Confused about PH Levels in Soil

Thanks for your help!!!!
I'm hoping that by flushing my plants to runoff of 6.5 and letting them dry out then introducing them to the General Organics Go Box will set the PH to the proper level automatically.

My tap water is about 7.0-7.2

Right now my runoff is reading about 5.9 to 6.0. Should I leave it as is, or flush until it hits 6.5?
 
When I say use fresh potting mix, I mean to just start each transplanting/potting with new soil and toss it when you harvest, no need to rip it out or do anything radical now, unless the plants are really suffering. PH will sort itself back out over a few watering.
 
Here is some more info on my CURRENT setup. But like I said, I'm going to switch to the General Organics Go Box on their next feeding.
They're showing some signs of stress (purple stems, older leaves turning light green-yellow-brown, but I don't think they're suffering too bad yet.

Strains: (Dispensary Clones) Cheese, Purple Arrow, Mendo Afgoo, Girl Scout Cookies, Blueberry, and Maple Leaf.
Medium: 1 Gallon Smart Pot with 50% Fox Farms Ocean Forest / 50% Perlite
Lighting: 18/6 with 2 x Area 51 XGS-190 LEDs ~18-20" above canopy
Nutes: GH Flora Series - Have only fed 1/4 (220ppm) strength nutes about a week ago. Have given some 3/4 strength nutes.
Watering Schedule: Every 3-5 days - I wait until the pot feels lightweight and the soil is pretty much bone dry. My tap water is 37ppm.
Temps: 72-77 daytime / 64-70 night time
Humidity: 20-40%
Tent: 4x4 Tent
Ventilation: 160cfm exhaust and passive intake / two 6" fans in the corner


View attachment 2922660View attachment 2922661View attachment 2922662View attachment 2922663View attachment 2922664View attachment 2922665View attachment 2922666
 
goodjoint said:
Thanks for your help!!!!
I'm hoping that by flushing my plants to runoff of 6.5 and letting them dry out then introducing them to the General Organics Go Box will set the PH to the proper level automatically.

My tap water is about 7.0-7.2

Right now my runoff is reading about 5.9 to 6.0. Should I leave it as is, or flush until it hits 6.5?
Click to expand...

Are the plants looking healthy enough? Long as they aren't dying on you, Just use the tap water as it is. 7.0 is about what my tap water is and I never have any issues with PH at all.

The run-off does seem a bit acid, but I would just give it one good drenching with plain tap-water and leave it. Maybe skip this weeks nutes and just use water, then start nuting again next week.
 
Dribbles said:
Are the plants looking healthy enough? Long as they aren't dying on you, Just use the tap water as it is. 7.0 is about what my tap water is and I never have any issues with PH at all.

The run-off does seem a bit acid, but I would just give it one good drenching with plain tap-water and leave it. Maybe skip this weeks nutes and just use water, then start nuting again next week.
Click to expand...

I don't think they look too bad, but maybe a little? I posted some photos of them in my previous post. Not sure if they're showing up though
 
Yeah they're fine. Just toss the PH test meter/kit away for now it'll save you and the plants a bunch of stress. 8)

I wouldn't even worry about that one-more plain-water flush, unless they really start showing visible signs of unhappiness. All plants get a bit droopy after waterings, at night and at other times.
 
Drooping after watering is pretty common, long as they don't droop thrn sag then actually wilt, then all is well.
 
Cool! Sounds good. Thank you!

Dribbles said:
Yeah they're fine. Just toss the PH test meter/kit away for now it'll save you and the plants a bunch of stress. 8)

I wouldn't even worry about that one-more plain-water flush, unless they really start showing visible signs of unhappiness. All plants get a bit droopy after waterings, at night and at other times.
Click to expand...
 
And a little purple in the stems isn't necessarily anything to worry about. I've grown out perfectly healthy, beautiful plants that had purple undersides on their stems all over the plant. Some just seem to have purple stems. That indica in my profile pic randomly tinged purple as it matured, and always had purple undersides to it's stems.
 
Flushing is not a good way to correct soil pH. What kind of soil are you using?

Potting mix/soil is limed for two reasons: to supply Ca (and Mg), and to correct the pH of the soil by neutralizing acidity over time. Dolomitic limestone is commonly used for its magnesium content. You want either dolomitic or garden lime (calcium/magnesium carbonate) NOT hydrated or slaked lime.
A healthy soil resists sudden changes in pH. Most potting soils aren't actually soils, however, and are sphagnum peat-based. Sphagnum peat moss is an acidic material and requires lime. While most potting mixes do come limed, they may not contain enough to last for a prolonged period of time. Usually you would mix in 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of mix prior to planting, but you could also mix the same amount per gallon of water and apply this way (shake while applying).
 
