OldManRiver
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I appreciate your input. I have checked the meter against the chemical soil test kits, and it's indications are accurate enough for garden use. It's not a digital readout, but it's indicating over 7. I've used these for several years. I've had plants suffering from both soil that was too acid (Kellogs organic from Home depot)it indicated that, I added sweetener, and the plants perked rightup. I've had soil that was alkaline (Happy Frog), it indicated that, I added sulphate, and they perked up. I've seen this problem with Happy Frog for a couple years now, and I won't be buying it again.1 teaspoon of Alaska fish ferts in a gallon mix will take the pH of that gallon down to about 4. (I use it just to lower my pH and I can get 2 gallons to drop a full point with just 1/8 tbs.) The Fox Farm soil has added oyster shell to buffer the pH, so you're not going to be able to significantly chance the soil pH. I'll bet that the pH of the soil is actually closer to 6.5, and you're fine.
I know you don't want me dissing on your meter, but it's simply not that accurate, so don't try dropping your pH relying on your meter. Soil will natural buffer your water pH, and you'll end up with more problems then you'l be solving. You can buy a cheap meter for less then $20, which will be be fairly accurate (if you keep it calibrated). You'll defineatly want to be checking your fish fert water and combining it with something like kelp to balance out it's super low pH (or use a pH up).
That is simply untrue. I've compared the meter against the chemical test kits, and they confirmed the results. As I note in the previous post, in just the last year, the meter has advised me to sweeten some soil and acidify some other soil. In both cases, when I did that, I achieved the desired improvements in health. If you check the pics in my sig, I'm not a rookie here.Every soil on earth has a ph of about 7 as measured by homedepot gauge. IMO they are worthless. The $4 ph tape or drops works better.
Well, I have only applied Aluminum sulphate, which normally lowers pH. I gave them one feeding of Alaska fish ferts, 1 tsp to a gallon. I checked the Happy Frog sometime back with the chem test, it was over 7. I'll get another kit, see what it says.Both my cheap probe moisture/ph meters always read 7 ph. They are both wrong. Every bag of ocean forest and happy frog i have used came out at 6.5 runoff with gh ph drops.
Something else was likely wrong with the grow and then you raised the ph with chemicals and the problems are now stacking in my opinion.
Well, I have only applied Aluminum sulphate, which normally lowers pH. I gave them one feeding of Alaska fish ferts, 1 tsp to a gallon. I checked the Happy Frog sometime back with the chem test, it was over 7. I'll get another kit, see what it says.
Aluminum sulphate is pretty common. It's sold to turn hydrangeas blue by making the soil acidic. Iron sulphate, mag sulphate are alternatives.Really no need to micro manage ph in buffered potting soil. If the ph os rising it could mean they are hungry and could use a bit more feed. Looking back at your pics the tops look good but the low first leaves are deficient. Might just need to transplant up to fresh soil or another light feed.
I never heard of using aluminum sulphate before. Mag sulfate is usually used. Epsom salts.
The lights are 26" above the plants, and this looks nothing like light burn to me. These are quantum board lights, not HID. The affected leaves are on the bottom, and the primary issue is overwatering damage. There are six species of plants under the lights, the others are fine. Light burn would be frying the tomatoes, peppers and basil as well, if that were the issue, is my belief. I've been wrong before, open to input.Move your light higher or turn it down, canoeing leaves and light burn everywhere.
I think you nailed it about the over watering. I've noticed my plants can't absorb N and cal when it's too wet. I'm using cocoloco/perlite now without any problems.The lights are 26" above the plants, and this looks nothing like light burn to me. These are quantum board lights, not HID. The affected leaves are on the bottom, and the primary issue is overwatering damage. There are six species of plants under the lights, the others are fine. Light burn would be frying the tomatoes, peppers and basil as well, if that were the issue, is my belief. I've been wrong before, open to input.
Oh, they are definitely overwatered. That was the original question, how to nurse them best, which no-one has responded to meaningfully. I changed out the soil, and will just be careful after that. The discussion tracked sideways as to whether the original problem, soil pH, which caused the overwatering as I tried to address it, was accurately measured by the Home depot meter, which the above pics show was correct.I think you nailed it about the over watering. I've noticed my plants can't absorb N and cal when it's too wet. I'm using cocoloco/perlite now without any problems.
no, i'm in the seattle area now. City water is rainwater, neutral pH, TDS around 140. Incredible water for making beer, incidently.Using this water?View attachment 967599
@MIMedGrower @growsince79 My test strips came in from Amazon, they confirm that the Happy Frog is about 7.5 and the Ocean Forest is about 7.0. Which is more or less what the meter said. YMMV.
Yeah, I'm pretty stunned. Again, I wonder if they are made regionally or something. With both Happy Frog and OF being marketed heavily to the weed community, I am very surprised. In contrast, the bags of Kellog Organic I got from Home Depot last year was under 6.Thats weird. Even the last bags of OF i bought a few months ago were both 6.5 out of the bag and after 10 weeks flowering.
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