Need help determining ph problem/deficiency

travon

Member
all i can say that it looks real low that just happen to me when I mixed humic acid and a bunch of other additive which wasnt ph'd all of sudden I get that same look,do you have any thing that can check the ph run off i dont know if its hydroponic or soil that your growing in so not really sure
 

MMJhelps

Member
just picked up some dolomite because my run off was 5.8, watering with 7.0 and run off wouldn't change no matter how much flushing was done. Used 1 tbsp mixed into the top layer of the soil, watered with 7.0 and the runoff was 6.0 so I left it at that. Should I continue adding 1 tbsp of dolomite at each watering until my run off is around 6.5?

I'm thinking low ph caused these problems.

I have two hydro plants that have a different problem, only thing I can think of is that the ph dropped to 5.5 overnight and it was at 6.0 the day before. I'll try to get pictures of their leaves.
 

travon

Member
just picked up some dolomite because my run off was 5.8, watering with 7.0 and run off wouldn't change no matter how much flushing was done. Used 1 tbsp mixed into the top layer of the soil, watered with 7.0 and the runoff was 6.0 so I left it at that. Should I continue adding 1 tbsp of dolomite at each watering until my run off is around 6.5?

I'm thinking low ph caused these problems.

I have two hydro plants that have a different problem, only thing I can think of is that the ph dropped to 5.5 overnight and it was at 6.0 the day before. I'll try to get pictures of their leaves.
I thought it was low ph cause it looked the same as mines did but I caught it early what type of nutes are you using organic or synthetic.I believe you should be ok with both types due to the fact that it will gradually will go up as the plant absorb the nutrients I know for a fact that you will be good if its organic but I prefer 6.3 to be good with synthetic just leave it and see what happens,you should start to see something within two days max.If its good you will start see recovery some what and if not will get worse the next day also did your new growth curl in some and look a little like nute burn hope this helps
 

MMJhelps

Member
I thought it was low ph cause it looked the same as mines did but I caught it early what type of nutes are you using organic or synthetic.I believe you should be ok with both types due to the fact that it will gradually will go up as the plant absorb the nutrients I know for a fact that you will be good if its organic but I prefer 6.3 to be good with synthetic just leave it and see what happens,you should start to see something within two days max.If its good you will start see recovery some what and if not will get worse the next day also did your new growth curl in some and look a little like nute burn hope this helps
Floranova grow and bloom, was using full bloom mix at 6 days into flowering but now I'm using a 20-30% grow and 70-80% bloom. New growth is growing fine, except some of the tops have one clawed fan leaf, and I believe a little twisting. I'm going to up the ph to 7.2 and add 1tbsp of dolomite to the top layer of soil each watering. Keep the run off to around 900ppm's and I'll slowly switch to 100% bloom nutes within a week.

I just watered today, second time giving them dolomite, and the first time I used it I noticed the ph go up .2, from 5.8 to 6.0. On the second watering I found most of them to be around 5.8 again! I know the dolomite is slow releasing, and I don't want to over do it so I'm going to hope the problem corrects itself by slowing adding the dolomite. I agree with you one having a 6.3 soil ph, thats pretty much what I'm shooting for.

I've read that watering with DI water(RO/DI) and checking the run off will give you a real soil ph reading, but I think I'm getting the same run off ph even when watering with a nute mix.
 

travon

Member
Floranova grow and bloom, was using full bloom mix at 6 days into flowering but now I'm using a 20-30% grow and 70-80% bloom. New growth is growing fine, except some of the tops have one clawed fan leaf, and I believe a little twisting. I'm going to up the ph to 7.2 and add 1tbsp of dolomite to the top layer of soil each watering. Keep the run off to around 900ppm's and I'll slowly switch to 100% bloom nutes within a week.

I just watered today, second time giving them dolomite, and the first time I used it I noticed the ph go up .2, from 5.8 to 6.0. On the second watering I found most of them to be around 5.8 again! I know the dolomite is slow releasing, and I don't want to over do it so I'm going to hope the problem corrects itself by slowing adding the dolomite. I agree with you one having a 6.3 soil ph, thats pretty much what I'm shooting for.

