Ph'd soil abd watering

[Nefrella]

OK, so if your soil is ph'd to be between 6.5-6.8, do you really need to ph the water? Isnt that the point of the soil, its going to self adjust?

Any input is greatly appreciated, very curious.

Big Rootz soil is what I'm using, specifically phd.

 

[spek9]

OK, so if your soil is ph'd to be between 6.5-6.8, do you really need to ph the water? Isnt that the point of the soil, its going to self adjust?

Any input is greatly appreciated, very curious.

Big Rootz soil is what I'm using, specifically phd.

Soil doesn't self-adjust. It provides pH buffering. If you saturate your soil with water that is out of pH range, you will eventually affect the soil, throwing out of whack the buffer capabilities.

Always pH your water no matter what your medium. Soil is 6.0-7.0. It's wise to periodically pH across your range as opposed to dialing it in to an exact number every watering. This ensures maximum nutrient uptake.

 

[Nefrella]

Soil doesn't self-adjust. It provides pH buffering. If you saturate your soil with water that is out of pH range, you will eventually affect the soil, throwing out of whack the buffer capabilities.

Always pH your water no matter what your medium. Soil is 6.0-7.0. It's wise to periodically pH across your range as opposed to dialing it in to an exact number every watering. This ensures maximum nutrient uptake.

Copy. So I've decided to build a watering system, nothing crazy but a 55 gal brute trash can with a sump so I can water with a water wand.

Is there anything specific I need to do to keep that much waters ph under control? I did a test yesterday on the gallon level and the ph when I left it was around 6.3-ish. 18 hours later, its at 5.3. Worried that mixing that much water at a time and the variance could be staggering. I intend to agitate the water and test the ph before each watering, but just curious of there is something i can do to help control the fluctuation?

Edits- grammar fml.

 

[2Hearts]

How on earth (i had to throw that in) does the ph of water matter when its a few hundred ppms at worst. It would take a lot of water to deplete a soils lime buffer

 

[Cwrighty9420]

This old argument again...

ive been growing in soil for 10 years +
And I have only experienced problems when I have given my plants ph adjusted water

when I give them plain tap water they seem to grow with no ph problems in sight

I’ve never understood the logic behind it fully myself but you know what they say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it

 

[Nefrella]

Well, seems to .

This old argument again...

ive been growing in soil for 10 years +
And I have only experienced problems when I have given my plants ph adjusted water

when I give them plain tap water they seem to grow with no ph problems in sight

I’ve never understood the logic behind it fully myself but you know what they say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it

I'd love to water with just regular tap water, seems like growing in soil should be "one stop shopping". Gonna give it a go, i think in a hydro setup it would be catastrophic, but soil probably more forgiving

 

[Bignutes]

Ive had ph problems in soil, it happens. I find if you can get your soil to a ph of 6.3 to 6.7 and your water to the same it works good. You can also have other scenarios that play out ok too like soil ph of 6 but water ph of 7. Or soil ph of 7 with water ph of 6. All three average a ph of 6.5. Its a symphony, decide how you want to do it and what's easiest.

 

[2Hearts]

Adding 7 to 6 dosent make the soil 6.5 in anyway shape or form. Your logic suggest i can add 14 to 1 and come out at 7 which shows such a small understanding of soil.

Ive had ph problems in soil, it happens. I find if you can get your soil to a ph of 6.3 to 6.7 and your water to the same it works good. You can also have other scenarios that play out ok too like soil ph of 6 but water ph of 7. Or soil ph of 7 with water ph of 6. All three average a ph of 6.5. Its a symphony, decide how you want to do it and what's easiest.

 

[2Hearts]

Just post your water report, if its not some nasty water your fine, most just perform this simple check to see whats in the water and thats all. Say you got 900ppms of copper its probably not good but then thats not drinkable tap water so normally tap water is fine for both us and plants.

