HELP! No PH tester

[Jeezusjuiicee]

I just got my seeds in the mail yay! My 1st seeds, but my ph tester doesn't come until next Friday.... Uh oh! I was going to use bottled spring water to germinate my seeds in a cup of water, would it be safe to continue using the bottled water for the week that I put it in the coco coir without a ph meter? I was going to start using my tap water when I get my pen. I guess I'll get two birds stoned at once here, one of my seeds is really tiny and one is really big .is that normal?

[Californiakid]

I use tap water run through a charcoal filter. I don't ph the water I soak my seeds in. But thats me, some do it different.

[Jeezusjuiicee]

Yea I'm just worried after they are done germinating and I put them in the coco coir I won't have a ph tester yet, after 3 weeks I was gonna put them in super soil (don't want to burn them) but I think when I put them In the coco I'll have to start worrying about ph right?

[Californiakid]

Out of curiosity why coco then super soil?

Coco has zero nutrients , you will have to provide them when you water. Supersoil is the opposite, everything is in the dirt, just add water. The microbes in the soil aid the plant in getting what the plant needs from the dirt.

The nutrients that you give while in coco will likely harm the soil microbes. So you kind set yourself up for difficulty down the road. Not saying it cant be done, just not easy.

[Jeezusjuiicee]

Well the 1st 3 weeks of the plants growth shouldn't have any nutrients as far as my research goes. So I'm simply starting them in coco and watering them with no nutes for 3 weeks. And then I will put it in the super soil!

[Californiakid]

You don't need to give nutrients for the first few weeks because typically the soil ie: promix, roots original or the like has enough to get through those first couple of weeks. Coco that isn't amended wont do very well imo.

[Jeezusjuiicee]

I was actually thinking about mixing some super soil in the bottom so I'll definitely do that then!

[DW2]

Howdy Jeezusjuiicee, No need to panic, just go down to your local health/nutrition store (or a WalMart, etc.) and get a pack of pH test strips (mid range 4.5-9.0) used to check the body's pH level. These will get You by until the meter comes in. I use the test strips exclusively, no calibrating or using drops (as with pool pH test kits), and they give consistent and accurate results. I use a dual panel test strip (from the big 'A').
Maintaining the proper pH levels through out the grow is much too important a thing to be guessing at it.

[Potted]

A pet store,carries them for fish tank water testing even wallie mart

[kingfish]

JJ, always check your water.

[Jeezusjuiicee]

Thanks king fish I'll be sure to always do that!

[Jeezusjuiicee]

And also thank you potted going to Walmart today haha

[Sheesh]

I agree that using coco for three weeks isn't the easy way to start. IME, coco needs nutrients right away and seedling is a critical phase to get off to a good start. If your supersoil is on the hot side, consider grabbing a bag of potting soil to mix with your supersoil and start your plants in that mix. If you use coco, you should have cal-mag and at least a small amount of hydro nutrients and follow a good feed chart.

[Jeezusjuiicee]

Yea I went into the grow store about a week ago before I did a ton of research, I was looking for super soil. So then he tried to sell me these 50 packs of plant starter things and he was trying to get me to buy a bag of premixed coco and also the super soil and he said "you need to start with this" but I went with the $2 brick not the $40 bag. He kept trying to sell me stuff and he seemed really smart so I decided to do what he said and start in coco. And then I looked up online that you shouldn't add anything to the seed for 3 weeks because you can burn it. So I won't burn it in the soil now?

[Sheesh]

You shouldn't add any nutrients to seedlings if you're starting in soil made for cannabis like Fox Farm Happy Frog or Roots Organic. Those soils have enough nutrients for the first few weeks. Coco has no nutrients at all and seedlings may be weak and yellow after 3 weeks with no cal-mag or nutrients added.

[Jeezusjuiicee]

Lmao ok so then in reality a seedling does need nutes from day one? And yea he also told me it would burn the seed if I started it in the premade super soil (bluesky organics super soil) Wich is made for cannabis growing .would it be good to do a 50/50 coco super soil mix in my 1 gallon pot, and then when it goes to the big one just do the super soil? I'm really glad you guys are helping me out! I'm never going back to that grow store again

[Jeezusjuiicee]

Is that soil just a premade super soil you bought? Is so I'll just use the super soil I bought and do that aswell! Thanks so much you saved my seeds in pretty sure haha