Low pH in runoff coco in Hempy Bucket

[medman47]

The PH of the runoff in my coco Hempy Buckets is 4.9 - 5.0 I've read that it should be about the same as the PH going in which is 5.8 - 6.0 does this mean I've got a nutrient lock out and if so what should I do to try to break the lock out?

 

[gr865]

Is it effecting the plants in any way?
You can flush with 1/2 rate nutes and pH properly.

GR

 

[mulga bill]

G,day,Medman.I see you also are a new member.I also checked my runoff ph which was 4.5,(in straight Coco) needless to say i was immediately concerned ! BUT, my plant a "White Widow" does not seem concerned at all ! As a matter of fact it is growing extremely well ! How is this possible ? Medman, how is your plant doing ?I was under the impression that a plants roots in that environment should not be doing well at all. With all sorts of nutrient problems etc etc.My plant is now at 35 days,is 70cm tall every leaf on the plant is green,a couple of minor spots here and there,she is also beginning to form flower buds, for the past couple of weeks it has been growing at the rate of around 4-5 cm per day ! For all of the experienced growers here can you explain to me how is this possible with my medium at a ph of 4.5? All of my inputs have been ph,d to 6.0 .Medman,how is your plant growing ?

 

[medman47]

I am having the same situation mulga bill the plants don't show any obvious signs of nutrient deficiency, but with that said I'm wondering that if the PH runoff problem might be responsible for holding my ladies back and not allowing them to reach their full potential. I am also growing "white widow" in a coco/perlite mix (80 coco/20 perlite) using the hempy bucket method. I've decided to take the advice given and go with a lower dose (300 PPM) feedings for the next 7 days and see if that might straighten things out. I'll try to post what happens (if anything) next week. Oh yeah, I have been shooting for 5.8 / 5.9 ph going in.

 

[FatNeil]

I remember reading somewhere not to really check coco runoff ph. I didn't at all in my hempies and had great results. I wouldn't worry about it if there is my signs of deficiency

 

[mulga bill]

G,Day, Medman47. Sorry for the late reply,after i flushed mine i had only a small rise in the runoff ph. Despite the low runoff ph my white widow has been growing at a rate of 4-5cm per day, at day38 it is now 85cm tall ! ( this is a Seedman strain 80-85day plant ) BUT,in the last couple of days it looks to be developing a calcium deficiency. I will be interested to see what happens with your girl with the lower ppm. Everybody seems to have their own ph, I let mine range between ph5.8 and 6.3.Will look out for your post Medman.........G,Day Fatneil,yes, I read the same thing but as you can see i now have a problem. Personally speaking i think ph is very important, i like to know what is going on in my grow medium,so that my next grow i will work harder at doing a better job.Anyway,thanks for your interest Fatneil.

 

[FatNeil]

Probably good to know. Just didn't think it really mattered in coco when you are phing the water going in

 

[mulga bill]

G,Day,Fatneil, I hear you, One of the problems i am finding when i have been reading different grow sites is there are so many different opinions on the same subject. Have you had a look at, GrowWeedEasy.com ?

 

[FatNeil]

G,Day,Fatneil, I hear you, One of the problems i am finding when i have been reading different grow sites is there are so many different opinions on the same subject. Have you had a look at, GrowWeedEasy.com ?

Yeah, I've read a lot from that site. Found it so helpful cuz I knew absolutely nothing when I started.

 

[gr865]

This is just an off the cuff statement but, in most cases new growers in Hempy buckets tend to water too often, I know I was one of them, till I left hempys. That being the case we water, Ahh, the nutes settle out, we water again because the coco seems dry, nutes settle out, so on and so forth. So when they check they the ppm/pH it's oh my god.
You have to establish an excellent root zone in hempys, like any grow in coco, for the plant to take up what was being left in the bottom of the bucket It's not going to suck it off the bottom, but until the roots reach the bottom of the rez to absorb what is in the rez it will settle out.
I don't do hempys anymore but in my coco smartpots I flush on a regular basis, needed or not, and my plants are doing fine.
It is all a matter of root mass, more roots, more yield.
Just an observation!
GR

 

[mulga bill]

G,Day, Medman47, How is your grow going? did you get the problem sorted ? My runoff ph is still through the floor but the White Widow is well into flowering now.It`s not the best plant you have ever seen,the buds are filling out well and the aroma coming from the grow room is absolutely beautiful and yet my ph runoff is still around ph4.0 go figure. So let us know how your doing Medman47....

 

[medman47]

G,Day to you mulga bill, lowering the ppm for 7 days did seem to lower the ppm in the runoff, but alas; seemingly out of nowhere my garden became inflicted with a horrible case of "Thrips". These creepy little bugs (when seen through a microscope) look like prehistoric monsters so I've spent the last week in an all out war against them. I have a 50 plant garden so spraying the underside of all the leaves was a major undertaking. I wound up using Pyrethrin finding it to be more effective than spinosad fingers crossed I think they are all dead. After 3 years this is my first time having to deal with bugs and hopefully my last.

 

[mulga bill]

G,Day, Medman47. Mate, i really feel for you,i have only ever had spider mites once,they also look pretty nasty under magnification,it`s the time of the year here for spider mites at the moment,i am yet to see any in my grow room. I had some of those gnats( little black flies) in my pots during my last grow ( some time ago now) luckily they hit right at the end of my grow, so did not do much damage. Of course we also get Thrips here,but am yet to have a problem with them. Very soon i will be making a "Bug" filter for my Air intake, (the air for my grow room comes in from under the house) that should help keep most of the Bugs out.Anyway,i hope you have got on top of them, Good luck....