Question about pH

Hey there.. I read the faqs, and didnt really get the answer Im looking for..
I just got an electronic pH tester.. I also got some 7.0 test solution..

I have a grow video from High Times, called Ready Set Grow.. Where it says the best pH is about 6.5..

The FAQS say 6.0, for soil.. THat seems really low to me.. Im wondering which is better, or so close it really isnt going make much difference..

Now for a question about my garden.. If the soil run off water is testing about 7.0 is this ok?
The water Im using seems about 5.5 or so..
Which I know is too low, but the run off water of my soil is 6.9 - 7.0..
Will this work, or should I look to find a way to adjust my waters pH?
Since it seems to be so low, wouldnt raising it closer to neutral, then increase the run off water of my soil..
Which is more important a 6.5ish pH water for the soil, or having the run off water as close to neutral or 6.5ish..
Thx in advance

hi joe, im using soil also and i have checked the PH a few times since my seedling have been in the pots and mine is a steady 6.8. i have read that for soil its meant to be as close to 6.8 as you can get it, the run off water should be ok at 7.0 but im not 100% sure.

hustla

Whew, not too sure about testing the run off water, but I religiously balance mine between 6.3-6.5 and I'm using Fox Farm soils and ferts.

the plants are doing excellent with it.

seems to me that below 7 is an important limit.....mine is consistently 6.3-6.8....soil pH

sounds like the same problem I had,,,my water ph. is 5.8 to 6.0,,, and my run off is at 7,, working good for me as my avatar shows,, I just had to adjust when it goes over 7,, anything over 7 is very bad but 7 works.

oh, and Im not sure which is more important,, but your plant will tell you that if needed...

ok, Im just cant find lime here, at any stores.. So right now its not an option for me to add it.. Sure wish I could find it..
I just moved over seas about a year ago.. Reading packages, and things is proving to be very very hard, as they are all in chinese

I heard eggshells can help somewhat balance pH.. So I did add them to my soil mix, since I dont have any lime.. Anyone else heard this about eggshells?

I cant fucking believe it.. I only have a webcam to take pics, so I had to bring in this seedling.. Just after this my fucking cat jumped up on my counter, and knocked the little shit over.. I had to break out the squirt gun, and soak her little wise ass

This Im sure isnt the end of the world, and hopfully this little guy, or girl will pull threw.. BUT I only have so many seeds, I was able to bring with me.. So its vital I get some healthy plants.. All a person can find here is bad quality hash.. Its better then nothing, but I havent smoked actual buds in about 8 months
I wanted to show some people what it looked like..
It poped up very fast.. However it hasnt really done shit since..
This seedling is 2-3 days old.. I went to bed a few days ago, and there wasnt anything sprouted.. Then this little sucked jumped up.. Now though, it hasnt even move.. This is pretty much exactly what it looked like the morning it poped up..
Is this normal, or since it poped up so fast, shouldnt it of grow more then this?

I also included a picture of mt pH pen tester, I just got the other day..
I have been testing the run off water, and it at 6.8 exactly.. My water is still at 5.5 or so

can I get some more feed back please!???

I just moved overseas, and ONLY have a few seeds.. After THAT Im shit out of luck..

So its really really important I get this right!!!

Only thing you can get here is low grade hash, and NO buds ANYWHERE.. So I ONLY have the few seeds I brought with me..!! :!

I find the slowest part is waiting for the first real leaves to come out... The second slowest would be the first few nodes... I guess you might have a hard time finding good nuts out there... Good luck and be safe...

Oh and i never really checked my runoff... But always keep my watering water at around 6.5 ish... I have a liquid test kit so i get it as close as possible...

ok thx, I just thought I heard somewhere if you wanted to know the pH of your soil to test the run off water was one way..
Anyone heard about the eggshells to help balance pH before?

Also would aquarium pH up, be ok for plants?
THere are NO grow shops around to sell this sort of thing..
And an aquarium shop is ONLY place to find things for pH..

tell us the ingredient(s) of the "aquarium" phup for your answer... I suspect if its OK for fish it is OK for plants. So you are looking for a chemical name on the bottle and we can tell you for sure.

There are natural ingrediants you can use for ph adjusting... I think vinagar is one... Search around on the forums and the faq i remember reading it here but not sure where...

