If you grow with organics in soil do you use regular ph down?

[the123321]

I am growing in soil with biotabs organic dry amendments in the soil. My tap water is often high like 8 so I ph it down to 6 - 7. I have read that regular ph down may make problems for the beneficial microbes in the soil. What do you think of that for it?

I have read that many people using organics in soil do not ph but with it being that high I figured I would at least get it to the right range. Do you think the regular ph down is ok to use? I have ascorbic acid vitamin c powder that I use to remove chlorine or chloramine in the tap water and that does lower the ph some but I do not want to use a lot of it to keep the ph down as the ph also drifts up in the reservoir on there. What do you recommend for it on there?

 

[growsince79]

I am growing in soil with biotabs organic dry amendments in the soil. My tap water is often high like 8 so I ph it down to 6 - 7. I have read that regular ph down may make problems for the beneficial microbes in the soil. What do you think of that for it?

I have read that many people using organics in soil do not ph but with it being that high I figured I would at least get it to the right
range. Do you think the regular ph down is ok to use? I have ascorbic acid vitamin c powder that I use to remove chlorine or chloramine in the tap water and that does lower the ph some but I do not want to use a lot of it to keep the ph down as the ph also drifts up in the reservoir on there. What do you recommend for it on there?

Unless your water is over 300ppm don't use anything.

 

[the123321]

Thanks.

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

This has been a dilemma for me since I started my first grow. It's all very confusing but I am starting to see the many differences in which folks grow this plant. I am hoping to hear some information to guide me to where I need to be.

I am just finishing up veg for my first grow which is using organic soil and fertilizers. Will be switching the lighting either tonight or tomorrow to flip everything to flower. Plants are looking good (for the most part, I have one problem child) and I don't want to mess them up. I grow for medicine and really need this grow to go as close to perfect as I can! No time to waste.

As I first learned about growing, I did buy some PH Up and PH Down, figuring I would need to use it because of the well water that I have at home. I had some problems early on because of the water PH and ppm and have switched to distilled water, with really good success. Our well water comes in at ~8.0 PH and a whopping 690 ppm. I had read not to use the PH Down because it would kill beneficial microbes. So I may have wasted that $ but I am always willing to live and learn and learning usually costs something. Using the store bought distilled water worked for a while but that gets expensive and so I bought a countertop distiller, knowing I would use it to also make RSO in a safer way than using a rice cooker like Rick Simpson does.

The distiller got here yesterday and I ran it once last night. Directions say to toss the first gallon, which I did and then took the 2nd gallon to take some measurements. The distiller brought everything down to 25 ppm, and actually raised the PH slightly to 8.2. The store bought water measures about 4 ppm with a PH of 7.0. I am ok with that little bit of extra ppm as that gets me way below that 690 mark that was causing me lots of problems with nutrient lock out. However, the PH raise has me baffled, I was expecting a 7.0 number. Not sure why it would raise the PH but it is what it is!

So once again, I am back to the PH issue and will I be OK using this ppm reduced well water??? I have read that in an organic soil grow, I shouldn't have to worry much about PH because the soil will buffer everything. Can someone please help me figure this out??? I will need to be watering either today or most likely at the latest, tomorrow and need to come up with a plan. Thank you in advance!!!

 

[lvstealth]

have you read this post? it might help.

ph a basic explanation

 

[MICHGANDER9]

I am growing in soil with biotabs organic dry amendments in the soil. My tap water is often high like 8 so I ph it down to 6 - 7. I have read that regular ph down may make problems for the beneficial microbes in the soil. What do you think of that for it?

I have read that many people using organics in soil do not ph but with it being that high I figured I would at least get it to the right range. Do you think the regular ph down is ok to use? I have ascorbic acid vitamin c powder that I use to remove chlorine or chloramine in the tap water and that does lower the ph some but I do not want to use a lot of it to keep the ph down as the ph also drifts up in the reservoir on there. What do you recommend for it on there?

