Ph issues

[Meta]

Hello!

My ph in my soil keeps rising from a 6.7 to a 7.5ph as the soil dries up! Ive flushed it with bushdoctor sledgehammer and it seems to still have the same problem. I usually water the plant at about 6.0ph. What should I do to lower the ph?

[9fingerleafs]

what are you using to measure ph? how do you know the ph of dry soil?

[Meta]

I am using an electric ph meter(the typical yellow one) and I am using one of those soil ph testers with the two rods. I bought 3 thinking I could leave em in the soil but thats not a thing. Checked the soil ph with two of em and it reads the same ph.

[9fingerleafs]

i think those metal ones are not very reliable, the only way to lower the ph is to water at lower ph and check runoff, when you reach the right ph you just keep it there. for example next time you water at ph 6 catch the runoff water and measure ph, if its too high then the next watering lower it a bit more lets say 5.5, dont go lower than that, repeat until the runoff comes at 6.5 then you just keep watering at 6.5

[Potted]

Ph changes as it goes thru the soil, I find it a waste to test runoff, my $.02.

[Flockshot]

First of all, you have removed most of the organic food from your soil by flushing it out. I had one of those PH meters and I threw it away.

[Canuck147]

Never measured runoff - never will.

[CaptPicard]

From what I have seen those pH measure instruments for soil are not worth it. I've read countless reviews and comments that all say similar things - they cannot be trusted. Some of those meters are an all in one measurement tool (humidity, temperature, pH, moistness). For awhile I wasn't doing anything for pH (I know noob move..). My plants were not growing very fast and a bit on the yellow side. I went to a grow mart and got some advice. They supplied me with a pH down solution (Phosphoric acid with 75% concentration i believe). You only need a very small amount. Any more importantly, supplied me with a pH liquid test. Essentially you fill up this tiny container half way, add one drop of the pH test solution and it give you a colour output (Its good for 800+ tests!). Before my pH was like 7-7.5. After using it I'm usually around 6.0 (yellowish colour). I test every time I get a new batch of water. I have a reservoir that I fill up, wait for a few days to ensure that the chlorine is gone (that kills good microbes). I'm still new but that's what I've learned about pH.

[Toker1]

Chlorine doesn’t dissipate from water after sitting for 24 hours anymore. Before the 1990’s this was true, but modern day water uses chloramine which does not gas off like that. Also, it only kills what it comes into contact with. So more microbes will survive the journey if you use the mixture right after making it. The longer they sit in the chlorinated water, the more microbes you will lose.

[Meta]

Hey guys!
I Tested the ph using runoff water and I found that the ph was actually really close to what I was putting in there!!! This led me to the conclusion that they have nitrogen deficency!

Is the moisture part of the soil test kit useable? Id hate to know I wasted my money