Sweet Seeds Terra's Cream Mandarine XL Auto grow

[Yozhik]

I have a very similar shitty tap water situation.

Tap water here is pH ~ 8.0 [+/-0.3] with an EC of 0.4.
I also use AN pH Perfect product range, and also use soil in Airpots.

I am anal when it comes to pH ... I learnt that lesson when growing photoperiods outside!!

With the 'hard' water and high pH from the tap, I find the AN product corrects the pH to around 6.7-6.8.
For me, that's a case of "close, but no cigar".
To bring it to the ~6.5 that I want - religously - I use the Canna pH down.
They have a Grow pH down [nitric acid] as well as a Bloom pH down [phosphoric acid].

 

[Yozhik]

I started adjusting the pH of my water today. Hopefully things swing round this way.

From my very limited experience, adjusting the pH will make a WORLD of difference.
It won't happen overnight, but they respond fairly quickly.
So in answer to your earlier question: "should I use pH down after preparing the nutes?"
Simple answer: ... "I do, EVERY time."

The other secret ingredient I have in my First Aid Kit is Advanced Nutrients Revive.

Don't ask me how it works, or why it works ... all I know is, it just does.
When I fucked up my outdoor plants with [surprise, surprise] a pH issue, Revive and a pH correction brought them back to health miraculously.

 

[Terra Firma]

I have a very similar shitty tap water situation.

Tap water here is pH ~ 8.0 [+/-0.3] with an EC of 0.4.
I also use AN pH Perfect product range, and also use soil in Airpots.

I am anal when it comes to pH ... I learnt that lesson when growing photoperiods outside!!

With the 'hard' water and high pH from the tap, I find the AN product corrects the pH to around 6.7-6.8.
For me, that's a case of "close, but no cigar".
To bring it to the ~6.5 that I want - religously - I use the Canna pH down.
They have a Grow pH down [nitric acid] as well as a Bloom pH down [phosphoric acid].

It does suck to have shitty water (for plants at least). Good to know I'm not the only one

By the sound of it I really need to invest in a proper pH meter and some good pH down.

 

[Yozhik]

It does suck to have shitty water (for plants at least). Good to know I'm not the only one

By the sound of it I really need to invest in a proper pH meter and some good pH down.

A good pH meter is - IMHO - the most valuable and vital piece of equipment you can have.
Get the pH wrong - the plant dies.
Get the pH correct - the plant lives.
Simple.

Once you have your water/feeding dialled in, with a correct and CONSISTENT pH ... you're laughing.
Get it in the sweetspot, and prevent any lockout, and then it's just a matter of tweaking, and adjusting for anything the soil or the lighting might throw at you - like CalMag for LEDs ... but at least you know WHAT you're fighting once you've built a solid foundation.

 

[Terra Firma]

A good pH meter is - IMHO - the most valuable and vital piece of equipment you can have.
Get the pH wrong - the plant dies.
Get the pH correct - the plant lives.
Simple.

Once you have your water/feeding dialled in, with a correct and CONSISTENT pH ... you're laughing.
Get it in the sweetspot, and prevent any lockout, and then it's just a matter of tweaking, and adjusting for anything the soil or the lighting might throw at you - like CalMag for LEDs ... but at least you know WHAT you're fighting once you've built a solid foundation.

Very true. The plants on my balcony thrive without ever checking pH because I'm growing them organically. However, indoor growing with mineral nutrients is relatively new to me, but I'll get it under control soon.

Any recommendations for a good (not too expensive) pH meter?

 

[Yozhik]

Any recommendations for a good (not too expensive) pH meter?

Your profile says you're in the EU, so this might be a starting point. [links to external site]
I don't know your budget.

All I can tell you is I bought 'budget' and started off with an ADWA pH meter.
When that no longer worked and couldn't be calibrated, I bit the bullet and went for a BlueLab.
Never regretted the BlueLab investment.

Hanna is another brand I've seen mentioned often.

 

[Terra Firma]

Day 70 in mandarine country. The buds are slowly but steadily gaining weight, and the smell very nice. I'm taking down my Think Different tomorrow so that I can focus both LED's on the Cream Mandarines. Hopefully that will speed up the fattening. The one plant under the T5 light is a bit behind the others, but doing really well too.

 

[Terra Firma]

 

[Terra Firma]

 

[Sweet Seeds Jay]

Harvest is coming and I'm pretty sure you'll get a very good production
Thanks for sharing and good luck with the rest of it!
Sweet smokes
J.