I finally got a pH tester and calmag, pH up and down and figured out my pH was way high. 8.9. Tested soil with a soil test kit also and it's reading around 9. She's hungry on top of high pH so just wanting some opinions on where to go from here. Was gonna just flush with distilled and use pH down to get the flush water down to about 5.5 or so and then test runoff. Wait 2-3 days, feed with lotus bloom and Calmag? New to this still but trying to do my research but I hate trusting google.
8.9 ph..need to bring it down
- Thread starter Swan23
- Start date
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
I'd feed a low ec, with the proper ph for a few waterings to try and balance it out. Depends what your medium is though.
I don't trust Wal-Mart soil tests. If you want the right data, then get the right tools. I use a bluelab soil ph pen. I also use it to read my nutrient mix. Double doodle.
So ya it costs a couple bucks, but now you have the right data to make the right call with instead of chasing possibly right or possibly wrong values and potentially doing more damage then good.
What's with the calmag? Ive never even ran calmag before and never had an issue unless using ro water. Such an overused product for no reason.
I don't trust Wal-Mart soil tests. If you want the right data, then get the right tools. I use a bluelab soil ph pen. I also use it to read my nutrient mix. Double doodle.
So ya it costs a couple bucks, but now you have the right data to make the right call with instead of chasing possibly right or possibly wrong values and potentially doing more damage then good.
What's with the calmag? Ive never even ran calmag before and never had an issue unless using ro water. Such an overused product for no reason.
So pretty much just do a couple waters at a pH that I wanna get my medium down to? I'm using OF and perlite mix but it's been in that mix 40 days or so. And I've been watering with tap and distilled. Which I didn't know the pH of my towns tap till today and it's around 9 so I'm guessing thats why my medium is so high. I'm gonna check the runoff when I do water today and hopefully I can level it out within a couole waterings because she definitely needs fed.
Nope_49595933949
Well-Known Member
Did you calibrate the pen?
Yes. Didn't at first and everything was reading off the chart just calibrated this morning.
Nope_49595933949
Well-Known Member
You should take a look at your towns water report.
Budget Buds
Well-Known Member
Light pot flush and in 3 days try again 
Budget Buds
Well-Known Member
Close, 8.5 I've seen personally up here in N Mi A thick layer of limestone sitting on top of the bedrock right about the depth where most wells are drilled at, My water is 7,7 here but mackinaw city mi i've seen 8.5 so Im assuming its totally possible.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
A well..., yes I can see that. Treated city tap water ? Can't see it. It's all controlled before it leaves the water treatment facility
Budget Buds
Well-Known Member
I mean yes and no. depending on the water table and if the city well and home well are both tapped into the same aquifer, I live in an area where water is never more than 3 miles away or deeper than 40ish feet so lots of choices....... if your in buttfuck california it may be one and the same
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Ya not saying it's not out of the realm of possibility but more likely the op has a cheap meter that isn't reading right. I'm in an area where fresh water is abundant. Our tap ph is 7.0-7.5 depending on the season.
Meter I bought was like 70 bucks. When I calibrated it earlier tap registered at around 8.3. I did leave it in a little longer cauze I guess results take up to 30 seconds which I didn't know last night and wasn't calibrated. But distilled is registering at 7 so it's almost spot on from what I've been reading. Just takes 15 seconds or so to get an accurate reading.
Budget Buds
Well-Known Member
you two point it or just 7.0 calibration ?
7.0.. just went by what the instructions said
ComfortCreator
Well-Known Member
It may be annoying but getting that pen calibrated right is key.
I will bet the farm there is nothing with a ph of 9 around you. Municipal water sources like to be above 7 because it helps protect the pipes and is nicer for drinking.
Let the pen soak in some plain water with a 1/2 tsp of epsom dissolved into it for about 20 min. Then see what the reading is. If you keep getting 9s get a new pen.
I will bet the farm there is nothing with a ph of 9 around you. Municipal water sources like to be above 7 because it helps protect the pipes and is nicer for drinking.
Let the pen soak in some plain water with a 1/2 tsp of epsom dissolved into it for about 20 min. Then see what the reading is. If you keep getting 9s get a new pen.