S
Stunned Blunt
Guest
Hey guys, just a quick question for ya. The ph is to high in my pots. Tried amending the soil with coffee, didnt seem to do too much. Im using sunshine mix. Anybody got any ideas?
W
whatsgoodie
Guest
What's "too high" and how are you testing it? How did you come to the conclusion?
How old are the plants? What size pot are they in? What's your source of water?
Just trying to help, if you could answer these quickies I'll be as informative as possible!
How old are the plants? What size pot are they in? What's your source of water?
Just trying to help, if you could answer these quickies I'll be as informative as possible!
S
Stunned Blunt
Guest
Too high is 7.5 or higher. Plants are white russian auto, seedlings. 2 gallon pots, and im using good ol tapwater. The ph in the tapwater is high, like 6.7, so i've been pushing it down to 5.8 with organic ph down. Also, i just checked the ph in the test-pot, and coffee seems to have worked alright acutally. Its wierd, the soil was reading at 7.5. An hour and a half later, its more like 6.5-6.7. Im using a regular ph/moisture tester in moistened soil.
Damdest thing, i been using promix.sunshine mix for years, but the last few seasons i've had a hell of a time finding a bale with a ph lower than 7.3ish.
Damdest thing, i been using promix.sunshine mix for years, but the last few seasons i've had a hell of a time finding a bale with a ph lower than 7.3ish.
S
Stunned Blunt
Guest
Also the coffee seemed to bung up the soil. Looks like im gonna have to find something to boost the drainage.
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as far as bringing it down lime will help the fastest and so does baking soda.
i use the soda in my teas and the line in the actual soil (actually i use "slag")
to keep the soil in check, it has lime and other micro nutes in it
i use the soda in my teas and the line in the actual soil (actually i use "slag")
to keep the soil in check, it has lime and other micro nutes in it
S
Stunned Blunt
Guest
Tell me more about this slag stuff. What is it? how hard is it to find?
W
whatsgoodie
Guest
Sunshine Mix? #4 has the lime in it to control the PH of the soil.. it'd be very very hard to maintain a PH above 7.2 with something that has lime amended to it... how are the plants LOOKING? As well, how are you testing the soil PH? I'm sure you are, but for safety sake I always ask...
Are you letting the tap water sit for 24 hours?
I agree 7.5+ is far too alkaline, but it just seems so high for some reason... you seem to have grown in the past.. the best way is if they're still looking good is to use the dolomite lime to top-coat the soil and water it... takes 2.5-3 weeks to adjust the PH. I'd water with 6.0 still.. you may cause the autos some shock as they're constantly working hard to hurry the season. In 2 gallon pots, I'd put 4 tbsp around the top-coat of the soil and water with 6.0. The lime will kick in, don't use fast release lime!!
Are you letting the tap water sit for 24 hours?
I agree 7.5+ is far too alkaline, but it just seems so high for some reason... you seem to have grown in the past.. the best way is if they're still looking good is to use the dolomite lime to top-coat the soil and water it... takes 2.5-3 weeks to adjust the PH. I'd water with 6.0 still.. you may cause the autos some shock as they're constantly working hard to hurry the season. In 2 gallon pots, I'd put 4 tbsp around the top-coat of the soil and water with 6.0. The lime will kick in, don't use fast release lime!!
C
C.E
Guest
Try Vitamin C 
It helps eat up any remaining chlorine and pesky chloramine which is harder to evaporate.
Furthermore, it is way more stable and does not break up as fast as organic acids (lime juice).
Pop a few tablets (2-3?) into a 500ml water bottle and use it as a pH- bottle. Keep it in a cool and dark place like a fridge.
It is preferable to get pure vitamin-c tablets if you can find them, and if not, get the human consumption tablets.I have read that the ones made from rose hops are not good to use as pH-.
There are also vitamin-c tablets used for water treatment which are the best to use.
I assume you are using a soil ph meter ?
ps: Dolomite lime raises pH, as it reacts with and neutralizes acids.
ps2: You are getting fluctuations probably because the organic acids are breaking up. Big fluctuations in pH are just as harmful as a wrong pH.
Goodluck !
It helps eat up any remaining chlorine and pesky chloramine which is harder to evaporate.
Furthermore, it is way more stable and does not break up as fast as organic acids (lime juice).
Pop a few tablets (2-3?) into a 500ml water bottle and use it as a pH- bottle. Keep it in a cool and dark place like a fridge.
It is preferable to get pure vitamin-c tablets if you can find them, and if not, get the human consumption tablets.I have read that the ones made from rose hops are not good to use as pH-.
There are also vitamin-c tablets used for water treatment which are the best to use.
I assume you are using a soil ph meter ?
ps: Dolomite lime raises pH, as it reacts with and neutralizes acids.
ps2: You are getting fluctuations probably because the organic acids are breaking up. Big fluctuations in pH are just as harmful as a wrong pH.
Goodluck !
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good point CE, and something else i was thinking.
I wonder if there is a good deal of peat in the soil mix or is it peatless?
if he is getting acid break down i bet its related to the peat (if any in the soil) This is the main reason i stopped
using it. As it begins to break down, in my experience, it forces the medium to be acidic.
C
C.E
Guest
Yep, peat moss pretty much sucks for cannabis as it is quite unstable and keeps decomposing and releasing acids.
You can make a homemade inline ph- adjuster by putting peat inside a bottle and running water through it.
Lime will stabilize the medium and it combats the acids released by decomposition by neutralizing them into salts
ps: Some peats are made from coco, and some from wood bark. They are great. I was only talking about peat moss which is the most common.
You can make a homemade inline ph- adjuster by putting peat inside a bottle and running water through it.
Lime will stabilize the medium and it combats the acids released by decomposition by neutralizing them into salts
ps: Some peats are made from coco, and some from wood bark. They are great. I was only talking about peat moss which is the most common.
