Confused! PH??

Hello all, this is my first post. Great site, great people. This is my problem. I try to water with a nute solution of 6.0-6.3. I usually have to bring the PH up slightly, after I prepare my nutrients. Now, I have done this for some time, but I am still learning. My runoff measures at about 5.4. Why? I see different numbers around here all the time. SO, I am confused!!! It needs to be balanced. How do you balance PH when it is showing an imbalance??

I also am having a problem with a slight twisting and clawl-like leaves? I do keep my lights close, but use direct fans to cool. It could be heat? I will follow up with pics? The question above is my real problem today.

Thanks everyone in advance!

B-C-Livin

your ph is off to start with i am assuming you are using soil since you are testing run off. Your ph should generally be in between 6.5 and 6.8. Those are the optimal ph levels for soil. It also sounds like your soil has a real low ph so my suggestion would be to flush your soil with a ph water of 7.0 until the run off reads in the optimal level. Your leaves are twisting due to a nute defficeincy cause by low ph most likely. So before you add any nutes get your soil ph correct, after that is done let soil dry and water with correct ph from now on and things should start looking up. Ph is one of the most important factors in growing, your ph is low causing some nutes to be locked out. So give a good flush and good luck.

Thanks so much for the reply. It really looks as if that may be my problem. Growth is now looking stunted with 2 weeks to go. I have some yellow dead spots in the center portion of some leaves. Yellowing all over. I know it could be the Nitrogen deficiency, as I am finishin up this crop. It is so frustrating some times. PH of Soilless mix should be?????? What is optimum?

6.5 - 6.8 for soil and 5.5 - 5.8 for hydro, when you say soiless medium which one do you use, are you using coco coir or something similar?

Its called Pro-Mix or Sunshine Mix #4. Contains , peat, perlite , vermiculite etc.

I would try to maintain a ph of about 6.5 unless you were going fine with a ph of 6.0 if so then maybe we have another problem. If the plant is in its last stage of flowering ( last 2 or 3 weeks ) you will notice a yellowing of the leaves which is normal, but if it is something other than a gradual yellowing than we probably have a problem. Since your runoff is a low ph it makes me believe it is a ph problem causing this and i would flush straight away and not give any more nutes till harvest. ( if you are in the last stage ). They really start to fatten up in these last 2 weeks so i would get that ph right asap. Good luck

That problem really screwed me up. Turns out I have been mixing my nutes wrong and really lowering the PH to dangerous levels. I was using "down" , when I should have been using "up". I am on to something new and they look downright pretty! I am fairly experienced, and what I have been doing is so bush league. I have all the basics nailed down and it shows. THANKS!

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