RunOff Ph in soilless?

ShazMo09 · Jun 4, 2013

Just wondering how important runoff is in a soilless medium such as peat moss and coco? I have read in a few places that alot tend to not worry about it too much until a problem starts to arise.

Im growing in peat moss/perlite/ with some dolomite lime and have a runoff of 7.5 but am feeding at 5.5
Just wondering what the go is when it comes to runoff in soilless?

jondamon · Jun 4, 2013

Runoff pH in soil/soiless is always whacky.

Here's a procedure if you want to test yours.

http://www.getbluelab.com/Articles/Soil+Test+Procedure+of+EC+and+pH.html

I don't bother checking runoff pH in coco.

I do monitor my EC in vs EC out though.

You could be getting dissolved lime in your runoff causing the high reading.

J

ShazMo09 · Jun 4, 2013

jondamon said:
Runoff pH in soil/soiless is always whacky.

Here's a procedure if you want to test yours.

http://www.getbluelab.com/Articles/Soil+Test+Procedure+of+EC+and+pH.html

I don't bother checking runoff pH in coco.

I do monitor my EC in vs EC out though.

You could be getting dissolved lime in your runoff causing the high reading.

J

Yeh thats what I was thinking that the lime would be throwing it all over the place. The plants seem healthy enough so it doesnt look like it is affecting them negatively.

So that procedure in the link is a better way of determining the ph of my medium. You dont think I should worry too much about the runoff ph?

imcjayt · Jun 4, 2013

yer me pers id ditch the lime.........

jondamon · Jun 4, 2013

ShazMo09 said:
Yeh thats what I was thinking that the lime would be throwing it all over the place. The plants seem healthy enough so it doesnt look like it is affecting them negatively.

So that procedure in the link is a better way of determining the ph of my medium. You dont think I should worry too much about the runoff ph?

The link is the ideal way to test it.

If you aren't getting any problems with deficiencies etc then I wouldn't worry.

Soiless usually keeps a similar pH to the feed going in.

If you start getting any deficiencies and your feed strength seems ok then perform the medium to test to make sure.

J

jondamon · Jun 4, 2013

imcjayt said:
yer me pers id ditch the lime.........

The lime helps to counter the naturally acidic peat.

J

ShazMo09 · Jun 4, 2013

Yeh im not seeing anything yet...If it does cause some issue how would I go about lowering the ph. Would lowering the ph of my feed help or would the lime act like a buffer and keep raising the runoff? Would flushing be the solution to lower if need be?

jondamon · Jun 4, 2013

ShazMo09 said:
Yeh im not seeing anything yet...If it does cause some issue how would I go about lowering the ph. Would lowering the ph of my feed help or would the lime act like a buffer and keep raising the runoff? Would flushing be the solution to lower if need be?

That's exactly what the lime does.

You could try a flush with low pH but be careful how low you go to try to correct if the problem arises.

Maybe next time try a single plant without any lime mixed in or just use coco and perlite 80/20 works for me c/p.

J

RunOff Ph in soilless?

ShazMo09

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jondamon

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ShazMo09

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imcjayt

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ShazMo09

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jondamon

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