Do I need to pH correct?

[Rik]

Hey everyone! I am finishing up my first grow and am planning for my second. My first grow was a scrog with 2 GSC photos in FFOF soil with FF nutes, and I want my second grow to be a bit more laid back, a little less work. So, I am planning to do 2 OG Kush autoflowers from Nirvana Seed Shop grown in FFOF with Nature’s Living Soil:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TRYL6K7...ing=UTF8&psc=1

I just tested the pH of the tap water in my house and it is 10.6 which seems high. I’ve read that with organic living soil that I don’t have to pH correct my water, is that true even when the water pH is this high? And, if I do have to correct the pH, what is the best thing to use to bring the pH down for an organic super soil grow like this, and what pH should I target, 6.5?

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to pH correct the water but I have a feeling that won’t work out well. What do you guys think?

[PLreef]

I think 10.6 is a bit high. You can use lemon juice to bring it down and baking soda to raise it.

[Rik]

Thanks for that! If I use lemon juice to lower it a few days before I water, does the effect last? I would like to mix a lot all at once so that I’m not mixing water quite so often.

[Farmbuck]

Oufff too high my friend, bring it down to 6.5.

[Rwise]

Call the provider and ask what they PH the water to, mine is 7.0 +- a point or two. Make sure your tool is calibrated.
I use lemon or lime juice to kill chloramine (also chlorine) instantly in the tap water, then let it set 12 hours. The PH has climbed back to 7.1 (where that batch started) and I add Black Strap Molasses to again lower the PH, after 12 more hours it is still at ~6.5 (I run 6.3 - 6.7 for watering).

[Rik]

Great idea to ask the makers of the living soil, thanks! And good to know those details you listed, very helpful.

[9fingerleafs]

How many ppm/EC is your tap water. May not even be hard enough to affect the soil pH

[Rik]

Great questions! I don’t have a ppm or ec meter, perhaps I should buy one. I never paid attention to anything other than the pH for my first grow.

[9fingerleafs]

Do You drink that water? Then it's probably low EC and doesnt matter what pH You put it in it will take whatever ph the soil is. If You dont drink it and causes taps and showers to accumulate white residue then You have hard water and then it is advice able to lower pH before using. pH down is Made from phosphoric and citric acid, both cheap and available as salts anywhere.

[dilvish]

PH is important especially in the water. First and foremost make sure you have a fairly accurate PH tester. The reading of 10.6 may be due to the chemicals in the water so try aerating it overnight in an open bucket then test it in the morning. also remember that adding nutrients to water changes the PH as well so you have to test after the nutrients have been mixed in.

Not checking your PH means the plants may not be able to absorb nutrients. Using "hot" soil is kind of pointless if the plant can't absorb any of the nutrients in it.

[Rik]

Thanks dilvish for the advice! I know that pH adjustment is important with liquid nutes, but I was just hoping to avoid it with living soil. See my post directly below.

[Rik]

I guess I should mention that the whole reason I asked this question is because of this part of the GWE tutorial on living soil:

https://www.growweedeasy.com/organic-super-soil#what-about-ph-organic-marijuana

and in particular, this part:

[Rik]

I’m only planning this living soil grow for a round of autoflowers, so hopefully they will be harvested before the nutrients run out. But based on the advice I’ve received here convinces me that I need to organically bring the pH down for my plain water.

Now I just have to decide exactly how I want to bring the pH down.

[Rwise]

PLreef I am getting the perlite out now, almost all of last years soils has now been dumped into a future garden area, maybe the rain will float away some of that shit! My chickens do eat it,

[Rwise]

Rik I am using Black Strap Molasses for PH dowm and lemon juice to kill chloramine. I put in the lemon then let it set 12 hours and then PH it with molasses to the range I want (6.3-6.7). After setting another 12 hours the PH was stable.

[Bowhunterwoody]

Just want to mention that in Ct that wouldn't be potable. If that's city water then you should say something. If it's a well then maybe some treatment. If it was a new well you wouldn't get a Certificate of occupancy or Co without treatment.

