All about PH Levels

[PsyCLown]

Hey all,

 

So my equipment is slowly starting to arrive for my first grow and I'm still left with a few questions I'd like to get sorted before I start to try have a fantastic first grow!

 

PH Level seems quite important, so hopefully my questions in this thread and the answers I get can assist other members too.

 

I have a cheap pH pen which can be adjusted with a screw driver and comes with some oh buffer solutions. 4.00ph and 6.81ph (I think).

 

Now I'll be using Freedom Farms Classic Organic soil which seems to be really good for cannabis from what I've read. On the packet it states its recommended to use a water with a pH level of around 5.1 which seems quite low?

I assume its due to what's already in the soil and it will then sort itself out? I tested some tap water yesterday and it was 7.8 which is quite a bit higher - although I have yet to calibrate the pH pen, so once calibrated that may change.

I also plan on using Bio Bizz nutrients and read that the Freedom Farms soil should be good for 2-3 weeks of growth?

 

1.Should I be using some pH down to bring the pH of my water down to around 5.1 before watering or what's the best practice in this regard?

 

2. Once I start using the biobizz nutrients, I assume the pH of the soil will change too. What sort of pH would I want my feeding mix (so water and nutrients combined) to be?

 

3. How important is it to test run off water and what do you want to try aim for regarding the pH level of the run off water?

I believe this may change depending on the type of soil you use as a living soil may change over time or help buffer the pH?

 

 

4. I also got a chinese TDS & EC pen, it tells temp, ppm and us/cm. I read somewhere that it can be useful when feeding to help measure the strength of the nutrients.

How would one use such a device, is it really needed?

 

5. Would you want different pH levels in different stages of the plants cycle / growth? Like during germination, seedling, veg and flower?

 

Thanks,

Psy

 

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[CG420za]

Yo man, when you add the biobizz nutes to your water it'll level at about 5.3/5.4

Also, you're doing an organic grow, pH shouldn't be a worry. The microbes in the soil will buffer the pH.

Do some reading on AACT and how to inoculate your soil. You'll never have a pH problem

[PsyCLown]

4 minutes ago, CG420za said:

Yo man, when you add the biobizz nutes to your water it'll level at about 5.3/5.4

Also, you're doing an organic grow, pH shouldn't be a worry. The microbes in the soil will buffer the pH.

Do some reading on AACT and how to inoculate your soil. You'll never have a pH problem

Ok, so with organic / living soil (same thing, right?) the microbes in the soil will buffer the water pH so it is not as much of a concern with higher or lower pH levels?

If the BioBizz lowers the pH that is great for when I start using the nutrients although in the first 2 - 3 weeks when it is just tap water, will the microbes just buffer the pH and therefore nothing I need to really worry about or even monitor?

 

Will look into AACT, Activated Aerated Compost Tea? This is something I would make and add to the soil with a feed or alternate between the AACT and BioBizz nutrients?
Should I use AACT during the first 3 weeks, so from seedling phase when you'd normally use just tap water, replace it with some AACT?

[Dank]

AACT, Activated Aerated Compost Tea? This is correct, the tea basically helps to seed your soil mix with beneficial microbial life, depending on which mix you make. You could use natural PH up or PH down (lemonjuice or bicarb of soda) to adjust the PH if you would like to just feed plain tap water at the start.

You could seed your soil with AACT before you plant your seedlings, as well as when they are seedlings. Like most things, just keep it simple and it should be fine.

I don't have any experience FF soil so its most likely best to follow the advice from members that have used this medium before.

 

[Bos]

Hi@Psyclown
I'm growing organic outdoors got a number
of plants at various stages.
Water, Seagrow, AACT- alternating.

I wouldn't mix nutes and tea's, keep it simple and separate.


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[Oolong83]

What ph level should your nutrient mixed water be? I tested mine earlier and it was 8.5ph which i assume is way too high?

[Dr. Green]

I'm not saying what I'm doing is the best but I use ff soil with biobizz. I always feed at 6.2/6.3 

[Trailblazer420]

I feed at 6.5 exactly. Yes, 8.5 is too high

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[CG420za]

Shit, I never use pH up in my stuff and my mix always settles around 5.5... Maybe this is why I run into issues in mid/end flower?

[Dr. Green]

3 hours ago, CG420za said:

Shit, I never use pH up in my stuff and my mix always settles around 5.5... Maybe this is why I run into issues in mid/end flower?

I use to also not measure pH and got issue late in flower since I do indoor i started using a pen and it's been much better 

[Pat999]

I've also been there, didn't measure pH at all didn't keep my pH pen up to scratch. Didn't work out that well for me, keep the pen calibrated and get it in the right pH range. I go in at 5.3-5.8 and also in FF soil, I mix up my nutes in the batch and then pH it.

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[greenkush]

I go in around 5.6-6.0, FF soil as well, if pure coco I go in at 5.5-5.8

[CG420za]

I'll defs look into it with the chocolope grow. My plants never seem to have an issue until mid/late flower. Maybe its compounded after time??