Soil pH

[Sirus]

Hello all.... So this is my problem, or at least one of them. First go around and I am seeing some twisting on the first couple sets of leaves. I have read that this could be indictative of a pH problem. I have a Rapitest digi soil pH meter as well as a Hanna pH and TDS/EC meter. The Rapitest pos is reading 6.5 for three of my ladies and 6 for the other. Yesterday I watered and collected the run-off and tested with the Hanna. I was getting 7.3 to 7.5. What is my best course of action at this time? I use distilled water, they are under two 2' 4 bulb 6.5K T5's and have been above ground for 8 days.

Soil is 4 part FFOF, 2 part FFLW, 3 part EC, and 3 part Perlite. I use powdered Dolomite Lime at the tune of 2 tablespoons per gallon as well. The soil was prepped for about 2 months as I didn't get to plant as early as I would have liked.

Genetics :
Barney's Farm - LSD
Barney's Farm - Chocolope
Barney's Farm - Blue Cheese
DNA Genetics - LA Woman

Any input would be very much appericated.

 

[darrmann]

your soil ph is to high. you dont want it to get over 7

 

[Sirus]

I understand that..I should have been more specfic about my question. Twisting leaves in relation to pH and what the experienced grower would do in my situation. Thanks for the reply though.

 

[tube dude]

Have you checked the ph of your water? you shouldn't be getting above a 7 using dolomite. The lime should buffer the soil to somewhere between 6.8 to 7. What are your temperatures running? It could be heat stress. It may also be that your soil mix is a little too hot. If you could post some pictures it would help.

 

[Spl1fftast1ck]

If I am reading your soil mix right, you added earthworm castings to foxfarms ocean forest, so without the pics to say for sure, I'm gonna say its probably an Nitrogen overdose, and since its mixed with your soil your gonna have some work ahead of you. First rule out your suspected Ph problems as Darrmann, Sirus, and Dude suggested. If you tested your first runoff, all you got was the reading of what you put in. Water a bit, wait couple hours, test runoff after 2nd watering. FFOF routinely runs off at 6.5 for me, and my soil probe put FFOF at 6.6. and you added lime so I would not be surprised at a reading of 7. A ph of 7, twisting leaves? maybe slightly. If there is no spotting on the older growth (is there any spotting on any leaves if so where?) and, newer growth as well as older are dark (DARK) green then you may have your answer of an Nitrogen OD. Give us some pics and I'm sure someone will know your answer.

 

[Doradoguy]

I'm watching this thread. I have similar problems with Root's organic.

 

[Sirus]

Idk why but for some reason im nervous about posting the

pics...I know its dumb, so I will get some up I watered today

(all but the LSD) and I am getting run-off pH of 7.4 ish on the

other 3. I made a uber rookie mistake and got a bit overzealous. I

fed them per Fox Farm's schedule at about 3 days above ground,

and I fed them Grow Big instead of Big Bloom as the chart says.

Needless to say I burnt the shit outta the LSD. I repotted her

and she is perking up. I was hoping the soil mix would help out

with the pH. As far as the others go I am seeing no discoloration

at all (I think)...new growth is a lighter shade of green while the

older sets are darker, no spotting. I hope its not heat stress, I

havent even turned on the 800W of HID goodness yet. I have an

A/C to a C.A.P. controller and my temps dont go above 80...in

fact im having more trouble on the low end of the temp

range. Thank you for all the input guys..I will snap a few pics

tommrow.

 

[Maxyeild]

Why do u folks add anything to ffof, u don't need to just add water until the 2nd week of flower and u will have no problems. Its a complete soil

 

[Sirus]

I can't speak for all the "folks"... but I mixed FFOF based on advice from another mod on these forums. I will defitinly listen to him next time and not add ferts until much later, but thats the learning curve for ya!

 

[guest1ab]

Hey here's another tip, Sirus: you hear a lot of bullshit here so always take everything your read with a grain of salt.
Yeah anyway it sounds like your soil might be hot, yeah, but your 'lings will probably survive it.

 

[tube dude]

The biggest mistake ne growers make is that they try to do too much too soon. Seedlings dont need any nutrient at all for the first 2-3 weeks. Everytrhing they need is stored in the seed.Nitrogen is "hot" and can burn the newly developing root system.{which by the way is not yet capable of uptaking nutrients] Everything the plant need is stored in the first two little round leaves called coytledons. When these start to yellow the plant is then ready to feeding from its now developed root system. However, you have an amended soil mixture. So don't start your feeding yet.Wait until the plant tells you it needs something. The leaves will start to get a lighter shade of green and growth will slow down. You probably wont have to start feeding until well after you transplant.

