Nutrients What is your best advice for fixing the low ph on soil?

[vincenoir]

Hello! My girls was in trouble for some time. I bought and ph measurement device and I realized after I add liquid fertilizers to water mix, watering value dropping to almost 5.10. I immediately started to use sodium bicarbonate for higher the value. Do you think should I continue to use this mix? I also read that potassium carbonate can be use too and maybe more reliable about correcting.

Also I got some new babies too, I read some articles that adding dolomite lime to the soil will fix the ph problem. What is your experiences? How much should I add to my 20 liter Biobizz light mix pots?

 

[Proph]

Soil ph and water ph are totally different. You're not talking about soil ph.. You're talking about water ph. No matter what you use to raise the water ph, it's not going to hold for long. Dolomite lime used to alter the soil ph.. Not the water ph.

 

[vincenoir]

Soil ph and water ph are totally different. You're not talking about soil ph.. You're talking about water ph. No matter what you use to raise the water ph, it's not going to hold for long. Dolomite lime used to alter the soil ph.. Not the water ph.

I definitely understand those are not the same. And I understand the lime is neutralizing the soil ph, not lowering or uppering. My soil looks very inorganic and lifeless. What are your reccommendations? My yields are exteremely low, plants are not growing enough on veg. stage. I just can get from a well known auto genetic just 10 gr? Something wrong and I think its about the soil.:/

 

[BII]

As noted, soil pH is not involved here. You have no real measurements of (and it's hard to accurately measure) soil pH, and thus no basis to try to fix it. So I (a definite non-expert) suggest:
a) Fix/adjust your feed pH
b) If not already, like I think BioBizz suggests, feed 15%-20% drain-to-waste, at least a few or sometimes; and
c) Hope/presume like other soil growers that your living/healthy (and here also buffered by the manufacturer) soil takes care of buffering, maintaining suitable pH.

You don't describe anything at all about the plants, report no problems showing up (although they could show up soon enough). So even if you've been feeding at pH of 5.1, the buffering treatment done to BioBizz Light may have worked, done its job, and prevented problems so far.

I am currently using BioBizz Light too. I'd never consider adding dolomite, unless I actually knew it was needed, how much to add and what it would do. Since I (and you) know none of this, I'd work to adjust/fix any problems with the plants that do show up, not mess blindly with the soil and very likely cause serious problems.

 

[Proph]

I definitely understand those are not the same. And I understand the lime is neutralizing the soil ph, not lowering or uppering. My soil looks very inorganic and lifeless. What are your reccommendations? My yields are exteremely low, plants are not growing enough on veg. stage. I just can get from a well known auto genetic just 10 gr? Something wrong and I think its about the soil.:/

That is not correct.. Dolomite lime does not neutralize the soil ph. It raises it.. Biobizz is not inorganic. It has all kinds of organic matter in it. You say you understand, but you didn't know that you need to adjust the ph after mixing feeds. I guarantee the nutrient bottle or packaging tells you to ph it after mixing. The sodium bicarbonate isn't stable. It will raise the ph temporarily. You can check the ph right after mixing and can be in range.. Let it sit for an hour, come back and check again, the ph will be back were it started.

My recommendation is to get your feed ph in proper range, then start learning the basics about growing. Reading labels, directions, on bottles and bags of soil. That kind of stuff will help you avoid many mistakes.

 

[DCLXVI]

BioBizz Light mix can run pretty well on its own if you just ph your water and manage the environment. I always add too much to mine but literally 3-4 weeks of water only should get you a nice looking plant.

EDIT: what's your temps and humidity%?

I run the same soil and got good results on my first grow doing it totally wrong

 

[vincenoir]

That is not correct.. Dolomite lime does not neutralize the soil ph. It raises it.. Biobizz is not inorganic. It has all kinds of organic matter in it. You say you understand, but you didn't know that you need to adjust the ph after mixing feeds. I guarantee the nutrient bottle or packaging tells you to ph it after mixing. The sodium bicarbonate isn't stable. It will raise the ph temporarily. You can check the ph right after mixing and can be in range.. Let it sit for an hour, come back and check again, the ph will be back were it started.

My recommendation is to get your feed ph in proper range, then start learning the basics about growing. Reading labels, directions, on bottles and bags of soil. That kind of stuff will help you avoid many mistakes.

Your discourse sounds very offensive.

Firstly, Im not a legend farmer , Im just speaking depending on my experiences and readings. Im new with autos and I never gettin in trouble about the ph before. Also that dolomite lime arguments is not mine, I can share at least three different sources exactly explaning its a ''neutralizer'', you can still be right but It doesn't require you to speak like that. Most people here for clearing their ideas about growing. Anyway, thats not point of discussion.

Ph levels are still higher with sodium bicarbonate even after two days. Not stable but still in acceptable range depending on my measurements with apera instruments ph device, I always measuring last mix, even next day and next day until my mix finish. I always try to distillate everything. I also not new Biobizz products, but new on lightmix. Dont like it really. Inorganic is not true term I guess, sorry for my english. It feels like sponge But its not the point of my problem as I understand.

 

[Arthur]

What is your best advice for fixing the low ph on soil?

using an up meant for the job.

 

[vincenoir]

BioBizz Light mix can run pretty well on its own if you just ph your water and manage the environment. I always add too much to mine but literally 3-4 weeks of water only should get you a nice looking plant.

EDIT: what's your temps and humidity%?

I run the same soil and got good results on my first grow doing it totally wrong

Im trying to stabilize my temps to 25 C and humidity to about %50. Of course when they are in their beginings I usually pushing for higher humidities. I use general kind of humidifier.

What do you mean when you say ''I always add too much '? What are you adding?

 

[vincenoir]

What is your best advice for fixing the low ph on soil?

using an up meant for the job.View attachment 1304080View attachment 1304081

Thanks for suggestion. This one was on my list, sadly the brand looks like not imported to my country. Im looking for something more accesible.