Question About Ph/Tap Water

frostynuggets · #1 (**permalink**) 01-30-2009, 09:50 PM

Alright so here's my problem. I use fox farm soil/nutes. My Tap water is 7.4-7.6. I have 3 ph meters so I'm positive these readings are correct. I have a hanna the newest black one, ph truncheon, and chemical ph testers. So anyway I use General Hydroponics acid for ph down. I never over water plus fox farm drains good anyway usually dry after 4-5 days after watering in 3 gallon pots. My plants get locked out and start to yellow up and show nitrogen defienciencys only. I flush with ph corrected water to 6.5-6.6 (not often because over watering can cause problems) and do a run off test and my ph run off is around 7.00-7.10.

So heres my actual question. How can I get my ph lower? Why is it buffering to 7.0+? Should I use store bought water with a lower ph or can I fix it by using more ph down. If I use more ph down say to 6.0 would my soil buffer at 6.5.

Basically whats happening is my soil is locking out and I hit them with more nutes thinking it's just a normal defiency and then I burn them because they can't take up nutes period or very slowly anyway.

I am a experienced grower but my strains are touchy. My nycd diesels like 7.0 ish ph but my blue moonshines and alpha diesels hate it. Alright Thanks! I'm open to any thoughts ideas.

5starfarmer · #2 (**permalink**) 01-30-2009, 10:38 PM

Check the runoff after you water the plants. The water going in may be ph adjusted, but it's what's in your soil that matters. You'll need to adjust the water going in to compensate.

frostynuggets · #3 (**permalink**) 01-30-2009, 10:48 PM

So if for example I put in 6.0 or whatever ph to get in down to 6.5-6.8 on my run off I should ok? I was worried if I put in like 5.5-6.0 it would hurt the plants and do more harm than good. Right now I put in 6.5 and my run off barely gets below 7.0.

Alright thanks for the help!

frostynuggets · #4 (**permalink**) 01-31-2009, 12:23 AM

I would like to add that I have flushed with 6.5 and it never takes it down below like 6.8 no matter how much I flush 3 times the amount of pot size so 9 gallons. I find it hard to believe that fox farm buffers at 6.8-7.2 (seems kind of alkaline for most plants)

Hope someone has some experience with this problem.

5starfarmer · #5 (**permalink**) 01-31-2009, 12:29 PM

Yea lower that ph going in.

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#1 (permalink) 01-30-2009, 09:50 PM
frostynuggets Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 21	Question About Ph/Tap Water Alright so here's my problem. I use fox farm soil/nutes. My Tap water is 7.4-7.6. I have 3 ph meters so I'm positive these readings are correct. I have a hanna the newest black one, ph truncheon, and chemical ph testers. So anyway I use General Hydroponics acid for ph down. I never over water plus fox farm drains good anyway usually dry after 4-5 days after watering in 3 gallon pots. My plants get locked out and start to yellow up and show nitrogen defienciencys only. I flush with ph corrected water to 6.5-6.6 (not often because over watering can cause problems) and do a run off test and my ph run off is around 7.00-7.10. So heres my actual question. How can I get my ph lower? Why is it buffering to 7.0+? Should I use store bought water with a lower ph or can I fix it by using more ph down. If I use more ph down say to 6.0 would my soil buffer at 6.5. Basically whats happening is my soil is locking out and I hit them with more nutes thinking it's just a normal defiency and then I burn them because they can't take up nutes period or very slowly anyway. I am a experienced grower but my strains are touchy. My nycd diesels like 7.0 ish ph but my blue moonshines and alpha diesels hate it. Alright Thanks! I'm open to any thoughts ideas.

#2 (permalink) 01-30-2009, 10:38 PM
5starfarmer Got Dirt? Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 629	Re: Question About Ph/Tap Water Check the runoff after you water the plants. The water going in may be ph adjusted, but it's what's in your soil that matters. You'll need to adjust the water going in to compensate.

#3 (permalink) 01-30-2009, 10:48 PM
frostynuggets Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 21	Re: Question About Ph/Tap Water So if for example I put in 6.0 or whatever ph to get in down to 6.5-6.8 on my run off I should ok? I was worried if I put in like 5.5-6.0 it would hurt the plants and do more harm than good. Right now I put in 6.5 and my run off barely gets below 7.0. Alright thanks for the help!

#4 (permalink) 01-31-2009, 12:23 AM
frostynuggets Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 21	Re: Question About Ph/Tap Water I would like to add that I have flushed with 6.5 and it never takes it down below like 6.8 no matter how much I flush 3 times the amount of pot size so 9 gallons. I find it hard to believe that fox farm buffers at 6.8-7.2 (seems kind of alkaline for most plants) Hope someone has some experience with this problem.

#5 (permalink) 01-31-2009, 12:29 PM
5starfarmer Got Dirt? Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 629	Re: Question About Ph/Tap Water Yea lower that ph going in.

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