How to increase pH with calcium carbonate

Northernpop · May 11, 2020

Hi guys,

Please can anyone advise as to whether feed pH can be increased by using calcium carbonate (say 2.5ml/gal to increase pH by 0.5)?

I grow organically, and I'm not having any real problems, I'd just like to zero my pH between 6.2 to 6.5 every feed.

Many thanks, in advance!

Happy growing.

Aqua Man · May 11, 2020

Northernpop said:
Hi guys,

Please can anyone advise as to whether feed pH can be increased by using calcium carbonate (say 2.5ml/gal to increase pH by 0.5)?

I grow organically, and I'm not having any real problems, I'd just like to zero my pH between 6.2 to 6.5 every feed.

Many thanks, in advance!

Happy growing.

No way for me to answer that. Soil should balance the ph itself. If you have no issues why possibly create one?

To answer your question the best I can it will depend on the acidic nature of your nutrients and concentration. What I suggest is mixing a gallon of your nutrients recording the amount of nutrients added and then using a scale start at 0.2g add and mix thoroughly before testing ph. Once you reach the ph you want you can use the total added as a per gal reference. But I suggest verifying each and every time

Northernpop · May 11, 2020

Aqua Man said:
No way for me to answer that. Soil should balance the ph itself. If you have no issues why possibly create one?

To answer your question the best I can it will depend on the acidic nature of your nutrients and concentration. What I suggest is mixing a gallon of your nutrients recording the amount of nutrients added and then using a scale start at 0.2g add and mix thoroughly before testing ph. Once you reach the ph you want you can use the total added as a per gal reference. But I suggest verifying each and every time

I mix a gallon per feed, and use bio bizz which gives me a ph of 5.5 to 5.8. I'm not having issues growing organically, but as the sweet spot is 6.2 to 6.5 I wondered if I should always hit this for maximum performance? I'm happy with the lights, humidity, feeds, temps.... Just trying to do the best for the plants.

Many thanks.

Aqua Man · May 11, 2020

Northernpop said:
I mix a gallon per feed, and use bio bizz which gives me a ph of 5.5 to 5.8. I'm not having issues growing organically, but as the sweet spot is 6.2 to 6.5 I wondered if I should always hit this for maximum performance? I'm happy with the lights, humidity, feeds, temps.... Just trying to do the best for the plants.

Many thanks.

So my position is that the soil will buffer the ph. Ph issues in soil usually are from 1 of 3 things.

A nutrient buildup creating an acidic environment.

A poorly buffered soil to start with.

An accumulation of carbonate and bicarbonate sources.

A properly amended soil with have carbonate/bicarbonate sources in it and there is usually no need to add more with the exception of very long runs. And the soil itself is the ph adjuster.

Also in an organic grow the bacteria will steer the soil pH and it has a funny way if balancing itself to it's needs provided you have a good balanced soil to start.

By adding carbonate and bicarbonate to the soil you can actually do more harm than good.

So in short I don't feel there is any benefit to you adjusting the ph of your feed for your circumstances.

Foutwenty71 · May 11, 2020

I regulate the pH of the soil in my yard using lawn and garden lime which is crushed limestone 22% calcium 12% magnesium so I usually have a 50lb bag of that laying around otherwise the sand burrs get out of hand... Wicked little sticker that you don't want to step on... Anyway is that worth a damn for these applications... just curious

Aqua Man · May 11, 2020

Foutwenty71 said:
I regulate the pH of the soil in my yard using lawn and garden lime which is crushed limestone 22% calcium 12% magnesium so I usually have a 50lb bag of that laying around otherwise the sand burrs get out of hand... Wicked little sticker that you don't want to step on... Anyway is that worth a damn for these applications... just curious

Dolomite lime... I mean it's only useful if the soil is lacking or to replenish if depleted.

I guess a soil analysis would be best to say what amendments would be beneficial

Foutwenty71 · May 11, 2020

Aqua Man said:
Dolomite lime... I mean it's only useful if the soil is lacking or to replenish if depleted.

I guess a soil analysis would be best to say what amendments would be beneficial

I tried to find dolomite lime at the garden center last week and there was none to be found because of the virus issues

Aqua Man · May 11, 2020

Foutwenty71 said:
I tried to find dolomite lime at the garden center last week and there was none to be found because of the virus issues

I say that because it has specs on solubility and that's important imo. But that's just the control freakin me

Northernpop · May 14, 2020

I was right to take your advice and leave the ph in organics Aqua man. The fertigation is about 5.6 but they seem fine.

Cheers!

Aqua Man · May 14, 2020

Northernpop said:
I was right to take your advice and leave the ph in organics Aqua man. The fertigation is about 5.6 but they seem fine.

Cheers!

Looking good. What's the run off ppm?

