Plants have issues.. maybe pH related any advice?

[XM177E2]

Im at day 29 of my first grow now. I am growing 6 plants in FFOF under a 250w MH. I have had lots of pH problems so far, at first it was much too high and my leaves were growing in mutated and discolored. Some of the leaves grew in with yellow tips right from the start. I had finally corrected the pH problems when I got a liquid test kit, leaves started growing in with a somewhat normal shape and more even color but still not perfect. I began to notice leaves growing in with tears on the edges of em, I think it was because they were twisting as they grew. Last week I decided to get a milwaukee pH meter, big mistake. I calibrated it properly and stored it properly but apparently it was reading the pH of everything but the calibration solution way off. I should have realized this when I had to add about 10 drops of pH down to my tap water to get it to read 6.5. With the liquid kit I would never have to add more than 2 drops for it to show a proper color. I trusted the meter.. A few days ago I noticed my leaf tips curling significantly. I tested soil runoff with the liquid test, it was bright orangish red, a pH between 4.0-5.0 I then flushed with tap water that was a slightly higher pH but I dont think it was high enough to really raise the soil. Immediately after the flush I fed them their first nutes (prob a mistake), 2tsp of grow big in 1 gallon water. I did this because I assumed the flush would have leeched all the nutrients out of the soil. Its been 2 days since the flush, the soil is drying out slowly, but the plants are getting worse.. the bottom leaves, especially the first set, are dying and falling off (after becoming discolored). Leaf curl is getting worse and the color of the newest growth is extremely pale. it seems to be working its way up the plant. Some of the newest growth is coming in very twisted and getting ripped as a result. I think my pH is still way out of whack. The only reliable method I have of testing pH is the liquid kit, as the meter doesnt work and a new one is out of the question. What can I do to save the plants??? heres some pics, but they arent very telling as they make the plants look much greener than they really are.. the new growth at the top is yellow and the old dying stuff is dark with yellow/black splotches

[ibjamming]

Back off on the water a bit. And if the leaf tips start turning brown, back off on the nutes a bit too. OTW, they look good...

[XM177E2]

Originally Posted by ibjamming

Back off on the water a bit. And if the leaf tips start turning brown, back off on the nutes a bit too. OTW, they look good...

I havent been overwatering really.. they just got a flush because of the pH but other than that, I always wait for them to dry out before I water... i noticed that if I increase the humidity in the room they perk up, I think the fan is moving the air too much

[surfdude]

I just bought a milwaukee pH meter the other day, are they crap or did you just calibrate yours wrong??? If you can let me know soon before I make the same mistake, thanks..

[lmikelowrey]

Originally Posted by surfdude

I just bought a milwaukee pH meter the other day, are they crap or did you just calibrate yours wrong??? If you can let me know soon before I make the same mistake, thanks..

Sounds like his had a bad calibration, you should be good.

If your digital meter isn't working, and you feel like the PH still might be off. Use water from a grocery store. Any regular bottled water at grocery stores has a PH of 5.9. Add your nutes and it should sit around 6.5 or less. Just a suggestion in case you have no other options

[XM177E2]

Originally Posted by lmikelowrey

Sounds like his had a bad calibration, you should be good.

If your digital meter isn't working, and you feel like the PH still might be off. Use water from a grocery store. Any regular bottled water at grocery stores has a PH of 5.9. Add your nutes and it should sit around 6.5 or less. Just a suggestion in case you have no other options

My pH meter (milwauke pH600) was calibrated properly.. It reads 7.01 in the calibration solution every time, but it does not read the pH of anything but the calibration solution correctly. My soil pH is still much too low, looks like its 4.0 judging by the runoff, even after the flush. what can I do to bring it up, plants are not happy at all And by the way, the Fox Farms Grow Big actually lowers the pH, it doesnt raise it. I have to add pH up to my tap water after adding it. My tap water is in the 8.0 range and comes out in the 5.0 range after adding 1 tsp of grow big to it.

[lmikelowrey]

Originally Posted by XM177E2

My pH meter (milwauke pH600) was calibrated properly.. It reads 7.01 in the calibration solution every time, but it does not read the pH of anything but the calibration solution correctly. My soil pH is still much too low, looks like its 4.0 judging by the runoff, even after the flush. what can I do to bring it up, plants are not happy at all And by the way, the Fox Farms Grow Big actually lowers the pH, it doesnt raise it. I have to add pH up to my tap water after adding it. My tap water is in the 8.0 range and comes out in the 5.0 range after adding 1 tsp of grow big to it.

Holy shit..all the way down to 5 from 8? You sure you are mixing right? My tap is at 8 as well, and after adding nutes it drops to the mid 7's. But jus realized something..i'm doing HYDRO ..i jus realized you said soil. But when I use distilled water it's at 5.9. Then I add 2ML/L of Micro, and Grow. And .4 ML/L of Bloom. I use advanced nutrients. I have 15 mL worth of water, so I add approx. 24ML per bucket. My PH is 5.53. That's crazy your ph dropped that low. Get some PH UP!!

[XM177E2]

Originally Posted by lmikelowrey

Holy shit..all the way down to 5 from 8? You sure you are mixing right? My tap is at 8 as well, and after adding nutes it drops to the mid 7's. But jus realized something..i'm doing HYDRO ..i jus realized you said soil. But when I use distilled water it's at 5.9. Then I add 2ML/L of Micro, and Grow. And .4 ML/L of Bloom. I use advanced nutrients. I have 15 mL worth of water, so I add approx. 24ML per bucket. My PH is 5.53. That's crazy your ph dropped that low. Get some PH UP!!

I've already got the pH up, i've been adding it after the nutes, but I dont think Im using enough! the plants aren't wilting as much today, they musta been thirtsty... but the soil pH is still much too low. I'm thinking maybe its a root bound issue as they are only in 3 quart pots.