Newbie needs some help please

[StakMak]

I was wondering if it was abosolutley necessary to ph test ur plant??

 

[norcali]

yes to ensure steady and healthy growth ph balance is key

 

[lvl i k e y]

i am 2 and a half weeks into flower and my plants look very lush and healthy. i use cold tap water to water with. and never once have checked any type of ph level or any level of anything. how necessary is it?

 

[manditroy]

Depends upon your grow method... If you're in soil, like me, it may not be necessary. I use distilled water, so I know that should not be an issue for ph. I'm about to harvest my very first grow and my two girls are 35 inches tall and look to be holding about 2ozs each. I also have never checked ph, and am considering a switch to filtered tap water in my next grow. I may check the tap water ph, but only to be sure it reads close to the distilled I've been using. Even at just $1 per gallon, the distilled water cost is adding up when the plants get big enough to suck it up...

 

[captbooyah]

If you can drink the water, so can your plants... for tap, make sure it stays out and open for 24 hours to release chlorine. +rep Manditroy... I am a distilled user myself... it comes at about 6.0ph always.

 

[mr.notsogreenthumb]

I use tap water all the time and my harvests look fine. If you are using some fancy fertilizer then it might be wise to check the ph, but as long as your plants are lush and green then just keep doing what you are doing.

 

[manditroy]

Thanks Capt...figured the distilled was probably around 6ph, but have never checked it. I have a new refridgerator with a filtered water dispenser, so I was thinking of using that for my next grow and saving the $1 per gallon I've been spending on distilled. You think I should check ph anyway, or just let some sit a day and then try it out? Now where am I ever going to find some empty plastic gallon jugs to fill up...LOL -Mandi

If you can drink the water, so can your plants... for tap, make sure it stays out and open for 24 hours to release chlorine. +rep Manditroy... I am a distilled user myself... it comes at about 6.0ph always.

 

[captbooyah]

I think the water from your fridge should be fine... All I did for ph testing in the beginning was get some aquarium ph strips from Wal-mart... just used it to test the distilled water to make sure it wasn't past like 6.5. Someone on here told me to think of it as "what's ph"... it's something people kinda needlessly worry themselves with. If you have ph balanced soil like Fox Farm Ocean Forest, then you are in an even better position.

 

[jawbrodt]

It's not *necessary*, but if you run into a circumstance where you find your harvest was ruined due to your PH being waaay off, I think you'll decide to start monitoring PH, a little closer. Thatt's alot of time and work to lose, over something that could be easily checked. Be especially wary, when mixing ferts, or changing to a different type(like from veg to bloom). Many will drive your PH to the unsafe range.

 

[lvl i k e y]

i have an RO/DI system i use for my reef tank could i use the same water to water my plants? my TDS meter reads 1ppm. will the de-Ionised water effect my plants in a negative way?