Run Off Measurements

[OlderStoner]

I've recently taken some clones from plants and was curious about something. The clones went into Grodan grow blocks and sat in my plastic clone dome under 24/7 fluoros for about 10 days. When I saw the roots I transplanted them into pots with FF Ocean Forest potting soil. As per the advice and instructions I put absolutely nothing but clean 6.5 ph water into the pot. The clones took off like mad. Within a few weeks that were towering and the fan leaves are as big as my hand. So obviously the nutes needed by the plants are well supplied in this potting soil mix.

Okay, so I started taking measurements of the run off water from these and it's coming out around 6.5 ph but the ppm is in excess of 1500. One if them was OR or off range when I used my ppm pen to measure it. All the clones are healthy and as per the directions on the bags I'm not giving them any nutes until after 30 days. I should add that this reading was taken with a brand new pot...the potting soil was just out of the bag a few minutes before I took the reading. I'd have to check the others which are about a month along now.

So is this typical that the ppm reading should be in this range. It's obviously higher than what is recommended for young plants. And that begs the next question. Is a clone considered a young plant if it was cloned from a plant that is already 60 days old. And is a clone of a clone of a clone, etc... I'm finding the cloning process to be very easy to do and it's amazing to think that starting with just 7 seeds I now have 21 plants.

 

[tokersmokeg]

seems like a high ppm but checmical nutes can burn easily, these organic nutes in the soil break down over time.i love fox farm soils but damn are they expensive.at least you know what you are paying for.if its working i wouldnt worry about it.i have put seedlings in ocean forest without burning but some others say they got burnt. I usually buy an extra bag and top dress the soil in flowering!!

 

[Gadfly]

Monitoring ppm for soil is a waste of time--that's more hydro related. I wouldn't waste time checking the runoff water either if you're using FF soil and adjusting ph before you water.

A fresh cutting is like a new plant with old hormones. But yes, we need them to develop a healthy root system just like a seedling. Treat them like babies and they'll take care of you when they mature.

 

[tokersmokeg]

he souldnt adjust the ph of the water either!!!!!

 

[OlderStoner]

he souldnt adjust the ph of the water either!!!!!

OK, now that flies in the face of everything I've been reading on the subject. The water which comes out of the taps in my home is +8 and sometimes +9 ph. And you're saying I shouldn't lower this water's ph level before using it?

 

[tokersmokeg]

9 ph sounds a bit high the soil has lime in it which stabilizes the ph. ph up and down are chemical salts!!If you are in soil or promix lime should be added in before grow.that ph up down stuff is for hydroponics! although i must say if youve been doing it and its working keep it up. its aggravating for me so im glad i dont have to do it!! my well water comes out a 5 ph and after adding nutes drops even lower,after pouring it on the plant the runoff will be 6.5!! so you see if i phd the water to say 7 it would drain back out 6.5 or somewhere close anyway.Soil is great!!

 

[Gadfly]

OK, now that flies in the face of everything I've been reading on the subject. The water which comes out of the taps in my home is +8 and sometimes +9 ph. And you're saying I shouldn't lower this water's ph level before using it?

Some of what he says is true and some is incoherent babble that doesn't even address your questions. Beware.

ChristianKungFu - pH

If you're still in doubt, keep reading and do. Never take one persons answer as scripture--my answer or others.

 

[OlderStoner]

With all due respect to tokesmokeg I think that checking ph is a necessary thing with soil. I have a very beautiful female White Widow that's about 3 weeks from harvest. Now it could be an extremely beautiful plant but it suffered from iron and sulfur deficiency due to the ph being well above 7.0. Most of the run off I saw was 7.6 and once it was 7.8. The plant did just fine and I had plenty of nutes in it when something went terribly wrong and the leaves yellowed. It's got some nice buds on it but I don't hold out too much hope that it will be worth all the effort I put into it other than learning all about ph and ppm.

And yes, it's a fact that one person will tell you something that is 180° from what someone else tells you. It's live and learn and what works for one person may not work for another...strain, etc...

 

[Inthewind]

I kind of wanted to chime in here too. I'm using a 60/30/10 of FFOF/FF Happy Frog and perlite and my first water after the transplant gave me a runoff of 4.6 on an Oakton PH2 meter. Definitely had some major slow growth and potentially some other issues as a result of a PH that low. I'm kinda still waiting on some opinions on my first thread about it and hopefully the dolomite lime that I scratched/watered in hooks them up. So, to say you're wasting your time checking runoff...I'll keep checking mine thank you. ::

 

[tokersmokeg]

if you amended the soil with lime it wouldnt have happend. the ph adjustment liquid is for hydropnics. whatever floats your boat ive run several grows without it and have never had a problem.The hydro guy i go to proved it with run off measurement no matter what you ph the water after going through soil with lime it will run off close to 7!!If it makes you feel better to adjust go ahead, im not preaching it just sharing my opinion. the ph up ph down is for HYDROPONICS. fact!!!!!!