I've read that watering with DI water(RO/DI) and checking the run off will give you a real soil ph reading, but I think I'm getting the same run off ph even when watering with a nute mix.
what I would do is ph some water at 6.5 to 6.8 flush until you see the run off same as you did when first adjust it.Sometimes salt build up thats in the old soil thats tied up by the roots will have that and prevent ph adjusting ablilty due to the salt build up now,after you flush you should be ok to go full strenth bloom or go half bloom half grow to accomadate the production of chlorophyll and then go full bloom
 

MMJhelps

Member
what I would do is ph some water at 6.5 to 6.8 flush until you see the run off same as you did when first adjust it.Sometimes salt build up thats in the old soil thats tied up by the roots will have that and prevent ph adjusting ablilty due to the salt build up now,after you flush you should be ok to go full strenth bloom or go half bloom half grow to accomadate the production of chlorophyll and then go full bloom
Good advice but I've tried flushing 2x the pot and it stays the same, what EC should I be shooting for after flushing? The ppms came down to around 600 on them and I've heard others like to get their plants down to 300 when flushing but I haven't flushed more than 2x the pot size, down to 600ppms.

The good news is the two little 3gal pots went up to 6.3. and 6.5 this watering, so the dolomite has raised the soil ph slowly. I think two treatments of the dolomite might just do the job, however the 5gal pots were given the same dose so they have probably not jumped as high(watering them tomorrow). Their going two days between waterings, is that normal? I think a lot of my problems are heat stress with the room being at 91.5-92.5, co2 fluctuating some. Now I'm running a/c and the temps down to 88 but my grow room is at 71. I'm not sure if that's too low yet but I do know that it's not an ideal temp. haha
 

jawbrodt

Well-Known Member
I agree with the advice to flush with some 6.8-7.0 water until the runoff is up at 6.5 or higher. Add some more lime to the top of the soil, or better yet, add some to the water before you put it in. It's tough to overdo the lime, because it stabilizes in the soil, very quickly. Add a tbsp to the first bottle of water you dump in, then switch to PHed water for the rest of the flushing. That'll help work some of the lime down into the soil, and keep it stabilized for awhile. Then go back to your normal water/feed schedule, and feed it with your next watering. :)

Also, if your runoff is coming out at 6.0, then your soil PH is lower than that, probably around 5.5.
 

jawbrodt

Well-Known Member
You'll be okay at 71*, as long as you don't let it get much lower than that. I like to keep my bloom room between 73* and 75*, so 71* shouldn't be a problem. Veg should be a little higher, if possible, but shouldn't be a huge issue at 71*, either.
 

cutman

Well-Known Member
ok looks to me like nute burn, not ph levels . 1-you have to high of ph, 6.3- 6.5 should be your target, in soil grow. how old your plants? what stage? what soil ?. i keep my ppm done to 600- 750, o found that the ladys are less likely to get burned or deficiency. yes need to be on a watering cycle. works for me is every 2-3 days depending on what she is telling me. i use soil fox farm ocean forest witch has nutes in it. after flushing start back slow with nutes 1/4 strieght , and work it up. and i dont give nutes every watering, i do every other watering. so that you dont get a build up of nutes in your soil.
 

MMJhelps

Member
Also, if your runoff is coming out at 6.0, then your soil PH is lower than that, probably around 5.5.[/QUOTE]

What about if I'm using DI water? I've read that it will give you a true run off reading. but my run off watering with nutes is the same so I'm probably wrong about DI water run off giving a true soil ph.

My flower room was at 89-92, most of the time 90-91.5 except when the plants are close to watering. My humidifer is adding a lot of heat. My room is sealed, co2 monitor kept at 1500ppms now. Had a problem with high co2 levels. Now the temps are 87-88 with a/c running. I'm trying to find out what are acceptable water temps for ebb and flow under high air temps and extra co2.

I'll flush them again with straight ro/di water ph'd to 7.0 and try to get them up higher. I think some of the problem is heat stress but I'm not too far off from the recommended 86 degrees with co2.
 
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