What is a good way to correct soil PH then? Just start with the Organic nutes and it will balance itself over time?
I'm using Fox Farms Ocean Forest with about 40-50% perlite added to it.


Nullis said:
Flushing is not a good way to correct soil pH. What kind of soil are you using?

Potting mix/soil is limed for two reasons: to supply Ca (and Mg), and to correct the pH of the soil by neutralizing acidity over time. Dolomitic limestone is commonly used for its magnesium content. You want either dolomitic or garden lime (calcium/magnesium carbonate) NOT hydrated or slaked lime.
A healthy soil resists sudden changes in pH. Most potting soils aren't actually soils, however, and are sphagnum peat-based. Sphagnum peat moss is an acidic material and requires lime. While most potting mixes do come limed, they may not contain enough to last for a prolonged period of time. Usually you would mix in 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of mix prior to planting, but you could also mix the same amount per gallon of water and apply this way (shake while applying).
Click to expand...
 
goodjoint said:
What is a good way to correct soil PH then? Just start with the Organic nutes and it will balance itself over time?
I'm using Fox Farms Ocean Forest with about 40-50% perlite added to it.
Click to expand...

Nullis said:
Potting mix/soil is limed for two reasons: to supply Ca (and Mg), and to correct the pH of the soil by neutralizing acidity over time. Dolomitic limestone is commonly used for its magnesium content. You want either dolomitic or garden lime (calcium/magnesium carbonate) NOT hydrated or slaked lime.
A healthy soil resists sudden changes in pH. Most potting soils aren't actually soils, however, and are sphagnum peat-based. Sphagnum peat moss is an acidic material and requires lime. While most potting mixes do come limed, they may not contain enough to last for a prolonged period of time. Usually you would mix in 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of mix prior to planting, but you could also mix the same amount per gallon of water and apply this way (shake while applying).
Click to expand...

I use OF with SAM#4 or coco coir\humus\earthworm castings and dolomitic lime. I do not pH anything that goes into the soil.
 
Unless you're using some whack ass soil, your pH should be just fine.. I use ffof and have never checked soil pH once..
And checking pH of the run off has to be one of the most retarded things ever .. no offense to the op as he's a newb and knows no better.. all the pH of the runoff tells you is the pH of the run off, nothing more, nothing less.. complete waste of.time imvho, and usually only seems to cause more issues than it cures from growers trying to chase their tale, changing their pH of the water and or nutrient mix and just stressing the plants out and causing real issues you'd never of had if.you never started to fuck with things in the first place .. BTW, you is a general term and in no way am I referring to the op..
Op, try and find a thread by uncle Ben on here called, stop blaming issues on soil pH, I can't stands no more .. or something similar.. super informative and you'll relax a ton about growing in the process.. :)
 
No offense taken. I appreciate your honest advice :D
I'll take a look into that. Thank you!!!!!!

racerboy71 said:
Unless you're using some whack ass soil, your pH should be just fine.. I use ffof and have never checked soil pH once..
And checking pH of the run off has to be one of the most retarded things ever .. no offense to the op as he's a newb and knows no better.. all the pH of the runoff tells you is the pH of the run off, nothing more, nothing less.. complete waste of.time imvho, and usually only seems to cause more issues than it cures from growers trying to chase their tale, changing their pH of the water and or nutrient mix and just stressing the plants out and causing real issues you'd never of had if.you never started to fuck with things in the first place .. BTW, you is a general term and in no way am I referring to the op..
Op, try and find a thread by uncle Ben on here called, stop blaming issues on soil pH, I can't stands no more .. or something similar.. super informative and you'll relax a ton about growing in the process.. :)
Click to expand...
 
*claps excitedly* bravo! 8)

One last mmdribble of advice before I go plane-down the edges of these pantry doors I have to get.. Done (mice in the pantry, and although I love mice, my woman goes on and on about em and neither of us like the mouse-shit, so they have to be locked-out) .. I advise anybody who doesn't already to take-up regular gardening as well.

Not only do you get a much broader idea of what *all* kinds of species like and dislike, and a *stack* of experience growing generally, but everything you know about canna can be applied to any regular, edible garden plants: The better you are at producing buds, the better you will be at producing exceptional tomatoes, strawberries, herbs/spices.

On top of that, you don't have to hide a regular garden and anything you grow - generally - shits on the gas-rippened crap they sell in supermarkets, AND, your non-smoking woman will appreciate your farmer-joe super-powers much more when she gets food out of the deal :D

Alot of plants require slightly different treatment, but once you get into it, you'll get to love you legal plants just as much as your secret ones ;)

Noshit 8)
 
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