You are going to want a ph down more then you will need a ph up... The only time i use ph up is when i accidently over use my ph down...

My water is still at 5.5 or so

Click to expand...

But if you are talking about you tap water is coming out at 5.5 then ya you need ph up... My water is around 7-8 from tap and i use a standard 3-stage pur water filter and water is constant at 7.0 from the filter...

So look into water filters (not softeners)...

And look for the store bought ph adjusting ingredients here...

Again where are you going to get nutrients... ??

Im talking about bottled water, Im using.. My tap water is about the same pH as the bottled water too..
I heard on a video from High Times called ready set grow, baking soda will increase, and viniger will lower pH..

PROBLEM IS, I live overseas, and UNLESS I see a box of arm and hammer, im shit out of luck finding any.. I dont see any, and havent ever seen any ary, and hammer brands of baking soda here..
There could be a other brand, but if there is I would be able to read the box to know if it is or not...

I have only made it so far to planting some seeds I sprouted in a paper towel..
So far only one came up, and it hasnt grew anymore since it first came up..
This was about 4 days ago now.. Nothing else has even came up, all were rooted, but so far no signs of sprouts..

I already said Im using a B1 vit. Liquinox Start (Vit. B-1)
When or if they get big enough I got some of this "green" nute for veg.. Its same company Liquinox, and is 7-3-3... I got a pic down below...
I was able to find some Brer Rabbit Unsulphured Molasses for flowering. I didnt find blackstrap, I could only get full flavor.. I dont know the difference, between them.. Im still going to use it since I dont think it could really matter much either way, does it????
. I got this at a store that is known for its western foods..
I was not able to find any baking soda there either..
I can, and have found baking power.. I dont know what if any good that will do..
Like I said one sprout has came up, and hasnt grew one bit since, and it going on 4 days.. I have grown indoors a few other times.. I dont ever remember having this much trouble getting sprouts..
But since Im using soil, and I have no idea whats inside, other then the only english on the label is "organic", who knows what else could be in it..

Above in prev. post I said my run off water is coming out about right, at 6.8, but the actual water is 5.5..
I havent actually gotten any aquarium pH up yet, because I dont want to waste my $$ if its not ok..
I read part of the box, which did have some english on it.. There were alot of warnings about causing skin burns, and could be fatal, if swallowed..
So kinda scared me away from using it..

I have heard about eggshells helping to keep pH steady so I though..
Anyone esle know anything about eggshells, and pH?
Any other info, suggestions are appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the microherd in the soil is what regulates ph. that's why the runoff is 6.8 out to the 5.5 in. stop using bottled water and don't worry about adjusting the ph unless you see disease. the only time one really has to adjust for ph in soil is when it is being reused. aquarium ph adjusters are fine by the way. if growth seems slow, the soil may just need to dry out.

Soil is a tricky thing to get balanced.I know i hadnt done a soil grow in years as I do the easier aero and hydro grows last few years.I did a soil grow not to long ago for the hell of it and I watered with ph 5.5 water the run off came around 7 but when I used an actual soil ph tool you stick in the wet soil the ph was over 8.soil ph is a crap shoot I think unless you use an actual soil mixture test kit where you mix actual soil in the vial and mix it with the water and chemicals to get color.

hell this sucks.. I only have so many seeds I was able to bring with me.. I guess I have already wasted 8 of them..

I never had this much trouble getting sprouts in my life..
Userfriendly, you say not to stop using bottled water, but the tap water I have is basically about the same..

So then you say the soil needs to dry out? I have been watering it daily.. So far only one sprout has even surfaced, out of 7..
It hasnt grown since it first poped out one bit, this is 4 days now
I thought you were supposed to keep seedlings well watered, and soil moist..?

your bottled water is likely stripped of a lot of the micro nutrients plants need. it's money you don't need to be spending. maybe you planted the sprouts deeper than they like. maybe you are overwatering. does the soil really dry out in 24 hours? just use a spray bottle to keep the top inch of soil moist. maybe you can dig them up to see how they are doing.

ok userfriendly.. I got some more seeds germin'.. Will try less watering with these, and will MAKE sure they are no more then 3/4 of a inch into the soil..

I still dont know why the little one that poped up 4 days ago, hasnt moved one bit..

Has anyone here heard of eggshells to help pH in soil or what??

what country are you in?

Somewhere in Asia