Planning my first grow

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for basic advice on starting my first grow. I’ll have a million questions for you all to enjoy, take the mick out of and hopefully answer but for now I’ll keep it simple.

I’m going to be growing in soil under led’s, I’ve read somewhere that I don’t have to PH my water and that the soil will do it. Is that true ?

Next question is, is there a natural/organic way of giving the plants nutrients rather than buying bottled.

I’m growing for quality not quantity.

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for basic advice on starting my first grow. I’ll have a million questions for you all to enjoy, take the mick out of and hopefully answer but for now I’ll keep it simple.

I’m going to be growing in soil under led’s, I’ve read somewhere that I don’t have to PH my water and that the soil will do it. Is that true ?

Next question is, is there a natural/organic way of giving the plants nutrients rather than buying bottled.

I’m growing for quality not quantity.

Welcome and good luck with growing. Ph is a must anytime you grow. Don't buy a cheap pen either they don't last a month.
A lot of us are running megacrop nutes they are a dry powder derived from organic compounds.

 

[Lordhonkyconcord]

Thanks for the welcome and reply.

To ph the water would I use ph up/down ? Or is tap water ok ?

 

[Dichoti]

Thanks for the welcome and reply.

To ph the water would I use ph up/down ? Or is tap water ok ?

Tap water is fine. A lot of people that use it will let it set out for 24 hours to dechlorinate (let the chlorine "gas off") before using it.
I disgree with the cheap ph pen statement, though. I use the $15 ones from amazon, And they'll last until I drop them too many times, or into the mix jug.
Which LEDs are you planning on picking up?
Pick up some cal-mag, if you're using LEDs, too, fyi.

 

[Dichoti]

You'll need both ph up and down, too. When you start using it, Only start with small amounts (couple drops at a time) until you see how it works with your water.

 

[Lordhonkyconcord]

You'll need both ph up and down, too. When you start using it, Only start with small amounts (couple drops at a time) until you see how it works with your water.

Thanks for replying.

I’ve already got led’s. They are Viparspectra r300. I’m confused with why I should be using ph up/down because you’ve said that tap water is ok.

Forgive me if I’m coming across as dumb, it’s because I am !

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

You'll need both ph up and down, too. When you start using it, Only start with small amounts (couple drops at a time) until you see how it works with your water.

I was told if you mix both it's a bad thing. I only have ph down and if i go to low I just cut it with water to get back right.

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

He means tap is a ok for source of water but you still need to ph water

 

[Lordhonkyconcord]

Oh ok, my fault. Thank you

 

[Dichoti]

Thanks for replying.

I’ve already got led’s. They are Viparspectra r300. I’m confused with why I should be using ph up/down because you’ve said that tap water is ok.

Forgive me if I’m coming across as dumb, it’s because I am !

You're good. We were all "dumb" at one point in our first grows.
Most tap water doesn't come out at a perfect ph for growing. Certain things in it have an effect on the ph, Like iron, lime, chlorine, flourine, etc etc
My tap water usually sits at 7.45 with a ppm of 330.
Your nutrients/additives will tweak your ph.
Megacrop (what I use) usually drops it to around 6.5-6.8. I grow in coco coir, So I drop my ph to 5.8-6... If I remember right, @Taipan did a test grow with un-ph'd tap water.

Which type of soil are you planning on using? In most (not all, but most) You'll still need Some form of nutrients after a little while, Because, unless you're growing in the ground, Your plants will "eat" everything they want from the soil.

I was told if you mix both it's a bad thing. I only have ph down and if i go to low I just cut it with water to get back right.

That's usually what I do.