Ph up and Ph down
- Thread starter roo
- Start date
somebody041
Well-Known Member
maybe i'm in the minority here but i avoid using ph up and ph down when growing organically. first off, i'm pretty sure that the chemicals used to ph up and ph down (phosphoric acid and citric acid iirc, but correct me if i'm wrong) are chemical not organic and can kill the microbes.
additionally, adjusting the ph is something that the microbes DONT LIKE. it is not natural. your better bet is adding dolomite lime at 2 tbs per gal. when you fluctuate the PH like that most (not all) of the microbes die and the remaining ones are left to repopulate the tea. it's just not an effective way to adjust the ph since the chief benefit of teas is the vast microbial diversity
additionally, adjusting the ph is something that the microbes DONT LIKE. it is not natural. your better bet is adding dolomite lime at 2 tbs per gal. when you fluctuate the PH like that most (not all) of the microbes die and the remaining ones are left to repopulate the tea. it's just not an effective way to adjust the ph since the chief benefit of teas is the vast microbial diversity
roo
Active Member
I have been getting conflicting reports on whether or not is organic. Just as many people say it is as it isn't. But i fully understand what you are saying about the microbes not liking the shift in ph. I know you can use vinegar as down. Usually when I add my nutes they are already down i need to bring them up, I use metanaturals. So should I add lime as base to bring up or leave it the way it is when mixed. I am assuming lime is a base. Does ph really matter in organics. Thanks.
armlengthbuds
Well-Known Member
I'm with you 100% on this one! Although an extensive amount of damage may not be done with chem up/down, dolemite is the answer!!! Bone meal will raise your PH as well. It will just take a lil longer. Peat moss will lower your PH, again taking just a lil bit longer. And typically you want to use bonemeal during flowering. If you do use Dolemite lime powder the standard is 1 ounce per 1 gallon pf planting soil.... Good luck
somebody041
Well-Known Member
most people will tell you no, ph doesn't matter in organics as long as you buffer the ph with lime. the microbeasties take care of the ph naturally.
you want to use 2 tbs powdered dolomite lime per gallon of potting soil, as stated above. it is probably too late for your current plants but premixing lime into the soil will help alot of your problems