Loads think they have ph probkems but just something else they later work out which is why the big support for ph and some could just be fine tuning but tell you most tap water is fine. Some do well with no so great water or chlorine in hydro, really im sure yourvwater is fine if its drinkable.

Ive had ph problems in soil, it happens. I find if you can get your soil to a ph of 6.3 to 6.7 and your water to the same it works good. You can also have other scenarios that play out ok too like soil ph of 6 but water ph of 7. Or soil ph of 7 with water ph of 6. All three average a ph of 6.5. Its a symphony, decide how you want to do it and what's easiest.

 

[Bignutes]

Adding 7 to 6 dosent make the soil 6.5 in anyway shape or form. Your logic suggest i can add 14 to 1 and come out at 7 which shows such a small understanding of soil.

Your swinging thru the ph band. I have taken multiple soil courses in university so get off that high limp horse your on.

 

[DoubleAtotheRON]

I think it all depends on your medium. Mine comes out of the bag at 5.1-5.3 It's a bark mulch/peat base, so the bark wants to constantly crash it at first. I have to feed in at 11.5-12ph mix for a couple of feedings, and 1 more at ~9, and then continue at 7.3ish for it to settle mid 6's. The soil is the determining factor, and how it buffers the pH. Im going to be testing some different mediums over the summer to try and find one that is more stable out of the bag. Your Ph is going to swing as the soil dries out from a feeding. It may read 6.8 really wet, but by the time your ready to feed again, it may read 6.0 dry, and falling. This particular mix i've been using has never been fed below 7.3ish.

 

[2Hearts]

But no chemistry degree yet or you wouldnt be trying to adjust a soil matrix with water.

Your swinging thru the ph band. I have taken multiple soil courses in university so get off that high limp horse your on.

 

[DoubleAtotheRON]

Copy. So I've decided to build a watering system, nothing crazy but a 55 gal brute trash can with a sump so I can water with a water wand.

Is there anything specific I need to do to keep that much waters ph under control? I did a test yesterday on the gallon level and the ph when I left it was around 6.3-ish. 18 hours later, its at 5.3. Worried that mixing that much water at a time and the variance could be staggering. I intend to agitate the water and test the ph before each watering, but just curious of there is something i can do to help control the fluctuation?

Edits- grammar fml.

Have a look at my grow link below. I do a similar setup with a 55 gallon drum with a recirculating system I built very reasonable.

 

[Gardenator]

I grow in organic super soil, never pH my tap water get great results... i wouldnt pH your tap. If anything get a water analysis done on your tap water if you have really hard water. Very hard water (250ppm plus out the tap) should be filtered and you shouldnt drink anything above 400ppm or 450ppm (if i remember correctly). Filter it because the residual build up from the particulates in your water will build up in your soil (if you reuse ur soil like me, over time this will be an issue, not immediately). Eventually it can ruin the soil, making it unable to retain water and killing all the benificial life you want in your medium... worth the analysis if you plan on staying in soil and reusing it like most do

 

[Cwrighty9420]

Recently one of my moms looked sad and instantly I thought ph but I thought about it and I’ve kept mothers in the same soil for 1 year + and never adjusted ph and they have been fine

so instead of messing with her ph I gave her a good flush, then a feed the time after pulled her back from the light a bit and trimmed her down a bit and a few days later she picked right up

All with non adjusted tap water
Around 250ppm
And 7.2ph

 

[Cwrighty9420]

I think it definately depends on what soil you are using also

I always use bio bizz or plagron light mix which are souls suited for cannabis so presumeably they are made to buffer around the correct levels for cannabis?

 

[Nefrella]

I think it definately depends on what soil you are using also

I always use bio bizz or plagron light mix which are souls suited for cannabis so presumeably they are made to buffer around the correct levels for cannabis?

Nods. Using Big Rootz its ph'd 6.3-6.5

 

[Bignutes]

But no chemistry degree yet or you wouldnt be trying to adjust a soil matrix with water.

My point is you can.