PH Variations

[RockyMntFarmer]

So i have been combating a Cal-Mag deficiency problem for a while now that i just can't seem to fix and im starting to wonder if it has anything to do with PH.


SOIL:

How long has this problem been going on? A few weeks
What STRAIN are you growing? Sadhu, MK-ULTRA, Cannalope Haze
What was the establishing technique? (seed or clone?) Clone
What is the age of your plants? 4-10 weeks
How long have they been in the soil mixture they are in now? 10 days
How Tall are the plants? 24"
What PHASE (seedling, vegetative or flower) are the plants in? Veg
What Technique are you using? (SOG, SCROG etc) SOG
What size pots are you using? (Include how many subjects to pot)
1-15 Gallon
What substrate/medium are you using? Soil
What brand of soil mixture are you using?(percentage of perlite, vermiculite...etc?) Roots Organics
What Nutrient's are you using? Biobizz
How much of each nutrient are you using with how much water? None have not fed yet because they are in brand new soil.
*Knowing the brand is very helpful*
How often are you feeding?
If flowering, when did you switch over to using Bloom nutrients?
What order are you mixing your nutrients? (example: veg nutes 1st, bloom 2nd ect) Come on now does this REALLY matter???
What is the TDS/EC/PPM of your nutrients used? .....
What is the pH of the "RUN-OFF"? 5.2!!!!
What method of pH test was administered? Using Strips? pH pen? BlueLab
How often are you watering? 5 days
When was your last feeding and how often are you feeding?
What size bulb are you using? 1000w MH
What is the distance to the canopy? 2 Feet
What is your RH Factor? (Relative Humidity) 60%
What is the canopy temperature? averages around 80
What is the Day/Night Temp? (Include fluctuation range) 80-70
What is the current Air Flow? (cfm etc.) One 8" can Max exhaust 24hrs
Tell us about your ventilation, intake exhaust and when its running and not running ?
Is the fan blowing directly at plants?
Is the grow substrate constantly wet or moist?
Is your water HARD or SOFT?
What water are you using? Reverse Osmosis (RO)? Tap? Bottled? Well water? Distilled? Mineral Water? Small Boy
Are you using water from a water softener?
Has plant been recently pruned, cloned or pinched?
Have any pest chemicals been used? If so what and when?
Are plant's infected with pest's?

So basically i just switched to using Roots Organics after a long run with sunshine 4(never had problems with sunshine F@#$ you ROOTS). We are balancing are flush water in a 7.3 and are run off is coming out 5.2. Is that to much of a swing? and what would cause it? I have always read that you need a higher ph around 7 for good uptake of Cal-mag and other micro nutes which is why i went with 7.3 but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Should i raise my H2O PH higher or am i doing something else wrong?

 

[HeadyPete]

Pix?

 

[RockyMntFarmer]

All right and some pictures....

 

[RockyMntFarmer]

anybody?

 

[Cruzin]

What is the TDS/EC/PPM of your nutrients used? .....
What is the pH of the "RUN-OFF"? 5.2!!!!

It looks like a PH problem but without knowing your PPM, its hard to say if your burning them. Theres a potential the Soil is too strong, but i would guess that if your PH is really 5.2 then that's your issue.

I know a lot of soil growers who don't check PPM, but i have found it to be the key of 100% dialed in plants.

 

[HeadyPete]

Well there is definitely overfeeding because of the low ph. That Roots soil (coco coir actually) alone has a lot of amendments and looks like it is pretty strong, judging by the ingredients.

Roots Organics Potting Soil

A truly exceptional ready-to-use coco fiber-based potting soil. We begin with a base of the highest quality coco fiber/Coir on the planet which is repeatedly washed for an incredibly low EC, and composted for over twenty-four months, and is specially blended with extra long fibers. This soil is amended with only the highest quality organic ingredients including bat guano, premium earth worm castings, fish bone meal, feather meal, green sand, mycorrihzae, glacial rock dust, soybean meal, humic acid, and many more. Already blended with correct proportions of perlite and pumice for excellent drainage and a vigorous root system, Roots Organics potting soil encourages healthier plants and better yields. Comes in a heavy-duty, ready-to-grow, 1.5 cu ft/10 gal, camoflauge print bag; simply poke holes in the bottom, cut off the top, and plant.

You need to raise the ph of the water/nutes to raise the runoff up to 5.7. Slowly, over many days, raise it up to around 8, and check the runoff. The reason the runoff is so low is the low ph acidity of the guano and the fish meal in the mix. Roots also probably assume most customers would be watering with tap water, which is usually in the high 7s range and that the acidity of the soil would counteract the high ph water. Don't blame the company cause you didn't read the ingredients or understand the effect they would have on your plants.

One last fact. Sunshine is peat based, Roots is coco coir. Totally different ph's.