General Organics and Roots Organics Help?

Hey guys, whats up? Does anyone have experience with General Organics nutrients in soil? The box says no pH adjustment is necessary after adding the nutes, which is what I've been doing. I've never heard of such a thing, not adjusting pH after nutes, but I assumed that if they recommend not adjusting after adding nutes to water, the ratios of the nutrients when mixed together is completely neutral. However, I just read an older thread on rollitup where growers were arguing if you should follow the directions on the box. The nutrient levels are quite low, so at first I mixed them in at 1/2 the recommended low dose, but the month-old plants showed signs that it was too strong a mix. So I fed them strictly water for several days, and I just fed them 1/4 the recommended low dose last night. Today, some of the bottom (fan) leaves have literally rotated 90 degrees so that the leaves, while healthy looking, are facing left/right instead of up. My first thought was "jesus christ, the nute mix is still too strong", but all of the new growth at the top looks healthy green but a little droopy -- which makes me think the nute mix is too light, or heat stress. I asked the grow shop about the ROOTS ORGANICS soil nutrient content, and they said it only has enough nutes to last a couple weeks maximum. I noticed today that the stalk has some purple vertical lines -- which is either genetics, cold environment, or potassium deficiency. Of course, nearly all of these symptoms could be from a pH problem, which is what I am betting on, and brings me back to my original question: Do you adjust pH after adding GO nutes? It says not to on the box, but I've always adjusted pH after adding. Some people in the thread on GO said after nutes were added to pH neutral 7 water, pH dropped to 4.9-5.5 which would explain all of my symptoms.

The strains are:
MKage (MK Ultra x S.A.G.E.)
Critical Kush (Critical Mass x O.G. Kush)
White Widow
Kandy Kush x Skunk#1

The Mkage are the only ones beyond the seedling stage, and the only one I've added nutes to so far. I'd like to get the correct levels of GO nutes down before these other seedlings start vegging. There is such little written on MKage, I have nothing to measure my own grow against. Anyone having experience with these strains, and especially the RO soil and GO nutes is encouraged to help!

I should have mentioned as well: Temperature under the 1000w light at plant height stays between 70-85 depending on the time of day (outside air intake). Humidity ranges between 16-25% to prevent mold. And there should be absolutely no pest or rot or mold problems, since it is the first grow in a new tent and everything was cleaned top to bottom before any work was started.

Hiya,

Let me preface my response by saying I am new at this and might not have everything quite right...that being said nobody does and you shouldn't take anything anybody says without a grain of salt.

Ok, so I run the roots organics line, and am consistently impressed by it. I would recommend it to anybody who is interested in an easy to use organic line. Where I live the water quality is quite good, so honestly I don't bother pH-ing anything. The way I figure it, and I may be wrong, is that the manufacturers would be aware of imbalances in their product, such that they would advise you of possible pH issues and suggest that you pH test.

Now seeing as I don't test my own set up, I may be blowing smoke out of my ass, but what I would probably do if I were concerned about pH issues and didn't find an issue with the water/nutes I was giving them is two things...1. Test the pH of the soil itself. 2 pH the run off water in drip pans after a thorough watering....this way you should be able to see their normal environment through the soil and also see what the plants are leaching off through the runoff. Also as an aside if you don't have a fancy digital pH meter, which are near, but expensive, I might reccomend that you stop by a local pet store that sells fish. They will sell litmus paper, while less specific (pH within 1 to 2 rather than to decimal points on a digital meter) and its also more difficult to read, IS very cheap, and can give you a ball park of where your pH is, to see if it's worth buying a meter.

And back to me for one moment, I run roots organics soil and wet nutes once per week, water once per week, have three strains, a banana kush, Maui wowie sour diesel mix, and a chem dawg. They're all a bit purple, but I grow out of my cold garage. Its my first grow, but I spent a LOT of time researching before starting up my own...and maybe I'm a crazy hippie, but I don't see the point in tweaking every last thing, my plants look healthy and happy I continue, they look droopy I water more, they look burnt I raise my lights etc.

I try to look at it like a very young child or a pet. They might not speak English to you, but they'll do their best to tell you what they need, so listen to that above what you read online or on a box

I use GO nutes..full line. Talking to em it requires active healthy microbial life in the soil (gotta break the stuff down). Fungus and bacteria..pH additives can effect them. I quit adjusting the pH and they grow fine. My water is 7.1 before nutes. I was bumping the pH up with their own solution as the flowering nutes lower it the most. My soil pH has stayed fine.I run Great White, arcos bacteria and Oregonic (can't remember the correct name but a Roots line). I run soil, 30% perlite and dolomite added, 5 gal dirt bags. Works for me anyway. I use their online soil chart. I have heard both sides and opted for KISS.