Raising PH in early and late flower stage

[Tkdro]

I read an article online that advised to increase PH from 5.8 to 6-6.1 for early flower stage and 6.2-6.3 for late flowering. This applies to hydro.

I'm also seeing conflicting nutrient PH uptake charts for hydro online, so it's hard for me to determine if 6.3 PH will have the best uptake of nutrients essential for that stage of the plant life.

Has anyone else tried this and or confirm this is accurate?

I also understand mild PH swings are also ideal to get a wider spectrum of nutrients.

PS- I posted this in dwc sub but realized it applies more in this sub

 

[rkymtnman]

keep it b/t 5.5 and 6.1 for hydro

 

[SuperiorBuds]

5.5 to 6.5 is acceptable, 5.8 to 6.2 is perfect.

 

[Tkdro]

Thanks but I'm asking specifically for different stages of the plant life cycle. I'm not asking for general ph range that's listed on 100's of different sites.
For instance, plants need a lot of potassium in flower and I found a popular stick on RIU that says potassium is best absorbed at ph
4.7 to 5.3. See below cut and paste.

Hydro and Soil less Mediums

Potassium gets locked out of Hydro and Soil less Mediums at ph levels of 4.0-4.5, 6.0-6.5.
Potassium is absorbed best in Hydro and Soil less Mediums at ph levels of 4.7-5.3, 6.7-8.5. (Wouldnt recommend having a ph over 6.5 in hydro and soil less mediums.) Best range for hydro and soil less mediums is 5.0 to 6.0. Anything out of the ranges listed will contribute to a potassium deficiency.

 

[rkymtnman]

in your example, if you run at 5.3 to help K, you'll lock out Mg. if you run at 6.3, youll lock out Ca

best bet is just let it fluctuate b/t 5.5 and 6.1 for the whole grow.

 

[fragileassassin]

Yes, you are over complicating something that doesnt need to be a thing. Theres a reason you didnt find any specific ranges.
What you're talking about will only cause you more problems to chase imo.
My ph pegs at 5.8 nearly the whole grow and they love it.

 

[Tkdro]

I pro

Yes, you are over complicating something that doesnt need to be a thing. Theres a reason you didnt find any specific ranges.
What you're talking about will only cause you more problems to chase imo.
My ph pegs at 5.8 nearly the whole grow and they love it.

I probably am. I've had great results going with 5.8 as well, but I'm always looking for ways to improve.
Thanks for your input. I

 

[fragileassassin]

I pro

I probably am. I've had great results going with 5.8 as well, but I'm always looking for ways to improve.
Thanks for your input. I

I also love to mess with shit that doesnt need to be messed with, but this is one of the things that we shouldnt.
The tried and trusted way in this case has lots of scientific data to back it up.
Generally mild swings/drifts are considered good but they dont always happen. Its best to just let it do its thing until it gets outside of acceptable ranges.
In both flower and veg nutrient mixes, my ph lands right at 5.7-5.8 so I dont adjust.
I get a very gradual drift up in veg. Once it gets to 6.3, I correct it to 5.7.
In flower, the booster I use keeps it rock solid. It stays steady until its time for a res change and usually ppm is going up fairly quickly by then which is another sign I take that its time to change.

 

[Renfro]

I started watching my pH at the root zone with Apera and Bluelab soil pH pens. I would check several times after feeding until the next feed. what I observed was the pH start at one point and drop as it got closer to the next feed. I found the best results for me were to feed at the high end of the Goldilocks zone and let the pH drift down between each feeding. This allowed the plant to have easy access to all nutrients and they loved it. The key was watering high and letting it drop down. If I watered in the middle then I would end up lower than I liked and they spent too much time out of zone.

 

[Tkdro]

I started watching my pH at the root zone with Apera and Bluelab soil pH pens. I would check several times after feeding until the next feed. what I observed was the pH start at one point and drop as it got closer to the next feed. I found the best results for me were to feed at the high end of the Goldilocks zone and let the pH drift down between each feeding. This allowed the plant to have easy access to all nutrients and they loved it. The key was watering high and letting it drop down. If I watered in the middle then I would end up lower than I liked and they spent too much time out of zone.

That's pretty interesting. Makes sense to me.

 

[Tkdro]

I also love to mess with shit that doesnt need to be messed with, but this is one of the things that we shouldnt.
The tried and trusted way in this case has lots of scientific data to back it up.
Generally mild swings/drifts are considered good but they dont always happen. Its best to just let it do its thing until it gets outside of acceptable ranges.
In both flower and veg nutrient mixes, my ph lands right at 5.7-5.8 so I dont adjust.
I get a very gradual drift up in veg. Once it gets to 6.3, I correct it to 5.7.
In flower, the booster I use keeps it rock solid. It stays steady until its time for a res change and usually ppm is going up fairly quickly by then which is another sign I take that its time to change.

Yes that one of my issues (if you can call it an issue). My PH in flower is pretty consistent at 5.7 or 5.8 and stays that way.

 

[Tkdro]

I'm still wondering why alchimia says to go to 6.3 for late flower, how reliable is their info?

From their site:
During the growth stage of seedlings and young cuttings a pH of 5.5 is recommended. We can raise this value up to 5.8 as the plants grow. During the stretch (pre-flowering stage) the plants start to demand more and different nutrients; we can raise to 5.9 now. In this way, plants have all the necessary nutrients to grow and start flowering without a problem.
During the bloom period we should use a pH range from 6 to 6.2 for a more efficient nutrient uptake. During the last weeks of this stage, we can raise the pH value to 6.3-6.4

pH and marijuana- Alchimiaweb

In this post we tell you about pH and how important it is for having healthy and lush cannabis plants. Either in soil or inert substrates, adjusting t

www.alchimiaweb.com

I also still keep seeing hydro nutrient ph absorption charts that show different values from site to site...which is actually accurate?

please don't comment with a general statement..ie just keep your ph 5.5 to 6.1....

 

[rkymtnman]

please don't comment with a general statement..ie just keep your ph 5.5 to 6.1...

no offense dude but you post these articles from different sources. send them an email and ask. we've given you great info yet you are stubborn about taking it. keep your pH from 5.5 to 6.1 , that's the range for hydro.

 

[Tkdro]

I didnt mean to come off rude, but I'm asking for specific input on something and you come back with a general statement that i already know and can find on every forum. Not only that, even within RIU there are different stickies/guides where people endorse 5-6 ph, 5.5-6.5, 5.5-6.1or just 5.8. I'm just trying to learn more and get better. Also one site says calcium is best absorbed in hydro at 5.4-5.8 (riu) and another says over 6.2 ph (growweedeasy)...everyone seems to have conflicting information...

 

[rkymtnman]

a general statement that i already know and can find on every forum

there's your clue.

if you want to run your pH in a range, that range is 5.5 to 6.1
if you want to run your pH at one value, it's 5.8

some products like Humic Acid, act as a chelating agent and allow you to run slightly out of those parameters and also allow you to run lower EC as it helps with nutrient uptake.

but if whatever value you say , like 6.5 for end of bloom, really does help, then most people would be doing that. but they aren't.

 

[OG Doge]

I lower ppm and raise pH last few weeks before flush. Plants are bursting with new flower growth as leaves yellow. I use GH pH drops at lemon yellow at this stage, I don't know exact number but it works for me.