Should I Ph My Water?

[OrganicPro]

I'm using all organic Micronized Compost Tea, should I be PH' ing my water

 

[Monster762]

I'm using all organic Micronized Compost Tea, should I be PH' ing my water

I'm no pro but if you're in soil I would not use ph up or down unless you have to. And I think it kills the whole organic part unless you use organics to alter the ph.
What is the water ph to start? And what is the ph of the tea? I think ideal is over 5.8 minimum up to like 7.0 neutral max. But in my little experience plants grow better in slightly acidic conditions.

There are some people here deal with organics they will chime in.
I'm just winging it. Live soil with hydro nutes. My first grow.

 

[plm]

Let's look at it this way:

If we mess around with the PH from compost tea / water it is possible that we could kill certain bacterial colonies, microbes, fungi which are benficial to our plants and contributes to its overall vigour and resilience, maybe adjust the water before using it for compost, however most growers don't adjust in any way the PH of the tea, I mean as long as we keep it natural and don't use synthetic nutrients (bottled liquid nutes) the microbial life will balance everything, cause the plant will suck in the nutrients it needs and the PH will fluctuate up and down allowing certain types of nutrients to be used at certain levels and the microbial life will balance the soil at the according PH where the absorption is the best for the specific nutrients, as long as the water is clean (no chlorine and chloramine), there's no need to worry of such things.

Besides recent NASA studies made on different types of substrates suggest that if we feed plants at a PH of 4.5 vs a PH of 5.8 there is no effect at all, be it positive or negative upon the growth of the plant.

 

[Bannacis]

plm about the best answer u gonna get, without going ubber deep into it.
A lot is determine by your soil mix and the type of nutes your using.
Find a good Living organic soil mix recipe, like Subcools version (TGA) and the Rev's soil mix. He is cultivating editor of Skunk magazine...Get his New book "TLO" book on Amazon.com
.........link below...........


good luck.

 

[oldskol4evr]

i never ph my feed or water,,but saying this,i also know exactlly what is inmy soil and the ph ,i do a ION soil test when every thing is in range,your there on soil,,now on the other hand i also did a ph and boron test on my water source,just a swimming pool test kit from wally world,,i have a 500 ft well,water taste fine,but test comes back with 500ppm and no boron at all,,so the water is very alkaline and the boron is at a target in my soil,,so with the alkline as high as it is,i have a 55 gal barrel that my runoff from ac condenser runs into,,this is my water source for my weed,i use the well water in the veggie garden,,tea will not burn your plants,the whole idea behind tea is to make soil not dirt live and your feeding the soil as it needs,there is a organic ph up and down by the way,,but i never ph my tea at all,or the garden,soil buffer the ph and gives plants what it needs,if your really concerned off set your soil ph to get the ph level you have running from tap,,there is a grower in cali that his water source is 8.5 and his soil is 6.0 some how it balances out and damn if he dont have actual trees,freaking stumps as big as oak trees,,so that is a option,for just a small grow indoors and again if you really want to tweek it in there is organic up and down,,but i honestly dont ever ph anything,cause the soil buffers it

 

[oldskol4evr]

this fella right here can help you out with any organic question you have,i just emailed him to make sure they have the ph up and down

 

[MIMedGrower]

It is only nessesary to ph water in buffered potting mix regardless of fertilizing method if the source water is very high in calcium.

150 ppm water is the suggested mineral content assuming 2/3 at least is calcium carbonate.

I have 8.0 well water with the 100-150ppm and never need to adjust even with bottled chemical based nutes.

 

[KlipschGuy]

As long as the medium has a buffer then it's not absolutely necessary. If you've added dolomite lime I would advise against using ph up or down as it can cause chemical reaction in your medium.

 

[DemonTrich]

As long as the medium has a buffer then it's not absolutely necessary. If you've added dolomite lime I would advise against using ph up or down as it can cause chemical reaction in your medium.

Going on almost 6yrs of growing and using ffof with dolomite lime (1 cup oer bag) and perlite added in. I've always ph'd my water and I've never had any issues. I go thru 10 bags of ffof a month.

 

[fatawa]

I ph mine forsure too like demon says.im wrking with hard ass water tho.8.0/245ppm starting.im also almost exclusivly dro guy tho n if u dont dope yur soil with dolamite or something id def ph...if yur ph aint right it dont matter wat u feed it wont b available to yur plant

 

[stiffneck]

I started growing organically about two years ago... before that I was always looking at and reading a PH pen. Since going organic/outdoor I have never Ph'd my water I just let it sit out for a couple days hen use it. Plants never looked so happy...
Soil consists of worm castings, malibu compost, mulch from property, mushroom compost, dolomite lime... amendments...

 

[KlipschGuy]

Well rather you put buffer in the medium or it comes with buffer already applied, I always ph my water just to help from sudden ph spikes or what not but some people never ph their water and have no problems at all.

 

[BudBogart]

I use 1000 gallons of water on water day. A major undertaking to alter the ph of so much water for an old man. MYou should be concerned about the ph of the soil after it has gotten watered. Depending upon what ph readings I get I would adjust the soil by adding organics to the soil that are either acidic or alkaline, mulch in and there you go. Once and done.