Adjusting PH

dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
I'm currently using Aurora buddha lineup which is total organic. My question is , after I mix up a 5 gallon solution of nutrients and additives my ph is like damn near 3.0. I use dynagro protekt for two purposes, one to supply my grow with silica, the bonus is protekt is pretty strong stuff and silica is a natural ph up so I go a little heavy on it just so I'm not adding half a goddamn bottle of ph up to 5 gallons nutrient solution. The ph up I'm using certainly must be chemical and I'm having to use a lot and still not reaching the ph level I'd like to. Tell me, am I doing something wrong? Organics and soil/soil-less are new to me.
 
Nullis

Nullis

Moderator
You might try cutting back some from the recommended rates (if you aren't already). But, in organics pH of your fertigation mixture need not be adjusted so much. Your soil/medium should have plenty of dolomitic or calcitic limestone. Dolomite is recommended because it has magnesium as well as calcium. Generally you can add roughly 1.5 to 2 tbsp per gallon to the mix, preferably before planting anything in it. Otherwise, you can try mixing a tablespoon per gallon of your container to the top few inches of the soil, or initially to a small volume of water. It's not going to dissolve very well at all so you need to agitate it if you're going to try to water it in. Then take a fork or something and poke it into the soil as you water thoroughly.

You could also look into aerating the nutrients you are using, or actively aerated compost teas.

The microbes and the plants themselves will help to balance the soil pH. Bacterial bio-slime has a basic pH. Fungi produce acids. Plant roots exchange hydrogen cations (contributes to acidity) and bicarbonate anions (contributes to basicity) for nutrients. Some other organic fertilizers can also be quite basic. One that I use is Peruvian Seabird Guano (12-11-2) which will raise pH of solutions quite significantly. Guano is also a source of microbes and you can brew with it.
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
Nullis said:
You might try cutting back some from the recommended rates (if you aren't already). But, in organics pH of your fertigation mixture need not be adjusted so much. Your soil/medium should have plenty of dolomitic or calcitic limestone. Dolomite is recommended because it has magnesium as well as calcium. Generally you can add roughly 1.5 to 2 tbsp per gallon to the mix, preferably before planting anything in it. Otherwise, you can try mixing a tablespoon per gallon of your container to the top few inches of the soil, or initially to a small volume of water. It's not going to dissolve very well at all so you need to agitate it if you're going to try to water it in. Then take a fork or something and poke it into the soil as you water thoroughly.

You could also look into aerating the nutrients you are using, or actively aerated compost teas.

The microbes and the plants themselves will help to balance the soil pH. Bacterial bio-slime has a basic pH. Fungi produce acids. Plant roots exchange hydrogen cations (contributes to acidity) and bicarbonate anions (contributes to basicity) for nutrients. Some other organic fertilizers can also be quite basic. One that I use is Peruvian Seabird Guano (12-11-2) which will raise pH of solutions quite significantly. Guano is also a source of microbes and you can brew with it.
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I do brew teas and also aerate nutrients while I'm mixing and then let them sit with stones in the buckets for awhile. I'm about ready to stop buying ready made organic nutrients and just mix the stuff up myself. I do like the aurora buddha lineup but I'm sure it can be done cheaper. Thanks for the info.
 
Nullis

Nullis

Moderator
Oh yeah, I was going to add but forgot... The pH of the run-off is what really counts, so check that. Don't be too concerned if it isn't exactly between 6.5-6.8. Really anywhere from 6 to even upwards of 7 is just fine. Certain kinds of bacteria that fix nitrogen from the atmosphere to be made available to plants actually prefer the pH around 7.2.
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
You also might not want to *go heavy* with the Pro Tekt. I speak from experience here.

Use the 1/4 to 1/2tsp/gallon and wherever your pH ends up, let it go. Quit with the chem pH+.

Do as Nullis suggested with the lime and don't worry about pH at all. I dump stuff with pH's of upper 4's to over 10 with no issues. The lime and the microherd takes care of it all. The pH meter hasn't been out of the box in over 9 months.

Wet
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
cool, thanks guys. I'm actually in week 5 flower if I remember right and never checked run off once, I do set ph when feeding but in between with just watering I don't ph either. The plants are doing pretty good really. I'm surprised for my first soil/soil-less organics grow.I'll drop the chem ph up since it weirded me out anyway. I will however check run off just for the hell of it.
 
InfidelUniversity

InfidelUniversity

Active Member
dbkick said:
hell may as well put a photo up, I'm proud of this one, think I'll be doing this strain only from now on...........
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Very frosty:)....Im using Budda also but I split the dose with PureBlendPro. I to raise the ph with protekt, it seems strong as a basic but it wont change ur EC much..........Wonder what Azomite would do? It's 65% Silica...PH of 8.
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
InfidelUniversity said:
Very frosty:)....Im using Budda also but I split the dose with PureBlendPro. I to raise the ph with protekt, it seems strong as a basic but it wont change ur EC much..........Wonder what Azomite would do? It's 65% Silica...PH of 8.
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how do you go about ph adjustments? Azomite, all this is new to me, I'm going back to hydro soon and will be using a silica rock (dynagro roks) and I'm wondering if that will affect ph.
 
InfidelUniversity

InfidelUniversity

Active Member
I'm not using much so the Protekt gets it close......5-7.5 is fine with me tho, the soil will deal with it in short order..................

I heard bubbling ur ferts while help also with low ph..............

Azomite is volcanic ash from utah......
 
G

goDsnataS

Active Member
I use the full roots organic line, and soil, and I also use protekt at 1/2 tsp per gallon. After mixing, the ph is usually around 4.8, so I'll add a little earth juice ph up to bring it to 6.0-6.3. This is what the aurora rep suggested, and I haven't had any problems so far.

I've never tried leaving the ph alone, but it obviously works if your soil is amended correctly.
 
InfidelUniversity

InfidelUniversity

Active Member
So yea bubbling your ferts sounds like the ticket, raise your ph and increase your microbes while getting a head start on breaking the organic matter down....
 
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