Soil Runoff pH Rising with Flush?!?!

Discussion in 'Growing Organic Marijuana' started by CommanderInReef, Apr 20, 2011.

  1. Today I flushed a #3 SmartPot'ted plant that just had it's root ball trimmed down and replanted (one watering ago) in Bio-Bizz All-Mix. I flushed it with 4 gallons of 6ppm RO water pH'd at 6.1 and watched the pH of the runoff go from 6.9 (start) to 7.3(end). I'm having no luck getting the pH down and in turn it's causing nute uptake problems. I seem to just be making the issue worse the more I try to remedy it. I'm wondering if brewing up an AACT with the bucket I just made might help to balance things out.

    Anyone with the more scientific knowledge could probably tell me what I'm doing wrong. I don't want non-organic answers from some other forum, so that's why I posted this here. This has been an ongoing problem with two of my plants and I'm not sure if it's being caused by. Root zone temperature (they sit on digitally controlled heat mats at 77F)? Lack of microbiology? The soil I'm using has somehow gone south?

    If anyone can shed any light and/or idea on this for me...anything would be greatly appreciated. I'm completely lost after today's flush.
     
  2. How many times did u flush?
     
  3. #3 Ohio614boi, Apr 21, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 15, 2016
    How many gallon pots or buckets etc.?
     

  4. That was my problem with pH. I don't worry about pH anymore and now I never have any pH problems. I would brew up a quality aact from good quality compost/ewc and drench the soil with the tea.
    I would say 77 is a little high for the temp, but probably not causing anything. I've always heard 72 or so is ideal soil temp.
     
  5. Plus...Next planting add some Dolomite lime, or limestone to the potting soil to neutralize...;)
     
  6. C-I-R,

    In addition to Stankies thoughts, I would add that Bio-Bizz All Mix doesn't come out of the bag with a lot of humus (10% I believe) It is my opinion that a good organic soil functions best when there is 25-30% humus/compost/EWC or any combination thereof.

    You might try top dressing with some EWC and watering in along with the application of an AACT. This gives a 1-2 punch of microbes which will set a nutrient cycling mechanism in motion.

    As the various microbes feed off of one another, your pH will shift up and down as the plant uses various nutrients.

    I might add that All Mix doesn't have any liming agent, so you might want to add some type of calcium component( gypsum, limestone, oyster shell flour or lastly dolomite lime)

    Like Stankie, I don't give a hoot what my pH is...........I could check it 5 times a day and get 5 different readings.

    HTH

    chunk
     
  7. #7 CommanderInReef, Apr 22, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 22, 2011
    So you are saying that you don't pH anything (water, "nute" mixes, AACTs)? I ask this because I know when I mix up Neptunes Harvest Liquid Fish...the pH drops to the 4's. Just seems dangerously low.

    I will lower the heat mats a little. I'm just in a bit of a bind there as they're also my source of heat where they're at (62F external). I'm sure they'll do AOK if I lower the temp, because I now have the intake fan off at "night" until I get a temp controller.

    Can you suggest a simple AACT I could try? I just built a a "real" bucket and am yet to make my first AACT. I have home made EWC, still "fresh" (read: moist) and ready to do, aloe vera juice, baby oatmeal, blackstrap molasses, N.H. Liquid Fish, N.H. Liquid Seaweed, BioAg TM-7, etc....just so you know what I have to work with.

    Thank you for your response.
     
  8. I know this is probably very armature of me, bu I pose the same question to you as Stankie:
    So you are saying that you don't pH anything (water, "nute" mixes, AACTs)?

    I currently do not have any liming agents except super obliterated/powdered organic eggs shells. Would this work? Any of said liming agents would contribute a 7pH buffer, correct?

    Also as I asked Stankie...Any suggest AACT recipe to as my first attempt at an AACT? ^^ Peek what I have to work with in my response above ^^

    Either way thank you for your responses.
     
  9. #9 The Bunker, Apr 22, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 22, 2011
    Heat mats are used for seedlings and root development. Once the roots are established ideal temps will range from 68-72 degrees. You are cooking your root system and causing a breakdown of the cellulose, and in turn causing the micro-organisms to run wild within soil. Nutrient lockout occurs if your ph range is outside of 5.2 - 7.0. If your runoff is high then you need to ph your nutrient mix at the bottom of the range until it drops. I would ph your flush water at 5.2 as well. Cannazyme by Canna is a mixture containing beneficial organisms and enzymes that feed on dead root material and convert it to sugars that are beneficial to the plant. Trimming your root system is a bad idea as well, but is not contributing to the problem unless you are leaving some dead root mass when you transplant.
     
  10. I don't pH anything, except my EM ferments I intend to drink, and thats just to make sure they are 'safe'. I use Neptune's as my main 'nute' and I often mix in 2-3 times the recommended amount with no apparent side effects. If you have a healthy, diverse microherd you should be fine.

    For an AACT I would put about 4 gallons of dechlorinated water in the bucket. Add about 1.5 cups of your EWC, 2-3 tbsp of molasses, and a teaspoon of fish hydro. Bubble for about 24 hours. Soak the soil. I usually do a 1:1, tea:water drench.
     
  11. #11 CommanderInReef, Apr 22, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 22, 2011
    Thanks Stankie, I'll get some rolling in line with my next watering time. I guess I just need some reassurance from my "traditional" train of thought. I'm just all concerned because I'm playing around with my moms, which I have far too many of....heh.

    Is 24 hours still a good time if I have a really REALLY good bubbling bucket? I built what I would personally consider a pro level bucket that uses this https://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14684 SL-65 pump. I'm not at all doubting your knowledge, just wondering if you were recommending 24 hours based on not knowing how good of a bucket I have.

    Thank for your help!
     
  12. Just so you know, the roots were trimmed down because this is a mother plant that is bonsai'd and I had a concern that perhaps some of the issues I was having with her were due to being root bound as she had been in that pot for more than 6 months.

    I'm going to the local shop today and I'mm have a peek that Cannazyme. Can I accomplish the same thing with a AACT though?

    Thanks for the tips!
     

  13. Thats a pretty similar pump to mine. I usually go 18-24 hours, but my temps are usually a little low. I usually consider mine done after at least 12 hours and when all then smell of the molasses/fish is gone.

    Without a microscope theres no way of knowing for sure.

    Your better off with an AACT than with most anything from the hydro store, IMO.
     
  14. #14 The Bunker, Apr 23, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 15, 2016
    Smart pots are the way to go. When you are done with the plant and pull the dirt apart, the root mass is fibrous all throughout. It's pretty cool. Becoming root bound won't happen, and root rot is almost impossible. When you pulled the plant out of the pot, I assume it was rootbound, correct? Were the roots brown or white? As far as the Canna products, they are not certified organic, but they do have a line called Bio-Canna that is not only organic, but is vegan, containing no animal products. I wouldn't be able to answer your AACT question without taking a guess. I use the entire Canna line exclusively, with the occasional experiment with additives.
     

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