Foutwenty71 · May 14, 2020

Aqua Man said:
I say that because it has specs on solubility and that's important imo. But that's just the control freakin me

I understand the control freak issues that some people have my sweetie has OCD and you can literally eat off our floors... Me I'm more of a caveman (opposites attract right?) Anyway I called the garden center looking to see if they had any dolomite lime and the guy said that the lawn and garden lime is the same.. it is 22% calcium 12% magnesium... That's Menards for you LOL I'm more apt to believe people on here.. I'm asking because I strongly feel that my pH is off in my pots and all three of my pH testers are lying to me... Usually when there's problems with slow growth often is a pH issue and I'm not sure about solubility things and I have been growing for many years out in soil outside and growing indoors, impots is kicking my ass and not giving me the results I'm looking for

Aqua Man · May 14, 2020

Foutwenty71 said:
I understand the control freak issues that some people have my sweetie has OCD and you can literally eat off our floors... Me I'm more of a caveman (opposites attract right?) Anyway I called the garden center looking to see if they had any dolomite lime and the guy said that the lawn and garden lime is the same.. it is 22% calcium 12% magnesium... That's Menards for you LOL I'm more apt to believe people on here.. I'm asking because I strongly feel that my pH is off in my pots and all three of my pH testers are lying to me... Usually when there's problems with slow growth often is a pH issue and I'm not sure about solubility things and I have been growing for many years out in soil outside and growing indoors, impots is kicking my ass and not giving me the results I'm looking forView attachment 972880

If your ph gets low you will start to see calcium spots on upper growth

Foutwenty71 · May 14, 2020

Aqua Man said:
If your ph gets low you will start to see calcium spots on upper growth

thanks,I didn't know that....that seems to have been the case early on then....is it possible that it somewhat corrected it'self by watering with an alkaline water?my well water is at 8.2 last i checked and my run off out of the pot's was around 7.2...Another 1st for me...ph'ing the water going in and coming out. I took a handful of pine mulch that i know was acidic mixed it with my well water , made a past and got a reading of 8.6 with my newest digital PH meter and that just doesn't seem right so i stopped using my meter. Still I'm plagued by some really slow growth from a plant that's spent 70% of it's light cycle in the sun. It truly is irritating me to no end that one of the easier plant's in my grow is giving me the hardest time. NONE of my other plants get this kind of attention

Aqua Man · May 14, 2020

Foutwenty71 said:
thanks,I didn't know that....that seems to have been the case early on then....is it possible that it somewhat corrected it'self by watering with an alkaline water?my well water is at 8.2 last i checked and my run off out of the pot's was around 7.2...Another 1st for me...ph'ing the water going in and coming out. I took a handful of pine mulch that i know was acidic mixed it with my well water , made a past and got a reading of 8.6 with my newest digital PH meter and that just doesn't seem right so i stopped using my meter. Still I'm plagued by some really slow growth from a plant that's spent 70% of it's light cycle in the sun. It truly is irritating me to no end that one of the easier plant's in my grow is giving me the hardest time. NONE of my other plants get this kind of attention

Have you measured the ppm of your well water?

Aqua Man · May 14, 2020

Phing the water won't really lower the soil pH the acid used to bring it down will break down and if you adding high amounts of carbonate or bicarbonate it will raise the soil pH over time as they will remain.

Northernpop · May 14, 2020

Aqua Man said:
Looking good. What's the run off ppm?

I never water to runoff as I'm soil. I'm also not worried about the ppm since I don't seem to have burning or other problems. I'm using bio bizz full range, and organic big bud, and cold pressed seaweed, plus biosys. Think I'll do more harm messing on with ph.

Aqua Man · May 14, 2020

Northernpop said:
I never water to runoff as I'm soil. I'm also not worried about the ppm since I don't seem to have burning or other problems. I'm using bio bizz full range, and organic big bud, and cold pressed seaweed, plus biosys. Think I'll do more harm messing on with ph.

Yeah I agree. My bad was confused and reply was meant for @Foutwenty71 sorry bro

Foutwenty71 · May 14, 2020

Aqua Man said:
Have you measured the ppm of your well water?

No i don't have anything that measures that that i know of....I always kinda thought that was for Hydro guys and i'm using soil...Non of these problems ever occurred before growing in the soil outside but the wildlife here is preventing me from planting anything in the ground anywhere near the woods and well if it weren't slightly fracturing the law i would put it in my very large fenced in garden where i have spent countless $$ conditioning the soil the past 4 years...but too many people like to stop and look there so not an option. Pot's outdoors at least gives me a chance to keep them mobile , paying attention to which paths the deer are taking. Not to mention the woodchucks or beavers. Plus i can cheat the light cycle by putting them in a closet after work....if they ever let me go back to work.... What do i gotta buy now?lol to measure the ppm's?

Aqua Man · May 14, 2020

Foutwenty71 said:
No i don't have anything that measures that that i know of....I always kinda thought that was for Hydro guys and i'm using soil...Non of these problems ever occurred before growing in the soil outside but the wildlife here is preventing me from planting anything in the ground anywhere near the woods and well if it weren't slightly fracturing the law i would put it in my very large fenced in garden where i have spent countless $$ conditioning the soil the past 4 years...but too many people like to stop and look there so not an option. Pot's outdoors at least gives me a chance to keep them mobile , paying attention to which paths the deer are taking. Not to mention the woodchucks or beavers. Plus i can cheat the light cycle by putting them in a closet after work....if they ever let me go back to work.... What do i gotta buy now?lol to measure the ppm's?

Cheap ec/ppm meter. Very useful to measure nutrients, source water and runoff. They are cheap on Amazon.

How to increase pH with calcium carbonate

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