pH and Soil - What's going on

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

I have a pH problem I can't seem to get under control, and the seedlings I have seem to be showing it.

Here is the soil I am using:

hxxp://www.cilproducts.ca/products/product_e.php?prodID=29&category=8

Seems to be ok, hey? No nutes, soil, moss, and perlite, I would think this would be ok? Yet, the runoff from the pots is pH7.2... I have flushed with 5.4 pH'ed water, and it's still above 7. I need some advice here please

andy52 · Nov 20, 2008

how old are the plants and have you fed them yet?pics would be nice also

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

Here are pics from a while ago:

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showpost.php?p=354433&postcount=28

To be honest they have grown very little from that date, and the first true set of leaves have yellowed, dried, and fallen off. I haven't given them any nutes yet.

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

So I think I can rule out lighting, I have used the same as my previous grow and that one did fine:

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showpost.php?p=211655&postcount=36

The things that have changed this time:

1) I used tap water for my previous grow. This grow I am using RO water that is pH 6.3.
2) I used the soil mix noted above, where last time I used just the bag of soil that came with one of those Armaryllis kits. But is has peat moss in it, which makes me think this should have lowered the pH of the soil.
EDIT 3) Apollo 11 seeds, possibly more pH sensitive strain?

Alistair · Nov 20, 2008

Well THCPez, I'm assuming that you're measuring the pH of the runoff from your soil when you water. A pH of 7 or a little higher even, isn't all that bad. There might be something in the soil that's buffering the pH and maintaining it around 7.

I took a look at the pics you posted the other day and it seems to me that your lights aren't close enough to the sprouts. Those lights don't look all that hot, so you should be able to move those lights to about 6 inches or less from the tops of your seedlings.

Also, make sure that you have proper drainage for the seedlings, and don't over-water them.

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

And I read Hippy's sticky, and have a few questions. This is the first time I have had to worry about pH and it seems to hate me

1) What pH should I be watering with to counteract any pH level discrepancy in the soil? Is there a ratio?

2) What is the best procedure for measuring the runoff, and is it the runoff that I should be keeping between 6.3 - 6.8 (based on the charts posted here)

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

Alistair Young said:
Well THCPez, I'm assuming that you're measuring the pH of the runoff from your soil when you water. A pH of 7 or a little higher even, isn't all that bad. There might be something in the soil that's buffering the pH and maintaining it around 7.

I took a look at the pics you posted the other day and it seems to me that your lights aren't close enough to the sprouts. Those lights don't look all that hot, so you should be able to move those lights to about 6 inches or less from the tops of your seedlings.

Also, make sure that you have proper drainage for the seedlings, and don't over-water them.

Despite how it looks from the perspective of the photo, the plants were 3" from the CFL's, just below where I could feel the heat on the back of my hand. I have been letting them dry out between waterings, and the pot is well drained. From what I have read in the stickys, 7.2 is getting into nute lockout range?

JBonez · Nov 20, 2008

Yo pez, i never measure my runoff, i just make sure that when feeding or watering, to make sure the ph is 6.3. I am using foxfarm OF tho, so my medium is slightly different than yours.

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

Thanks JBonez. Yeah, it has to be the soil, I'm just a bit bumed because it SHOULDN'T be, LOL. I can't get foxfarm here in Canada, not locally anyway. I'll have to try something else because it is definitely causing a problem.

gettinggray1964 · Nov 20, 2008

have you tried flushing ????????

gettinggray1964 · Nov 20, 2008

i always flush my soil a couple of days before i plant in it......

andy52 · Nov 20, 2008

i would not worry too much about the runoff,being where its at.i agree its probably the soil itself.i would just adjust my ph'd water&nutes to a little lower than average.6.3 say

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

gettinggray1964 said:
have you tried flushing ????????

Yes, what pH water do you flush with? I did with 5.4 water to try and bring the overall soil pH down, didn't work.

THCPezDispenser · Nov 20, 2008

andy52 said:
i would not worry too much about the runoff,being where its at.i agree its probably the soil itself.i would just adjust my ph'd water&nutes to a little lower than average.6.3 say

Thanks, I'll do that. I have settled that I am going to start over with some new beans, I think I have abused these ones quite enough.

gettinggray1964 · Nov 20, 2008

i flush at 6.7.... 6.3-6.8 is good for soil.. if you can get some dolimite lime about one-fourth teaspoon or less spread on top of soil and water it in.... i have heard of people doing this with success... have never had to do it my self...

WeedHopper · Nov 20, 2008

Could it possibly be getting root bound? Not enough soil maybe? Sorry I have only seen one of your pictures.

pH and Soil - What's going on

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