Promix Acidity WTF!!!

No one? Really? There gotta be someone with promix experience out there. Hook a Newb up.....plzzzzz!!!!

peat based soils can have a very low ph. peat buffers to 5.0-5.5, and can be difficult to alter. peat soils should be composted peat, and it seems winter soil isn't as "ready" as summer soil. i had a few bad bags this winter myself, resulting in yellow plants, stunted growth.

What kind of promix? Did you flush the promix with water before using/testing it?

You need to flush Promix to activate the Lime to raise/buffer the PH.

BCtrippin said:

What kind of promix? Did you flush the promix with water before using/testing it?

You need to flush Promix to activate the Lime to raise/buffer the PH.

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By flushing do u mean just running a little h20 through the mix? Because I did several times just to check the pH

I read the ideal pH is about 6.3 for soil less but it took forever just to get it at about 6.0. What could be going wrong or is this the case sometimes? KP2 r u suggesting there are differences between summer and winter mixes?

Before you use your promix you should fill your pots and flush them with water. A LOT of water till you get a lot of run off. You want all the soil to get wet to activate the Lime.

What kind of promix is it? And yes there are differences in summer and winter batches. There is differences in every batch, They have pretty good standards for Promix but there is the odd bag that will turn out bad.

To me it sounds like the lime didnt get a chance to activate, or your PH meter is fucked. I would get a cheap liquid PH test kit for aquariums or whatever just to be 100% sure that your meter isnt just way off.

I did flush but not with alot of water....i used as little as possible....just enough to get a decent sample to test pH. It sounds like I didn't use enough water. When u say allot how much do u mean approximately? pH meter definitely not fucked....its a very expensive laboratory one (borrowed from work....hehehehe) which undegoes a 3 point calibration before use with the best certified pH buffers. I'm unlucky I guess or i just didn't flush enough which is most likely from what you said.

I also confirmed the reading with pH strips.

I am in week 6 of my first time using promix (bx) and my ph goes in at 6.2 - 6.5 and it runs off 7.2.

However since i have started using this soil i have had mites on and off. Pretty much anytime new soil enters the room BAM mites. So they gotta be coming from the soil.

When i bought the bag it was still ice cold and felt frozen solid in the middle. Maybe that helped to keep the mites alive??

Its pissing me off and making me never want to use promix again.
Anybody get mites from there promix?

Mr. Limpet said:

I am in week 6 of my first time using promix (bx) and my ph goes in at 6.2 - 6.5 and it runs off 7.2.

However since i have started using this soil i have had mites on and off. Pretty much anytime new soil enters the room BAM mites. So they gotta be coming from the soil.

When i bought the bag it was still ice cold and felt frozen solid in the middle. Maybe that helped to keep the mites alive??

Its pissing me off and making me never want to use promix again.
Anybody get mites from there promix?

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No Never. Freezing soil actually kills mites and any bugs. It could be from the place your buying it from. Always be careful where you buy your soil.

Good hydro shops that know whats up keep the pallets shrink wrapped and indoors. Then just open a pallet as they need it to keep them clean.

Cheap places that dont give a fuck store them outside or whereever with all the plants and bugs.


Promix has Lime in it. Lime will raise/buffer your PH, so if your not getting ALL the soil completely wet at some point then the lime has never had a chance to activate and raise the PH to a normal level.

Thanx guys I'll use an abundance of water next time. That's really strange though my pH being so low in comparison but i guess its due to the flushing or perhaps the unevenness of the mix...who knows. I'm gonna grow my next seedling in rockwool though. All I want is a desent mother. Live and learn I guess. Thnx for the info.

Peace

babydaddy said:

Thanx guys I'll use an abundance of water next time. That's really strange though my pH being so low in comparison but i guess its due to the flushing or perhaps the unevenness of the mix...who knows. I'm gonna grow my next seedling in rockwool though. All I want is a desent mother. Live and learn I guess. Thnx for the info.

Peace

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What kind of promix was it? I always use Promix HP (high porosity) and it always works great!! I love the stuff.

I have some information and experience in research on substrates. Please visit the attached website and see the results of various substrates in head to head tests.
http://www.densucoir.com/research.htm#impatiens
Musto