Flushing

Hi Guys,

My new clones (2.5 weeks in my posession) have not been looking great, and have been showing signs of nutrient lockout. I confirmed this by testing the pH of water before watering, and testing pH after it leaked out the bottom of the pot.

Entering the plant pH was around high 6's, low 7's
Existing the plant pH was around mid 8's

It seems that I need to flush. I will be transplanting from 1 gallon to 5 gallon pots in the next couple of days. Should I flush before I transplant or after? My intuition would tell me to flush before, but my intuition also got me some locked the fuck out nutrients, so your advice will be appreciated. Working in soil by the way.

What media?

Dr. Who said:

What media?

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yeah,i agree, what are you growing in atm m8?

Growing in organic potting soil.

Who's organic soil?

pH your ingoing to 6.5 and forget it....It would go a l-o-n-g way if we could see pics to make any further "educated" suggestions.
I might add that you could put a cpl of Tbls of dolomite lime on the soil to help out pH swings.
The testing of outflow only gives you the pH of the outflow and not of the soil....I run organic for 90% of my grows and I never pH nor have pH problems......I do my starting in Potters Gold and up-pot with super soil style grows in 50% of the organics run and home made True Life Organics style in the other 50%....
Subs super soil for Indica's
TLO for Sativa's I like the Rev's formula for these a lot!

Dr. Who said:

Who's organic soil?

pH your ingoing to 6.5 and forget it....It would go a l-o-n-g way if we could see pics to make any further "educated" suggestions.
I might add that you could put a cpl of Tbls of dolomite lime on the soil to help out pH swings.
The testing of outflow only gives you the pH of the outflow and not of the soil....I run organic for 90% of my grows and I never pH nor have pH problems......I do my starting in Potters Gold and up-pot with super soil style grows in 50% of the organics run and home made True Life Organics style in the other 50%....

Click to expand...

i completely agree with dr who.. all the ph of your run off tells you is the ph of your run off, and not much else, ie, it's a pretty useless number imvho..
and like dr who said, pix would help us help you..

But wouldn't the pH difference have to be created by something? Between it entering the soil at a set pH, and then exiting the soil at a higher pH, it seems that the only explanation for the change in pH would be the soil/nutrients locked into it. That seems like a huge jump in pH. I do not remember the soil name, it was not MiracleGro or anything like that. There were no supplemental nutrients in it.

I am going to the grow shop tomorrow and picking up new soil to transplant into 5 gal. and will be sure to note the name. Do you guys have any suggestions? Thanks for helping me think through this.

Also, pics are on the way, emailing them from my phone, and for some reason it is taking forever.

Dr. Who said:

Who's organic soil?

pH your ingoing to 6.5 and forget it....It would go a l-o-n-g way if we could see pics to make any further "educated" suggestions.
I might add that you could put a cpl of Tbls of dolomite lime on the soil to help out pH swings.
The testing of outflow only gives you the pH of the outflow and not of the soil....I run organic for 90% of my grows and I never pH nor have pH problems......I do my starting in Potters Gold and up-pot with super soil style grows in 50% of the organics run and home made True Life Organics style in the other 50%....
Subs super soil for Indica's
TLO for Sativa's I like the Rev's formula for these a lot!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. So when getting soil for my transplant to 5 gal. what type of soil would you recommend? These are indicas. I am also using a Mills nutrient cycle.

PICTURES ATTACHED

No and yes. But you need to know that in soil grows. The pH changes all the time.....When you water it goes one way and as the plant uses the moisture it goes back the other way. That is a NATURAL pH swing that happens in ALL soil grows. Dolomite lime has to be used in soils to stabilize the pH.

I simply love Potters Gold organic soil mix......GREAT stuff. Dr Earths POTting soil is good stuff but pricey.
http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/1116550-easy-organic-soil-mix-beginners.html
The above is a GREAT base soil mix for beginners! It works well and is easy to do down the road for you.
Read up on the Rev's TLO soil from his book here;
http://www.amazon.com/True-Living-Organics-All-Natural-Marijuana/dp/1931160961

Okay thank you! Do you think I should flush before transplant? Or is it unneccessary?

Ah HA! pictures
Your correct. pH instability is causing a lock. Dolomite lime in 2 Tbls spread over the top of the existing soil will help out!
pH to 6.5 going in.
Potters Gold soil, if you can find it is going to help a lot. FFOF is ok but add at least 20% perlite and a small handfull of dolomite lime to every cubic foot of soil used and mix it in!
You might foliar feed a bit to help the plant. Maybe some Cal/Mag product at 2.5ml per gallon at feedings won't hurt here.

NO, don't flush. It won't help this problem.

Dr. Who said:

Ah HA! pictures
Your correct. pH instability is causing a lock. Dolomite lime in 2 Tbls spread over the top of the existing soil will help out!
pH to 6.5 going in.
Potters Gold soil, if you can find it is going to help a lot. FFOF is ok but add at least 20% perlite and a small handfull of dolomite lime to every cubic foot of soil used and mix it in!
You might foliar feed a bit to help the plant. Maybe some Cal/Mag product at 2.5ml per gallon at feedings won't hurt here.

Click to expand...

Hey good call man! I got some new soil (Black Gold) , and adjusted the pH of the water. I also picked up some Cal/Mag just in case it is still showing deficiancy symptoms with calibrated water/nutrient cycle. Just gave it its first round of fertilized water yesterday, so I will hold off on Cal/Mag and see how it responds. But they are already looking much healthier, thanks for the help! Pics below. If you have any other feedback let me know!

Dr. Who said:

Who's organic soil?

pH your ingoing to 6.5 and forget it....It would go a l-o-n-g way if we could see pics to make any further "educated" suggestions.
I might add that you could put a cpl of Tbls of dolomite lime on the soil to help out pH swings.
The testing of outflow only gives you the pH of the outflow and not of the soil....I run organic for 90% of my grows and I never pH nor have pH problems......I do my starting in Potters Gold and up-pot with super soil style grows in 50% of the organics run and home made True Life Organics style in the other 50%....
Subs super soil for Indica's
TLO for Sativa's I like the Rev's formula for these a lot!

Click to expand...

when i top dress my soil with lime do i still have to add cal/mag at 5ml to my water help thinks

A Cal/Mag at 1/2 strength is a prudent way to use it in soil if using RO water or, It won't hurt just to be sure.

HauschkasFoot said:

Hi Guys,

My new clones (2.5 weeks in my posession) have not been looking great, and have been showing signs of nutrient lockout. I confirmed this by testing the pH of water before watering, and testing pH after it leaked out the bottom of the pot.

Entering the plant pH was around high 6's, low 7's
Existing the plant pH was around mid 8's

It seems that I need to flush. I will be transplanting from 1 gallon to 5 gallon pots in the next couple of days. Should I flush before I transplant or after? My intuition would tell me to flush before, but my intuition also got me some locked the fuck out nutrients, so your advice will be appreciated. Working in soil by the way.

Click to expand...

in soil ph should be 6.4-6.8 no higher or lower

Also, how rooted were your clones? If you started with nutrients right when you received, they may be too hot and locked out.