Question about PH meters?

[vonforne]

^and I am still saying that you should check your pH...advising someone to not check isn't right. Lime helps keep pH were we want it...but isn't a cure-all for pH. Burnone also said that a pH of 4 and 9 is ok...that is what I am advising against

B1, IMO is correct, A ph in that range is fine. You will get the most diverse nurtient uptake with a mobile ph. I do agree with checking ph as far as your water is concerned and I like to keep it in the mid 6's. And dolomite is the staple of a good organic soil mix.

 

[BurnOne]

So, what do you do with organic nutes if the pH is high or low?
Burn1

What I'm getting at here is the fact that some people will try to correct their pH with chemicals that will kill their microherd. If you choose to correct pH organically, check the pH of liquid seaweed mixed with water as directed. I can't remember if it's high or low. Anyway, use organic nutes to correct pH if you must. For example, mix a batch of veg guano tea (high pH) and a batch of veg PBP (low pH). Then mix those two together until pH is within the range you want.
Does that make any sense???
Burn1

 

[kokua]

I'm not trying to argue here..just trying to sort it all out I don't think store bought ph up and down will kill off your microherd if diluted properly. I’m not saying it is encouraging the little guys, but diluted ph up and down are fine when diluted properly. But that is not the argument….the argument was whether or not you should test and what the acceptable ranges are.

 

[CaptJamesTKirk]

extremes in PH changes are harmful to the micro heard
THAT"S THE BENEFIT of knowing what your pH is and how to best keep it in that sweet spot where every body is happy - the plant - the micro kiddies - and that lil ol grower,,

ME!

When you look at a ph table - just a smidge below 7 is where all the goodies are "ready to eat" ,, well - before the plant eats - the microbes turn on and eat other microbes and have a molasses cocktail - - hard to say what goes on down there - but - if they ain't happy, no body is going to be happy.

I can't imagine trying to read a litmus paper with Kelp and fish juice and some bat crap - let alone trying to read 6.2 - ish - but some say they can.


I like "natural" but if a good chemical boost will kick them in the ass then we might consider it. Once a routine is established - -i didn't check pH for nearly a year - I knew I either wanted to add 1/4 tsp PH down or 1 tsp Tiger Bloom - and that gets me 6.3+/- .1 Did'nt need the meter again until I wanted to try PK 13-14.

Some peeps are green thumbs and wonder growers - they have a feel. I need a little more detail information. Understanding pH is also key to understanding lock outs. It has to be there and be accessible.






I have seen some decent deals on eBay for pH testers

 

[minds_I]

Hello all,

B1, as you and others here know I make teas. In my teas I put the liquid kelp (pH ~ 8.0) which drives my teas pH to about 8.0 after bubbling.

I like to adjust my teas down to the low 6's. I use cider vinegar to drop the pH. Yes, I know its not stable- it does not have to be. I sometimes use alaska fish while in veg and ej Bloom during flower @ 2cc/liter drops my tea pH to the low 6's and while giving a shot of N or P. My plants have never been happier.

Just my methods for pH control.

minds_I

 

[Suby]

I think B1 makes an excellent point, a balanced ph is easy with any grow with the proper amount of dolomite lime, a decent source of tapwater, and the right elements to blend a tea that will fall within an acceptable ph range .

Water source is an important one here, if you water from the tap is very high ph then your a few steps behind folks like myself who have tap water at 300ppm with a starting ph of 6.9.

By the time I add emmulsions, guanos, liquid kelp, and casting with some molasses and let that brew the tea is usually within an acceptable range.

To comfortable with ph you first have to understand that it's a logarithmic scale so 1 point is a huge difference in hydrogen potential (ph).

If you use RO water for example it does not buffer well, which is why it's great for hydro and ho-hum for soil grows where buffering is more important than a steady ph, you need those fine particles in the water to make it harder to sway ph, that's why adjusting the ph of RO water can take a few drops of ph down and tap water may need alot more.

The quality of your water source is not taken into consideration nearly enough in people's understanding of soil ph.