Advice on soil PH

slonez47

Active Member
I'm using Roots Organics soil and and nutes. I ran balanced water through the soil to moisten and my run off tested hot. Closer to six than six and a half. I'd appreciate any advice from past and present RO users.
 

slonez47

Active Member
Jorge's Bible says 6.5 to 7 is why I am concerned. I've had problems in the past. The last two sprouts looked like they were praying. That was with adjusted water. This go round I'm just using the soil and balanced water, hopefully with kinder results.
 

slonez47

Active Member
Stretching was'nt the problem. Instead of the leaves flat and relaxed, they looked like they were trying to escape. Pointing straight up. Like they were praying. That was with Burpees Organic seeding soil, diluted RO nutes, because I thought that .06 .03 .03 might be too low for nutes and that's what the soil contained and water balanced to about 6.5 . Like I mentioned earlier, I'm going wtih RO soil and PH balanced water this time.
 

mears220

Well-Known Member
can you get any pics up leaves pointing up aint a bad thing as long as there nice an green with no leath burn they should be ok try post some pics
 

slonez47

Active Member
First two are sleeping with the fishes. I have one in the soil now and it should make an appearance shortly. Hopefully I can abandon this thread with this one and have something possitive to write about.
 

slonez47

Active Member
Nope. The only thing that light up is the word marijuana and it takes you to the homepage. No big deal, that sounds about right. The leaves started out pointing straight up and that never changed.
 

mears220

Well-Known Member
as long as there nice and green with no burn marks you should be fine leaves point up isnt a bad thing some say its a sign of good growth
 

slonez47

Active Member
I kinda miss the days when I'd drop a couple of seeds in some dirt and almost totally neglect them with pretty good results. Now I'm like a first time father. I just need to relax.
 

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
Its not pH, organic soil hold pH better than most as well, if concerned in the future add fine grade dolomitic lime to subsequent soil mixes. Now had you ppm'd your runoff when you read the soil pH and it was like 1200ppm then this might be a little hot for small plants. Peace
 

DrFever

New Member
for soil growers like myself in order for the plant to breakdown and use nutrients your ph hs got to be between 6.4 to 7.0 you got to remember 7.0 is nuetral anything below that will give you lock out :hump:
 

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
for soil growers like myself in order for the plant to breakdown and use nutrients your ph hs got to be between 6.4 to 7.0 you got to remember 7.0 is nuetral anything below that will give you lock out :hump:
When i get a lower pH generally my ppm in the runoff is quite high, pH adjusted water dose little to alter my pH only lime works, cal/mag helps a little for me too. His pH looks good for me though.

I gave up pH'ing my water, its between 7.5 and 8 out of the tap at the moment, i never have problems and my soil pH is always sweet, adding ferts generally brings it down to 6.5 so this is more than handy but i dont subscribe to the whole soil pH thing. If your runoff keeps turning acidic quickly after properly flushing i believe you may have acidic soil but adding water dose little in the long run to keep pH sweet.

Dr Fever i never kner you grew so many plants, wicked setup. Peace
 

slonez47

Active Member
I appreciate the info. I think that the buffers they use in RO are meant to balance things over a longer period of time and that may be why my PH is more acidic. I'll look into the cal/mag.
 

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
Organic soil mirco-organisms help balance the pH of soil as well, also too wet or waterlogged soil promotes acidic conditions from what i know. Peace
 

slonez47

Active Member
The RO soil that I'm using has good drainage. Green sand, perlite, crushed oyster shells and such, as well as worm castings and guano. I've heard great things about it, but this is my first experience with it. I bought their Buddha Grow and Bloom. Both contain bat guano, worm castings, kelp, molasses, humic acid. I also have a catalyst that contains molasses, kelp extract, humic acid, and various other extracts. Right now I have my set up under one 150watt cfl and two 26 watt cfl 6400k lights about 6 inches above my planter. The planter has four screen type openings in the bottom for drainage with a small cup on the outside for watering from the bottom although I water from the top when it comes time to water.
 
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