PH Trouble

[chomsky]

Im having trouble keeping my PH where I want it. I want to keep it at 6.5. My runoff is measuring 5.7. I have been watering and feeding with the PH measuring 6.5 to 7.0 Should I keep raising the PH of my water and feedings till the runoff is 6.5? What PH should my waterings be? 7.5 or 8.0 ???

Would it help to sprinkle some hydrated lime on top of my pots? Im growing in 5 gallon eco pots and Im a week into flower...

Thanks for any input

 

[Granger2]

How long has this been going on? How do the plants look? If they are doing fine, I would continue to observe, but stop worrying untill you see problems.

Otherwise, start with pH 7 and go from there. -granger

 

[amanda88]

I learned long ago ..to throw that PH tool out, tho I confess to testing my water often in mid summer, I don't trust water engineers, once volumes fall, they get water from anywhere, ....cheap!
On point.."How do you actually test the Hydrogen content of soil...?
in truth you can't, you may dic around as you, measuring this and that ...but its not a true reading, as mentioned elsewhere, as the plant adjusts it root exobate to the current nutritional demand for that moment, if the plant wants to grow a leaf it leans on the nitrogen in the soil to achieve this, as an example.

Avoid relying on the pen ...for what is essentially the plants 'job'

 

[Vanilla Phoenix]

I agree with grainier. And if you do start seeing any issue, I would flush with pH adjusted water until pH runoff matches pH going in. matching pH is a good indication any excess nutes are flushed outta soil. Probably why pH is different than what's going in now, imo

 

[chomsky]

I agree with grainier. And if you do start seeing any issue, I would flush with pH adjusted water until pH runoff matches pH going in. matching pH is a good indication any excess nutes are flushed outta soil. Probably why pH is different than what's going in now, imo

I typically always agree with Granger... They actually look great. Im going to do what G said and just feed and water at 7.0 PH. If it comes up a bit in the RO great...

 

[chomsky]

My girls look great. After feeding today with a pH level of 7.1 I measured the run off and the pH was bouncing between 5.4 and 5.5. As I said the girls look great but I can't help to think that the yield and growth would be more robust if I could manage to keep the pH around 6.5. At least above six. Unfortunately, in the soil mix batch there is no Dolmite lime. Any suggestions how to continue raising my pH? I'm two weeks in the flower almo 6.5. At least about six. Unfortunately, in the soil mix batch there is no dough lime. Any suggestions how to continue raising my pH? I'm about 9 days into flower.

 

[chomsky]

Read above if this is the only post you now... here they are 2 days ago...

 

[ChasingGreen]

Those look great, I don't see any issues?

 

[Well]

looking real good

 

[ChasingGreen]

Did you ever get the ph up? I find the same thing, no matter the input ph, the output is under 6 with FFOF and it's frustrating. You said that adding lime would fix that though?

 

[MrBungle]

What kinda veg nutes are you using?

 

[Granger2]

If the plants look good and are doing fine, who cares about runoff pH? I've never once measured runoff pH. -granger

 

[MrBungle]

If you are trying to adjust the pH of your soil/media adjusting the pH of your water won't do much.. That only matters when you are mixing elements into solution.... If you want to change your media pH then you have to adjust your N ratios....

Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH4) lowers the pH
Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3) raises pH
Urea (usually converts to NH4) lowers pH

Typically it takes a lot less NH4 or urea to lower the pH of the media, than it takes NO3 to raise the pH

 

[chomsky]

If the plants look good and are doing fine, who cares about runoff pH? I've never once measured runoff pH. -granger

I think you are right Granger. Two weeks into the flower these are some of the best looking girls I've produced yet. I'm going to keep watering and feeding at 7.0 but I'm not expecting the soil oh to come much above 5.5. Next batch I'm going to add some dolomite line to my soul mix. I know that'll keep my ph where I want it. Sorinkling the top with lime won't do anything as it takes about a month for the lime to work. I think I'll post pics for the duration of this grow and turn this thread into a grow pic thread. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[chomsky]

well as promised here they are 3 weeks in to flower. Doin well...

 

[oldskol4evr]

at this point you should be pk boosting,in soil you dont worry about ph the soil buffers it ,the main thing is watch what you put in it,if you have a ideal soil which fox farms is all good medium,all you have to do is observe and fix if needed,the girls talk to you when they need attention,if you are in any doubt do a humic fulvic root drench ,it adjust your ph and cleans those roots up and stimulates them,but your plants look fine before you know it they will start to yellow and finish up for you

 

[HempKat]

Well like Granger2, I've never measured the run off ph. What I do is put dolomite line (aka Garden Lime) in my soil mix at a rate of approximately 2 table spoons per gallon of mix. All mixed up again of course. Not only does it work as a good ph buffer but it's rich in calcium and magnesium cannabis likes that. Off course for you being more then half way thru flower adding dolomite lime isn't going to be a good fix for you.

The reasoning for not measuring run off is I figure that's what is being rejected as excess from the soil but it doesn't mean that's what the soil inside the pot is at ph wise. If the run off is different then that means some part of the water/nutrients going in was kept and so maybe inside the ph is more like whatever you just added. So all I do is use dolomite in my soil mix and make sure that what is going in is right around 6.4 - 6.6ph

Below are various charts I've collected over the years related to ph and nutrient availability.

 

[chomsky]

Well fellas, I couldnt be more proud. The girls still have three weeks to finish. Here are a few pics... The main colas are huge. Like the size of my forearm and everything looks like its been dipped in sugar...

 

[HempKat]

I'm not sure if this is your first go at growing your own but one word of warning. The size of the buds your seeing now is about 3 to 4 times the size they'll be when dried, same with the weight. I only mention it because this can be very upsetting to someone who isn't expecting it. Your buds are looking nice but be patient and if they look like they need it don't hesitate to let them go beyond whatever the estimated time of flower suggests. Definitely try to avoid cutting sooner. You should be right about on the beginning end of the bud swelling phase of flower. It's critical to keep things as optimal as possible during this period, the better the conditions the greater the bud swell. Ideally of course you want to keep things optimal all the way thru, shit happens though. So what I'm saying is try your best to keep shit from happening from this point on.

 

[chomsky]

I'm not sure if this is your first go at growing your own but one word of warning. The size of the buds your seeing now is about 3 to 4 times the size they'll be when dried, same with the weight. I only mention it because this can be very upsetting to someone who isn't expecting it. Your buds are looking nice but be patient and if they look like they need it don't hesitate to let them go beyond whatever the estimated time of flower suggests. Definitely try to avoid cutting sooner. You should be right about on the beginning end of the bud swelling phase of flower. It's critical to keep things as optimal as possible during this period, the better the conditions the greater the bud swell. Ideally of course you want to keep things optimal all the way thru, shit happens though. So what I'm saying is try your best to keep shit from happening from this point on.

Not my first rodeo... But thanks for the good advice. and as you say, I try hard to keep it optimal always... Also, I will cut in stages as I see the tricomes clouding up through a loupe.