I would sugest that you get some kind of micro nutrients. I use liquid karma with good results.

 

[Doradoguy]

I think my lesson is I'm over feeding them. Just chill and give them some ph water. Good advice.

 

[Spl1fftast1ck]

Idk why but for some reason im nervous about posting the

pics...I know its dumb, so I will get some up I watered today

(all but the LSD) and I am getting run-off pH of 7.4 ish on the

other 3. I made a uber rookie mistake and got a bit overzealous. I

fed them per Fox Farm's schedule at about 3 days above ground,

and I fed them Grow Big instead of Big Bloom as the chart says.

Needless to say I burnt the shit outta the LSD. I repotted her

and she is perking up. I was hoping the soil mix would help out

with the pH. As far as the others go I am seeing no discoloration

at all (I think)...new growth is a lighter shade of green while the

older sets are darker, no spotting. I hope its not heat stress, I

havent even turned on the 800W of HID goodness yet. I have an

A/C to a C.A.P. controller and my temps dont go above 80...in

fact im having more trouble on the low end of the temp

range. Thank you for all the input guys..I will snap a few pics

tommrow.

Just be on the look out for a nute lock-out now, Pic's would really help, esp on the plant with a lighter shade of green. Do you happen to know the ph and ppm of your tap water or are you only using distilled?

Max, hit on it right there, FFOF really does not need much unless you are vegging for extended periods, or have a nute hog of a plant. Even then though, every time I transplant into fresh FFOF I fed nothing but water (usually distilled @ .7ppm, then spring @ 74ppm then my tap @ 223ppm) and slowly build up to giving nutes over the course of 2-3 weeks depending on size and age.

 

[Sirus]

I am going to take some pics tonight and will post them asap. SPL1..I am using distilled water. Thanks for everyones input.

Things I have learned 9 days into my first grow....
1) Don't feed 3 day old seedlings
2) Don't use hydroponic nutes (shop accidently sent me the hydro version of Grow Big)
3) Know your soil pH before planting
4) When your told to K.I.S.S. listen to the advice

 

[Sirus]

Lets see if this works... Day 10 above dirt. On day 3 (second watering) my dumas put 1/4tbl spoon of HYDRO Grow Big, mixed it in a gallon of distilled and fed all of them till slight run off noted. About an hour later realizing how I really fucked up I flushed them all till about 50% run off.

1) Chocolope: Really no twisting or anything noticably wrong from my untrained eye. Run off of last water, pH 7.2

2) LSD-Barney's Farm (burnt to shit): Ummm, idk if this is doing anything. It was wilted over really bad..I repotted and the next day it perked up. Run off of last water, pH 7.3

3) Blue Cheese: Is this the pH twisting I have been reading about? Run off of last water, pH 7.5

4) LA Woman: Same as BC, twisting crazy-like. Run off of last water, pH 7.5

Distilled Water. A cold spell came through and the temps dropped to 55F one night, other than that 69-78F are the high/lows on the meter, 30-50% rh.

 

[Sirus]

Side views of both the Blue Cheese and LA Woman...

 

[Spl1fftast1ck]

Sirus,
With exception to the burnt one they all look good, I get that minor leaf twist with about 25% of the strains I put into FFOF.

When you test runoff, are you testing the first water that comes out of the pot? or do you water a bit, wait, water the rest of the way, then test that water?

Based on that last set of pics, with no discoloration in the leaves I would not be worried PH.

Like here with this Mazar, as she gets older she uses up more of the nutes in the soil and get used to it. Your babies will be fine. You are running quite a variety, looking for a mom? or just growing from seed?

 

[Spl1fftast1ck]

I looked at the pics a second time to be sure, They are fine. Don't treat for anything. just give them water, don't let the cups dry out.

 

[tube dude]

On the LSD it looks like you may have spashed the nutrient soluton on the plant. It looks like it will come back but will probably be behind in growth of the other three.If I were you I wouldn't worry to much about ph. The dolemite you put in the mix should buffer the ph to acceptable levels.You are basicaly growing organicaly so ph shouldn't be much of a problem. I have't checked my ph in years.
Most of the bottled nutrients are hydro nuts. You can still use them. You just used them too soon. Just don't feed them again until the tell you they need it and you will be fine.

 

[whodair]

is the runoff PH from soil typically higher than the ph of the nute/water ??

5.8 going in 6.5 runoff ok ?? i'm not a big ph guy, i just "read" the plant and try to keep it healthy...(less is more type thing)