I need help adjusting ph.

So im basicily on my second grow first failed horrible during the seedling phase I roasted them good and well. Now im on my second try one plant is already dead due to some horrid deficiency and most likely the around 8.0ph soil it was in for 2 weeks it lived. I just recently aquired 2 ph meters one for soil and another digital one. I am determined to grow no matter what I will eventualy be able to do this.

Now I have my soil ph at probable around 8.0 maybe higher. My tap water comes out at 8.0 also. How do I go about adjusting it? Do I just keep feeding it like 7.5phed water, and lower the ph every watering after till it comes down? I know im not supposed to do a drastic change, and I am really confused on the subject of ph.

I have FFOF soil, and I recently picked up some hydronated lime, and garden sulfur if these help. I plan on transplanting the 2 small guys I have left into there larger 3 gal pots with some fresh FFOF soil tomorrow, is this a bad idea?

it is not the ph killing the plant. ph is not that big of an issue in soil.

If there is a nutrient lock out with such a high ph wouldn't that kill the plants?

capncash said:

it is not the ph killing the plant. ph is not that big of an issue in soil.

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..... so i guess ph lockout doesn't happen in soil now.... Com'mon man, get it together baby, lol! Ph is of utmost imortance in any way u choose to grow.

vahn55 said:

If there is a nutrient lock out with such a high ph wouldn't that kill the plants?

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If the ph is too high, or too low, it locks out vital nutrients and unless fixed, in extreme cases it CAN kill a plant. Even in less severe cases, yields can still suffer along with the plant itself. Next time around, throw in some DOLOMITE LIME to ur soil and u shouldn't have any probs with ph.

.... For soil, u want the soils ph somewhere between 6-7, try not to go above 7, that's when shit starts. Ph ur water to 6.5 everytime, if ur using it from the tap make sure ur lettin it sit out at least overnight before ph'ing and using.

Listen first of all pH is everything, to high or low and you lock out all kinds of nutes (see chart link below) go down to a hydro store and get yourself some ph down don't get fish stuff it has to much sodium. When the plants start growing they don't need any kind of nutes to grow for 2-3 weeks just plain 6.5 tap water let it sit or boil it to get out the chlorine first. Get your water pH to 6.5 then dump however much 6.5 water it takes for it to come out 6.5 then follow up with 1/4-1/2 strength and be careful nutes lower pH. After the 2-3 weeks get fox farms products (if you want good results) they have pH corrected soil too. If you don't have money for (good) lights use cfls the twisty energy efficient bulbs get 4 or more DAYLIGHT 26w 6500k 1600 lumens and set them up like below after 2 months or however tall you want it 12-18 inches switch the bulbs to 23w 2700k 1650 lumens SOFT WHITE cfls that should get you started GOOD LUCK

BTW that was a lot of typing +rep would be nice

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/7601/phchart1iu5.jpg


4 DAYLIGHT 26w 6500k 1600 lumens



23w 2700k 1650 lumens SOFT WHITE cfls



set them up like this

If all the sudden I lower my ph from 8 to 6.5 in the soil wouldn't that most definitely shock the plants? Also I am using Fox Farm Ocean Forest and I have the trio soil pack from them as well. I am using 1x150 watt hps and 2x23 watt 6500k cfls.

Come on someone help me out with my last question.

vahn55 said:

Come on someone help me out with my last question.

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i went from 8.5+ to 6.5 in one flush followed up with 1/4nutes and i was fine (im not positive if its good) but i didn't notice any ill effects from doing so. Id say your doing more damage with a high pH than if you shocked it once. Im not a pro either i just read a lot. BTW my avatar is my plant with only four 23w 2700k cfls

the pH issue sucks i know lol

I'm pretty sure it would be the best thing you could do. I'm having similar problems and I just ordered some EJ pH up and down. I had a problm with my ph being around 4.5 using r/o drinking water. Luckily my local tap water comes out at about 6.5. I started using it and my plants bounced right back. Every time I add nutes though it drops down to around 4.5. I need to get a nice pH tester all i'm using now is dip strips. they say a quality tester is one of the best investments you will make

Thank you rex for the help. Now I just watered them earlier today should I just go ahead and flush them anyway and bring the ph down?

vahn55 said:

Thank you rex for the help. Now I just watered them earlier today should I just go ahead and flush them anyway and bring the ph down?

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id wait till they dry out a little b4 flushing and remember nutes will bring it down because of the salts build up you need to flush with twice the amount of (6.5) water your pot can hold so for a three gallon pot you need to flush with 6 gallons to flush properly then finish with 1/4-1/2 strength nute solution check the ph after mixing it then adjust to 6.5 for 3 gallon pot probably a 1/2 gallon worth of nutes should be fine when your done the runoff should be 6.5

then wait till at least 2 inches of top soil is dried out b4 watering again

look on youtube there are a shitload of videos about growing