and those nutes should increase the acidity, which will help with my PH balance anyway. I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[Eli Bloom]

i think i'm running into the same problem now-the new growth on my veg plants is curling in on itself and there are some demented leaves...i checked the guide to sick plants in the forums, and it leads me to believe that i have a high ph too...i'll post what i find or maybe i'll try doing something different and we can compare

 

[Guest]

In horticulture, dolomite and dolomitic limestone are added to soils and soilless potting mixes to lower their acidity ("sweeten" them), and is a valuable source of calcium and magnesium.

I use good organic soil that needs Dolomite lime. I use the pellets as directed and make a tea to add after every transplant to avoid leave damage. I am really not sure if it would buffer the PH down, since its intent is to lower the acidity, but the added calcium and magnesium sure help my plants.

I guess I will start paying more attention to the PH in upcoming grows, but I have been growing for decades without a thought about it.

 

[Eli Bloom]

dolomite lime is neutral and would only lower the soil ph to 7.0 accordingly...i use sunshine 4, and my leaves are starting to mutate slightly, i think it may be from the ph of my water...im going to test the runoff tonight using the OG faq method of watering with 7.0 water and measuring the runoff to check for acidity as outlined here http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/1696.htm ...we'll see

 

[rusty_shacklfor]

i am goint thru this problem right now. and i did do the dolimite thing and now realize how stupid that was. (i wasnt testing the ph) now that i tested the ph of the water i know it it high and i need to bring it down. down not up like dolomite does. i know i read a lot about how great it is, but thats if your soil is acidic. i knew my ferts would lower ph and was advised to sweeten soil, but this so cal tap water (which i filter and leach off chlorine) reads about 8.5+ ph

so if you dont test ph DONT BE A DUMBASS AND THINK DOLOMITE IS THE MAGIC CURE JUST BECAUSE YOUR PLANTS ARE FUCKING UP AND YOU READ THAT IT HELPS YOUR SOIL. because you might be making akaline hell! trying to solve a problem by making it worse.

i am trying the amm. sulfate thing. had some in the garage already for some other plants