If your doing organic there is no need to pH the water pH water won't change soil pH humic acid to lower Agricultural lime or domilte lime for raising

 

[MICHGANDER9]

If your doing organic there is no need to pH the water pH water won't change soil pH humic acid to lower Agricultural lime or domilte lime for raising get this book

 

[MICHGANDER9]

To pH water use baking soda or citric acid if its that far outta range probably should get a filter at least a carbon, sediment filter

 

[MICHGANDER9]

To pH water use baking soda or citric acid if its that far outta range probably should get a filter at least a carbon, sediment filter

I don't pH the water for these Hell I don't even check it

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

have you read this post? it might help.

No, I had not seen that thread. Thank you for sharing!

So I guess from the consensus here, I should not worry about 8.0 ph and let the soil do its job. I'm down with that. At least with the distiller and the water it puts out, I will not have the problem with the sky high ppm. I guess the only thing I need to worry about with that is will I get kidney stones from drinking that water?!?

I will be watering today, just waiting for the distiller to crank out a couple more gallons.

Thank you for all the great info Ivstealth and Michigander!

 

[MICHGANDER9]

No, I had not seen that thread. Thank you for sharing!

So I guess from the consensus here, I should not worry about 8.0 ph and let the soil do its job. I'm down with that. At least with the distiller and the water it puts out, I will not have the problem with the sky high ppm. I guess the only thing I need to worry about with that is will I get kidney stones from drinking that water?!?

I will be watering today, just waiting for the distiller to crank out a couple more gallons.

Thank you for all the great info Ivstealth and Michigander!

Use doing water and not distilled no mineral in distilled at ALL I read up on it probably have to add Cal mag like the RO ppl

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Use doing water and not distilled no mineral in distilled at ALL I read up on it probably have to add Cal mag like the RO ppl

Use Spring water,sorry typo

 

[Kanzeon]

Seconding the dolomite lime recommendation. It's a big part of keeping plants green late into flower for me.

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Seconding the dolomite lime recommendation. It's a big part of keeping plants green late into flower for me.it has magnesium in it if you don't need Cal/mag then Ag lime just calcium no mag

 

[elduderito]

my water comes out around at around ph 8.0 - 8.2 - I make a solution of water and citric acid crystals for my ph down - growing in organic soil with biobizz nutes

 

[MICHGANDER9]

my water comes out around at around ph 8.0 - 8.2 - I make a solution of water and citric acid crystals for my ph down - growing in organic soil with biobizz nutes

Well to be honest mine is 7.0 but after I say add fish or kelp if I use it or molasses say it drops any the microbes in the soil buffer that through the exudates of the plants roots

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Well to be honest mine is 7.0 but after I say add fish or kelp if I use it or molasses say it drops any the microbes in the soil buffer that through the exudates of the plants ro

Well to be honest mine is 7.0 but after I say add fish or kelp if I use it or molasses say it drops any the microbes in the soil buffer that through the exudates of the plants roots. No pH adjustment just filtered tap water

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Pea green and HAPPY all my strains look like that so I think it's BULLSHIT when ppl tell me a strain grows with colors in them unless it's in the flowers not the whole plant like purple streaks in the stem and shit

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

If your doing organic there is no need to pH the water pH water won't change soil pH humic acid to lower Agricultural lime or domilte lime for raising

So if I ignore the ph, as you have suggested Michigander, what should I be on the lookout for in the event I need to start adding humic acid to the soil to lower PH? From what I understand, if there are problems, it will most likely be nutrient lock out, but which ones and symptoms should I be look for? I'm entering a critical time in these plants (flipping to flower tonight) and want to get it as right as I can.

As a reminder, our well water is at 8.0 ph with a high ppm, so the water distiller takes care of the ppm but not the PH. I have organic soil and using Roots Organics Terp Tea Grow and Bloom for all future amendments.

 

[MICHGANDER9]

Inoculate, inculcate, inculcate best advice I can give you ....worm castings,worm tea ,compost tea , Mycorrhizal fungi,and microbes