pH problems

Norby Grown

Norby Grown

Well-Known Member
Continually getting lockout starting in week 5ish. Using happy frog this time. Water in is neutral and the ones having problems the pH out is in the low 4 range. The runoff from others with less to no problems is 5-5.5 . Can beneficial fungi decrease the pH like that? Can over watering without symptoms in the plants start to break down the peat moss and spike the pH? I use 1/2 strength general organics once a week in flower and last 2 weeks of veg and cal mag 1/2 strength 1x a week with good tap water 160ish ppm and close to neutral pH.
Seems to be a recurring problem. And the only thing I add is very little ferts and Great white beneficial fungi
 
R

Ray27

Member
Pictures ?

If you're in soil the ph range should be 6 to 7. Flush your soil completely and add some lime
 
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PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Norby Grown said:
Continually getting lockout starting in week 5ish. Using happy frog this time. Water in is neutral and the ones having problems the pH out is in the low 4 range. The runoff from others with less to no problems is 5-5.5 . Can beneficial fungi decrease the pH like that? Can over watering without symptoms in the plants start to break down the peat moss and spike the pH? I use 1/2 strength general organics once a week in flower and last 2 weeks of veg and cal mag 1/2 strength 1x a week with good tap water 160ish ppm and close to neutral pH.
Seems to be a recurring problem. And the only thing I add is very little ferts and Great white beneficial fungi
Click to expand...
Have you measured the pH of the water after adding nutes?
 
Norby Grown

Norby Grown

Well-Known Member
Threw them out today. 4 of 6 had hermied and all had seeds. Saved 2 that had no male flowers and showed the least signs of lockout and had the highest pH runoff to reveg and clone from.
pH of water with nutes was in the low 5 range. I don't understand how the pH coming out can be in the upper 3 range if nothing going in was ever near that low. I only fertilized 5-6x all together. Watered 4 x a week and only 1 of 4 was 1/2 strength nutes. The other 3 were neutral tap water.
I've heard overabundance of fungi can cause acidic conditions and I used great white 1-2x a week from seed to flower. That or the peat moss in Happy Frog mix was decomposing and made the mix acidic?
The ones I flushed actually showed the worst signs of lock out and had the lowest pH runoff. Which makes me think mycelium or peat moss decomposing?
 
S

spek9

Well-Known Member
Norby Grown said:
Threw them out today. 4 of 6 had hermied and all had seeds. Saved 2 that had no male flowers and showed the least signs of lockout and had the highest pH runoff to reveg and clone from.
pH of water with nutes was in the low 5 range. I don't understand how the pH coming out can be in the upper 3 range if nothing going in was ever near that low. I only fertilized 5-6x all together. Watered 4 x a week and only 1 of 4 was 1/2 strength nutes. The other 3 were neutral tap water.
I've heard overabundance of fungi can cause acidic conditions and I used great white 1-2x a week from seed to flower. That or the peat moss in Happy Frog mix was decomposing and made the mix acidic?
The ones I flushed actually showed the worst signs of lock out and had the lowest pH runoff. Which makes me think mycelium or peat moss decomposing?
Click to expand...
Is this Happy Frog stuff soil or peat? After mixing nutrients and water, if peat, your pH should be about 6 (5.5-6.5). If soil, pH should be about 6.5 (6.0-7.0).

I've never had the need to measure runoff with soil-type grows. In fact, I only water until a drip or two comes out the bottom of each pot.
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
spek9 said:
Is this Happy Frog stuff soil or peat? After mixing nutrients and water, if peat, your pH should be about 6 (5.5-6.5). If soil, pH should be about 6.5 (6.0-7.0).

I've never had the need to measure runoff with soil-type grows. In fact, I only water until a drip or two comes out the bottom of each pot.
Click to expand...
Happy Frog is Coco based. Ocean Forest is peat based.
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
cannabineer said:
Have they changed the formula? The Happy Frog I bought in ‘11 had peat and no coco.
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Well shit I was wrong. It is peat based. I thought for sure it was coco. I don't even know where I heard that from anymore, lol. Thanks for setting me straight.
www.planetnatural.com

Happy Frog Potting Soil (12qt & 2cf) | Planet Natural

FoxFarm Happy Frog Potting Soil is alive with beneficial microbes and fungi that help break down organic matter and feed the plant roots. Available in TWO sizes.
www.planetnatural.com
 
Norby Grown

Norby Grown

Well-Known Member
Just strait happy frog soil mix. I checked the ph on the run off from 6 pots and it ranged from 3.8 - 5. They have all got the same care so it's gotta be fungi out of control or the peat is breaking down. I just don't understand why they would all start to drift in ph like that with such a basic set up. I don't know if I should add pelletized lime to the happy frog mix or find another mix that adds more lime? Just peasured the ph of the fertilized water and it was close to 6. I'm thiking of cutting out the beneficial mycchorizals and adding a little pelletized lime to the happy frog. Is there any coco based mixes? Those 2 variables are teh only thing I can think of that would swing the ph so much if nothing going in was below 6ph, mostly 7.2.
Are there any other variables that would drop ph so significantly?
 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Norby Grown said:
Just strait happy frog soil mix. I checked the ph on the run off from 6 pots and it ranged from 3.8 - 5. They have all got the same care so it's gotta be fungi out of control or the peat is breaking down. I just don't understand why they would all start to drift in ph like that with such a basic set up. I don't know if I should add pelletized lime to the happy frog mix or find another mix that adds more lime? Just peasured the ph of the fertilized water and it was close to 6. I'm thiking of cutting out the beneficial mycchorizals and adding a little pelletized lime to the happy frog. Is there any coco based mixes? Those 2 variables are teh only thing I can think of that would swing the ph so much if nothing going in was below 6ph, mostly 7.2.
Are there any other variables that would drop ph so significantly?
Click to expand...
This is a long shot: a micro herd out of balance.
I mixed a 4-liter test res of veg nutes. I then added a teaspoon of Superthrive. Mistake. The Superthrive made the whole mix go cloudy, and pH went from 6.5 to like 4.0.

Just for fun, I left that res alone until the cloud of bacteria died and settled. The pH recovered to original value as the bacterial cells lysed and gave up their hoarded alkali.

Not sure how this relates to your situation. If you have the option of admixing some powdered dolomite, I would expect that to help.
 
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J

Jackious101

Member
Sorry to see problems in happy frog and ocean Forrest, Ive been using these soils for a while. Be sure to mix it with another soil that isnt so nutrient rich and ADD LIME!!!!!!! without lime added these soils will start out at about 6.5 PH then slowly fall to 3-4PH over weeks. Even with no extra nutes added and 7PH water. They are just too acidic. So do your self a favor and switch soils or mix well. I take small bag of ocean Forrest, small bag of happy frog, big bag of miracle grow(blue bag seed starter i think) and a little LIME and bud-swell. I USUALLY don't have to mess with adding nutrients well into 8th or 9th week. Just check PH of run off and water regularly. The Powdered LIME does the trick
 
J

Jackious101

Member
I had the same issues for a while using those soils, PH dropping killed a couple plants of mine. But i like that they are nutrient rich, not having to mess with nutrients for months is nice. Thats why I stuck with them.
 
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