[Rik]

Do you mean having a pH that high wouldn’t be considered safe in CT? I don’t have a well, I live in metropolitan St. Louis in a fairly densely populated suburban area. I’ve drank water out of the tap in this area my whole life.

[Bowhunterwoody]

The pH itself isn't harmful. It's what's causing it to be so high. It has to be extremely hard. And leaving lots of build up on the plumbing and fixtures.

[Bowhunterwoody]

And it has to have a pretty distinct taste.

[Rik]

How about buying cheap drinking water instead of using my crazy high pH tap water? Maybe I could avoid pH-correcting if I use store bought drinking water or “spring water”? Is this practical? Anyone ever try this?

[Rwise]

Do remember these are RO water, 'cept that "spring" water could be what it claims. But I have watched a "spring water" truck filling at fire plug.

[9fingerleafs]

It’s branded drinking water called “epura” short for electro purified, it’s a brand owned by PepsiCo. And sold door to door by big trucks here in Mexico. Each 5 gal jug is 2 usd and comes twice a week. Those guys love me because I buy so much

[9fingerleafs]

12 - 25 ppm always

[JeffInCanada]

Hi Rik
I found the 2019 St. Louis Water Report (attached below). I was surprised, they do seem to have high PH there (see page 7). Not quite as high as you are getting at your tap but real close. Save the report, some good info in there in case you ever wonder what is in the water and what they test for. You could also "ask around town" and see if other local folks are using tap water to grow, although I'm not sure maybe St. Louis is still still on the down-low as far as "asking around" goes. I'd be way easier if the tap water can work for you.

[Rik]

Hey JeffInCanada, thanks a bunch for finding that! Definitely going to study it... makes me feel like I have to use store bought RO water though that would be less convenient. As far as the legal climate around here... we’re just starting to emerge from the darkness lol. Growing and smoking are legal medicinally, and there are three dispensaries open (for a metro population of around 3 million people), and you see new billboard advertising dispensaries all the time.

[JeffInCanada]

Always glad to help Rik And I'm happy to hear St. Louis is making some 420 progress. It sounds the same as we were at just a few years ago. I was in St. Louis once, went to a Cardinals game. Went up the arch too, that was an adventure. Good luck with the water. You're doing it right by thinking ahead.

[9fingerleafs]

Actually waiting for the water truck, the plastic is 3 usd but i already own several so I only pay the 2 usd for the water and they take the empty ones

[Catfish22]

@9fingerleafs
Is that spring water and what is the pH out of the bottle. I get Walmart spring water for 62 cents per gallon and it pH's at 6.0 all the time.
I believe the springs are in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. We also drink this as the tap water makes the pets sick and causes my bride's migraines to act up.
Just another inexpensive option, what sucks is I can't use the tap water that I have to pay for except for bathing and cleaning, it pH's at 7.5.

[9fingerleafs]

It’s so low ppm that the ph never crossed my mind. It will take the ph of whatever I put it. Just like RO water. Haven’t actually tried to measure it’s ph before adding something. This is what I use to drink. Also my dogs and everything that goes into cooking. I don’t know if it’s spring water. It’s the same water Pepsi uses for soda, it’s deep ground water treated for human consumption. My tap water is 750ppm at ph 6.5

[Rik]

So it’s been a while but in case this info is useful to anyone, I’ve found a nice solution that works for me. My grocery store’s “purified drinking water” tests at pH right around 6.0, and the “natural spring water” tests in the upper 7s. After lots of trial and error, I determined that adding half a cup of spring water to a gallon of drinking water made the resulting water be right around 6.5, which is perfect for my FFOF/Nature’s Living Soil grow. Hope this might be useful to someone else!

[Catfish22]

That how its done. Have your basic plan, stay on top of your watering, lights and pH, and tweak it where you need to.
Its always cool when you can figure it out by yourself!

[JeffInCanada]

Cool! There's always a solution....pun intended Good luck!