What is pH?

KingJohnC said:
Both the input waters pH and the runoff waters pH are important to understand what is happening in the soil. Either pour soil or soil that has salt buildup with test as a low pH and require flushing with at least twice the volume of pH adjusted water as pot size or until the input pH is the same as the runoff pH. You can not calibrate the 3 in one tester with 3 prongs, it is meant to use in soil that has been watered. Sodium Bicarbonate or baking soda has too high of sodium to be used for plants.
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How can you naturally lower your PH with household items? I've hear baking soda is bad... HELP!
:helpsmilie::helpsmilie::helpsmilie::helpsmilie:
 
Hi, I'm going to be growing organically using compost from the bin in my garden, the PH is fine right now but how do I know if it is too rich or weak in NPK before I start. The last thing I wanna do is burn them out before they even start. I'm currently brewing nettle tea and seaweed tea to feed them, amongst other things. Thanks.
 
I tested bottled water and read 6.0 My well tested 7.6 in florida . I finally got it to 7.0 with chemicals. Is this the proper ph to water my soil? 1st time grower
 
You want pH 5.8 for hydroponic and soiless (peat moss and coco coir) and pH 6.5 for soil.

Here is a nutrient availability chart

pH_chart7.jpg



Here is a cannabis leaf deficiency chart

cannabis_leaf-deficiencies31.jpg



here is the Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver and the Plant Abuse Chart

Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver - Pictorial

Plant Abuse Chart
 
Hey! Am hoping someone can help me, am into 2-3 weeks veg and ladies are looking good! Growing in fertilised 6.5ph soil so im only feeding water but also adding a small amount of rhizotonic (10ml in 5 litre water, ehich is half strength) My tap water comes out 7.7ph which is okish but iv been using evian water lately which is 7.2ph. The rhizotonic raises it to 7.5 so I use 2-3 drops of ph down and it goes to 6.5. Now here is the question. I prepared some water to feed in the morning. Did my adjudting, then put the evian water back into the empty bottle at 6.5ph and stored in a dark cool cupboard. In.the morning before I fed them I checked the ph and it was 7.3ph. I dont understand why it rose again can anyone explain this? I readjusted it to 6.5 before I gave it to the plants. Any help would be greatly appreciated
 
KingJohnC said:
What you have observed is the calcium and other minerals in the water buffer the pH of the acid. This is normal for all sources of water with calcium.
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Ah ok thanks for the quick response! So guessing I just keep checking my prepared water before I add to plants and always adjust the ph back to 6.5 if needed?
 
Could somebody please help me?

It has been over a decade since I have used soil and now I remember why. About a month ago I planted Larry OG and Inner Chi plants that were already about a foot high into 3 gallon pots using Fox Farms Ocean Forest indoors under a 400 watt metal halide. Although I have seen growth it has not been as expected. Of course I have good air flow and lamp distance is about a foot above the canopy so I am left to think that water is the issue. So far I have only used tap water and I should have known better because in Nevada the water is horrible. It reeks of chlorine and leaves your skin extremely dry after taking showers so of course I will be switching to filtered water. I did check the ph in the water that I would only add Superthrive to and it would read 6.0. Knowing that the soil alone is sufficient enough to sustain growth for at least a couple of months I did not add any nutes until last week using Advanced Nutrients thinking that maybe it was time but I did not witness any of the new growth that comes after a good feeding so here I am. I purchased a Sunleaves soil digital ph meter and it reads 6.5 which I know is way too high.

1. Does anybody have any experience with this type of ph meter. It does not seem to give an exact reading and only gives off a measurement in .5 increments.

2. Does anybody know what the right ph is for these strands. I have heard that 5.6 is optimal but that does not seem to be the consensus from reading other post on this forum.

3. My biggest question is how do I adjust the ph? After talking to the guys at the local hydro shop it was suggested that I first, take the measurement of the soil. Second, in a separate gallon using filtered water add ph up or down to the level I want then water but that does not sound right given that over watering could occur before I get to the level I want in the soil. I have read that adding lime is the trick but I simply just do not know how to do that.

Somebody in the bud community please help me!
 
It is the nutrient solution you want to pH adjust before watering your plants. You want pH 5.8 for hydroponic and soiless (peat moss and coco coir) and pH 6.5 for soil.

Here is a nutrient availability chart

pH_chart7.jpg



Here is a cannabis leaf deficiency chart

cannabis_leaf-deficiencies31.jpg



here is the Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver and the Plant Abuse Chart

Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver: Pictorial

Plant Abuse Chart
 
A soiless mixture does not have the same natural pH of the medium as a good soils at pH 6.5. While soiless medium that is peat moss can be used in a range from pH 5.8- pH 6.5 I have found that my cannabis plants prefer my soiless mixture adjusted to pH 5.8.
 
Essentially, pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution and is in effect a representation of electrical potential at the atomic level. pH is very important because it affects the uptake of plant nutrients. You can feed the crap out of a plant, but if the pH is off, it may uptake very little. This is kinda like giving your plant bullemia.
 
Ray Gunn said:
Sorry for the multipost but I also have some ph up from a fresh water testing kit that I had from when I had a fish tank going. Will this work in soil with cannabis?
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I use the method of simply adjusting my water/nute pH to 6.0. I have never had to specifically adjust soil pH, when using potting soil. Eventually, in time, watering with the pH adjusted water should get your soil pH around where it should be. This obviously only works in a closed system (indoors) and not outdoors.
Distilled water is not good to use with soil because it has zero pH buffering ability! Keep in mind, every time you water, it is dissolving mineral salts from the soil and and changing the pH in the water. The fewer dissolved salts already in the water, the worse the problem.
My local water has a pH of around 9.1, with TDS of over 1000ppm. I mix it close to half and half with filtered water, shooting for around 500ppm max TDS. Believe it or not, plants do need the calcium. Just make sure you let it stand to get the chlorine out. You can find out what's in your water by going to your water company website.
Yes, the pH test/adjust kit will work for this method.
 
finkelroy said:
Essentially, pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution and is in effect a representation of electrical potential at the atomic level. pH is very important because it affects the uptake of plant nutrients. You can feed the crap out of a plant, but if the pH is off, it may uptake very little. This is kinda like giving your plant bullemia.
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So adjusting the PH to the proper level is like giving your plant a dose of its own medicine...:rollit:
 
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