I am currently growing w/ a 5x7 area with a 400w mh and 250w hps lights growing in soil(happy frog).flora series nutes.I checked ph going in and it was 7.5 and my run off was only 5.8.This should be much higher like 6.5 right? so next time I feed should I make sure ph in is the 8.7 range?
No.. you don't want to put in anything over 8 no matter how low it's coming out. Just flush it with the 7.5. Use 5x the water to flush as the pot size so 5 gallons of water to flush a 1 gallon pot.
I am using 5 gallon pots so I should check my runoff by flushing w/ 25 gallons of water????????????????????
i know run off is not the ideal measurement of PH, but why not use a high enough number to get 6.8? In terms of the original question, I had similar issues, and used powdered dolomite lime, 2 tablespoon per gallon of water, and it will raise ph and buffer the soil to a 6.5-7 ph for the rest of the grow. I recommend you use it as you will probably soon experience calcium and magnesium deficiencies with under 6.5 ph in soil.
No you do not need that many, its like 3 per gallon or something, the point of flushing is just to get all the toxic buildup out that may be fucking with your pH. Now my question is, where the HELL are you people when I ask this damn question, i'm glad op is doing so I am the EXACT same situation. 8.0 water going in and the pH just isnt raising or even changing, and I have plants at 5.8 all the way to 6.6, so I need to correct this fast. So far I have heard quite a few contradicting things, so I am very confused.
ok well let's first hear about your soil mix? i recently had the same situation, something in your soil is lowering ph and it needs to get fixed asap.
Happy frog nat&organic.I am 1 week in flowering .Veg for 6 weeks.Plants seem very healthy though.Nice color and no signs of stress at all.Is runoff really a true reading?
You were also told to add the lime. What is so confusing about that? It's easy, cheap and best of all, it works. Farmers lime their fields as a matter of course and damn sure don't pH water or nutes or anything. The lime takes care of that. Quit trying to complicate something as simple as liming your mix. Wet
Lime works to no end. I have never had plants look so good. Ph will be an issue of the past. I use sunleaves soil sweetener (dolomitic lime) 2.5 tbls per 3 gal of mix.
I have pH up and down for that, and I obviously can't add it to my soil now its too late, the pH of my water is simply 8.0 and its not raising the pH of my plants period, shouldnt it be if its already that high? Thats all my concern is.
dude.. buy the lime... sprinkle as indicated and water... they gave you the answer... you just have to see it if you choose not to listen... water how you want... why ask???