Ph questions

O

Orin190

Well-Known Member
Im growing in soil and although i don't "need" to PH my water I do like to from time to time, makes me feel better. I use RO water + cal mag to water/feed (just switched to this vs tap water sitting out overnight) i know i dont "need" to but again, makes me feel better. Anyways when I add my nutes the water isn't clear anymore so I don't THINK i can use my drops because wouldn't the colored water offset the dye and mess it up? So i bought a inkbird+ PH meter. I calibrated it... i think idk... it's 6 months old and i put it in the 4.01 solution water now and it reading like 6-7 so when i hit calibrate it thinks i have it in the 6.18 solution (i used RO water to put the solutions in) ... anyways they're sending me a new one. Maybe i let it dry out. I didn't know i had to keep it moist but don't tell inkbird.

I was using Fox Farm nutes which the water is like brown.

I just switched to General Hydroponics so it's much more clear but still tinted. This isn't why I switched i switched because i think GH nutes are like Culver's vs FF is McDonalds?? make sense? I know GH isn't top notch but maybe a little better than FF.

My problems ^^

My questions :

When I calibrate it should i use RO water? Tap water? Bottled Water? Distilled water? Does it matter since I am going to be dumping the PH solution packs in the water?

Also, when I want to PH my water that has nutes in it how do I do that with drops or can I even do it with drops?

Am i thinking too deep? lol.

Any other input is appreciated!

THANK YOU!!!!!
 
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Richard Drysift

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
You are basically using soil as a hydroponic medium by adding 2-part nutes. It doesn’t matter what brand you use they all pretty much work the same. Yes you do need to adjust ph in order for the plant to absorb what you are giving them but you wouldn’t have to if you did not add nutrients and opted for organic fertilizer and compost instead.
You have to keep a ph pen wet with a calibrated solution of 7 in order to remain accurate for long term. I let mine dry out long ago. I never check anything ph-wise anymore but that is because I know the living soil I have been recycling for years is teeming with active microbes and mycorrhizae fungi. Synthetic nutrients would make my soil sterile and devoid of the things that help keep ph in range for absorption. So there are two paths… keep ph in check by adjusting it in range each time you feed or toss all your bottles of “stuff” in the trash and add worm castings, fertilizers, and mineral inputs. Then you just water as needed as ph would be regulated by the soil composition itself. That is really the difference between organic and hydroponic grow methods.
 
M

mtnman2016

Well-Known Member
Orin190 said:
Im growing in soil and although i don't "need" to PH my water I do like to from time to time, makes me feel better. I use RO water + cal mag to water/feed (just switched to this vs tap water sitting out overnight) i know i dont "need" to but again, makes me feel better. Anyways when I add my nutes the water isn't clear anymore so I don't THINK i can use my drops because wouldn't the colored water offset the dye and mess it up? So i bought a inkbird+ PH meter. I calibrated it... i think idk... it's 6 months old and i put it in the 4.01 solution water now and it reading like 6-7 so when i hit calibrate it thinks i have it in the 6.18 solution (i used RO water to put the solutions in) ... anyways they're sending me a new one. Maybe i let it dry out. I didn't know i had to keep it moist but don't tell inkbird.

I was using Fox Farm nutes which the water is like brown.

I just switched to General Hydroponics so it's much more clear but still tinted. This isn't why I switched i switched because i think GH nutes are like Culver's vs FF is McDonalds?? make sense? I know GH isn't top notch but maybe a little better than FF.

My problems ^^

My questions :

When I calibrate it should i use RO water? Tap water? Bottled Water? Distilled water? Does it matter since I am going to be dumping the PH solution packs in the water?

Also, when I want to PH my water that has nutes in it how do I do that with drops or can I even do it with drops?

Am i thinking too deep? lol.

Any other input is appreciated!

THANK YOU!!!!!
Click to expand...
As far as PH, this is very important. You want that at 6.2-6.8. The water you use to calibrate with will not matter, you just want to calibration to meet the solution PH. If that is not working then yes, you probably have a faulty meter. I used to go through 1 meter every 2 years then switched to another and have been using it 5 years without a problem. Link below.

Fox Farms is a fine nutrient. I tried several and the one thing I found with FF is it is very consistent as long as it's not out of date. If it is you will hear crystals clanking the inside when shaking it.

The color of the nutrient solution in soil is not going to have any effect unless perhaps it has contaminants. My veg and flowering mix with FF is brown and that make me feel good LOL.

I have done many grows with RO and tap water, it never made a single bit of difference as far a quality or yield. As long as you are "listening" to the leaves you will be fine.
 
Charles U Farley

Charles U Farley

Well-Known Member
Richard Drysift said:
You are basically using soil as a hydroponic medium...
Click to expand...
That is _exactly_ the argument I used to have with pH and NPKaye on the Usenet group, apdc, back in the '90s (I know, I'm a dinosaur, look at my avatar :-))and they were _hydro_ growers.

I've _always_ been a soil guy.

Don't know that I agree with the rest of your post but the part I quoted is 100% correct, imnsho... peat based soil is a _hydroponic_ medium, when you use chemically based nutrients.
 
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L

Lou66

Well-Known Member
Charles U Farley said:
peat based soil
Click to expand...
Peat based soil is just soil. What you want to get at is soilless medium based on peat. It's a different thing.

pH adjustment is beneficial for both soil and hydro. Sure you can do without if you're lucky with your tap water being soft but then it is still beneficial.
Giant pumpkin growers swear by it and their results are not subjective. If you change one thing and bring 100 pounds more to the next convention you've proven your point.
 
Richard Drysift

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
1212ham said:
Ph probes should be kept in KCL storage solution, not ph 7 calibration buffer.
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Right … that’s why my pen went dry. Don’t listen me I don’t check ph or even care about it.
Charles U Farley said:
That is _exactly_ the argument I used to have with pH and NPKaye on the Usenet group, apdc, back in the '90s (I know, I'm a dinosaur, look at my avatar :-))and they were _hydro_ growers.

I've _always_ been a soil guy.

Don't know that I agree with the rest of your post but the part I quoted is 100% correct, imnsho... peat based soil is a _hydroponic_ medium, when you use chemically based nutrients.
Click to expand...
Yes there are two paths you can go by but in the long run there’s still time to change the road you are on..
- R.Plant
 
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