Ph testing methods soil

[Smokesteve]

Hello
Do you guys test your water/ferts every time for soil?? Does anyone do a soil slurry test?

[Rwise]

Yes to both, I paid $20 for my first slurry test, I now have the equipment to do it myself.

[Smokesteve]

So it is my understanding that I can get some distilled water mix it with soil to make a slurry wait a few hours. Then test it with a standard ph tester. Also Rwise do u adjust ph a with the standard up and down made by GH? Or another type. Ty

[Rwise]

I dont use those products, I did pick up some sulfuric acid from the pluming supply. Some use the stuff for fish tanks, but most of my supplies come from the farm and garden supply.
On the distilled water, it cannot be tested for PH as there is nothing in it to test, however it is slightly acidic and as it gains CO2 the acid increases in it dropping its real PH. It will turn loose of the CO2 by boiling it, or just make sure its fresh. But yes distilled water and a blender, let it set and test it.

[Bengfan]

According to your water supply. I use r/o water and never ph. Also, I feel the only time to ph test the soil is when and if you see a problem beginning. If it ain't broke...

[Bengfan]

Sorry dude. You did not mention seeing a problem. I did mention to test if seeing a problem. I did answer your ph question. I did not randomly answer for no reason. Good luck!

[Rwise]

RO water is very much like distilled water and gains CO2 setting which makes it acidic, again use it fresh.

[dilvish]

personally I've never tested the PH of my soil...never needed to. I do however always test the water and nutrient water going in. I have even gotten into the habit of leaving the tester in the water for ten minutes or so just in case. Makes certain everything is properly mixed....

[MagicMike66]

Agree with dilvish, never tested my medium or even the run off. What’s the point? If you’re feeding at the correct PH and the plants are healthy, why bother.

[Rwise]

Not testing the PH is fine for living soil, BUT you can run into problems as I did last year. I was convinced to use something I had never used in my soils, this upset the balance and my PH dropped. I did not have anything to test PH with, the probe I had was dead. When I got the new equipment, I tested my soil to find it had crashed to 4.0, no wonder the poor girls looked sad.
BTW it was perlite that I added that caused my PH to crash, when combined with the powdered sulfur (and water) I was using, the outcome was a large production of sulfuric acid.
Until one can get a handle on living soil, and the issues that can come into play, I still say PH it!

[OldManGrower]

I use my own soil mix and bottled nutrients. Testing for PH in and out is so easy, I don't see any reason not to do it. Since I began that regimen, my grows have improved immensely. I feel that checking the RO is as good as a soil test and easier.

[Smokesteve]

Thanks everyone how do you adjust ph with the standard up down made by GH?

[MagicMike66]

Yes any brand of up/down does the trick

[dilvish]

just make sure when you add the ph up/down that you shake well and then let the tester sit in the water to be tested for about 10 minutes. it will give a better reading if you are using an inexpensive PH tester.

[Gingerbeard]

My R/O water comes out at the same pH as my tap water: 7.5-8ish. I adjust to 6.0ish.
A drop of pH down in R/O water brings a gallon way down. Sometimes too low. Air stoning brings the pH up a percent or more.
Dechlorinated tap water takes a little less than a teaspoon. Air stoning brings the pH up a few tenths.
I don't check run-off. Only run-in. I've solved most problems by adding CalMag. This has been the case in soil and coco.
When I first started growing, I didn't have a way to check pH and never had a problem. It turned out the General Organics GO Box supplements were taking care of things.