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    Are pH Fluctuations Good or Bad?

    This is a trick question. I'm posting a quote I came across some time ago that goes against a lot of what we post for a particular issue. But it makes sense.
    If you know where this came from, please don't say.

    "Why is it a good idea to let the pH cover a range instead of always adjusting to the exact same pH number? Some nutrients are better absorbed at slightly higher pH readings, while others are absorbed better at lower pH readings. Not having to try to pinpoint an exact number also saves a lot of unnecessary frustration."
    More elephant!

    Coco/perlite
    3x3x6
    Nutes
    CalMag

    #2
    Howdy Gingerbeard , I agree with that statement about the fluctuating pH levels. It makes since that as nutrients are taken up by the plants, the pH level should change. I mix up the water and nutrient mix to a pH 0f 5.75 to 6.0 and check the drainage at the next feed, usually the pH willl be around 6.35 to 6.5. The plants seem to do well with this.
    Smoke weed,.....grow peace!

    Comment


      #3
      That is how I do it. Don't know where the quote is from but it sounds familiar. In coco I drift the Ph from 5.8 to 6.2.
      Don't worry, be happy, grow sticky buds.

      Comment


        #4
        Sorry man, I don't pH anything. I have a small army that handles it no problem. LMAO, if I build an auto water system I won't have to open the tent for 5 months!
        Grow # 3 50/50 S/I Critical Mass photo fem
        Seeds drop in water 1/8/2022

        Medium: FF Coco Loco plus 30% Perlite in 7 gal cloth bags
        Space: 30x48x62 DIY cabinet lined w/space blankets
        Lighting: Bloomspect SS1000 Quantum board x 3 - 300 watts actual draw
        Soil Supplements: Worm Castings, Crab Shell, Oyster Shell, Neem and Karanja Meal, Volcanic Basalt Dust (for minerals), Recharge root micros. Grow 3 is with reconstituted super soil to which I've added several additional minerals and supplements. A more complete list based on Cackamas Coots super soil recipe can be found in my Auto Toka thread
        i don't grow plants anymore, I grow soil that my plants can thrive in!
        My filtered tap water runs over 7.5 pH but the soil microbes
        make pH correction unnecessary
        Ventilation: Vipospar 4" Exhaust Fan w/RH controller, 12" Carbon Scrubber
        8" bottom intake fan, 6" clip on fan, 6" heater as needed
        Cabinet on screen porch. N AZ @ 4000 ft.

        My salute to all who have served
        Semper Fidelis!

        Comment


          #5
          I agree with the statement, as well. But so much of our advice to folks is there's a pH fluctuation. When a constant is met, no more leaf issues.
          Does anyone up or down their pH between vegetation and flowering?
          More elephant!

          Coco/perlite
          3x3x6
          Nutes
          CalMag

          Comment


            #6
            I lowered it during veg by .5 but during flowering I kept it the same as my tap water level of 7.0. Before it was a constant adjustment between feeds. Maybe autos are not that hard to grow.
            Light: Viparspectra P2000, Viparspectra P1500, Viparspectra XS2000, KingLed 1500
            Medium: organic, Fafard perlite, Fafard Urban Garden organic mix, Organic compost shrimps.
            Nutrients: Alaskan Fish, Advanced Nutrients Big Bud, Advanced Nutrients Ancient Earth, Advanced Nutrients Sensi Cal Mag Xtra
            Full auto grow
            Grow room : 8X12X10, 2 industrial fans, 1 dehumidifier, 1 Vivosun carbon filter & controller
            12 Wild Thailand Ryder from WOS

            Comment


              #7
              I'm looking at your grow info for your medium and nutes. Does any of that take care of it? I know when I first started growing I was using the GOBox supplements. They adjusted the pH for me.
              More elephant!

              Coco/perlite
              3x3x6
              Nutes
              CalMag

              Comment


                #8
                I believe if you establish a healthy microbe population you can avoid pH issues no matter your medium. I've proven it to myself!
                Grow # 3 50/50 S/I Critical Mass photo fem
                Seeds drop in water 1/8/2022

                Medium: FF Coco Loco plus 30% Perlite in 7 gal cloth bags
                Space: 30x48x62 DIY cabinet lined w/space blankets
                Lighting: Bloomspect SS1000 Quantum board x 3 - 300 watts actual draw
                Soil Supplements: Worm Castings, Crab Shell, Oyster Shell, Neem and Karanja Meal, Volcanic Basalt Dust (for minerals), Recharge root micros. Grow 3 is with reconstituted super soil to which I've added several additional minerals and supplements. A more complete list based on Cackamas Coots super soil recipe can be found in my Auto Toka thread
                i don't grow plants anymore, I grow soil that my plants can thrive in!
                My filtered tap water runs over 7.5 pH but the soil microbes
                make pH correction unnecessary
                Ventilation: Vipospar 4" Exhaust Fan w/RH controller, 12" Carbon Scrubber
                8" bottom intake fan, 6" clip on fan, 6" heater as needed
                Cabinet on screen porch. N AZ @ 4000 ft.

                My salute to all who have served
                Semper Fidelis!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Farmbuck I did a few dabs and decided to look at your Fafard. The gist is (especially) Canadian peat moss has a very low pH. Do a Ctrl+F to find 'Sphagnum' on the page. Or however you search for words. The word appears three times in the same paragraph, nowhere else, if that helps. Under 'Decreasing the Soil pH.'
                  I can probably find this answer on GWE. But here I am. Here we are. How does SPMoss mix with coco and perlite? It also makes me think about other folks who don't down pH when it's high from the source, or if it drops dramatically at run-off.
                  Two more dabs, rig master!
                  Soil pH in The Home Garden | Horticulture and Home Pest News (iastate.edu)
                  More elephant!

                  Coco/perlite
                  3x3x6
                  Nutes
                  CalMag

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Also found this about banning peat moss compost in the UK.
                    More elephant!

                    Coco/perlite
                    3x3x6
                    Nutes
                    CalMag

                    Comment


                    • TOKABIGONE
                      TOKABIGONE commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Yeah, it's a rapidly dwindling resource that's why. Only a few years supply left in the world! No more once it's gone. Coir is in good supply and is renewable. I think coir is better overall as Moss is very acidic.

                    • Gingerbeard
                      Gingerbeard commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Remember I'm high, TOBone. Isn't there a lot of human detritus in those bogs? Sacrificed mummies? Living conditions? How will that effect archaeological digs and explorations and museum stuff? Maybe this will open a market for the depletion of another country's peat resources for import. Black market bog.

                    #11
                    When I run my RDWC system, I will let the ph drift from a start point of 5.5 and it will usually drift up towards 6.5 over the course of the 10-14 days between system dumps.
                    On coco and soil, I just ph the feed solution for the medium and then let the micro-biome do the rest.
                    WHAT???
                    5x5 grow space
                    900w of Vero's and F-strips
                    4-17gal totes self-made UC system.

                    Comment


                      #12
                      I only have one grow from a reservoir under my belt but a gradual drift seemed to be ok. The plants didn’t mind if ph started off at 5.8-5.9 and drifted up to 6.3-6.5 in 10-14 days. However, they did not like a fast change. When I started off I ran the pump too often and ph would go from 5.8-6.4 in a couple days which showed in the leaves pretty quick.

                      When I hand watered I never ph’d the same. Nute days I’d go
                      lower and keep ph higher with plain water. Seemed to work

                      Comment


                        #13
                        So if you have it at a certain ph how will the other nutes be taken in. You can only feed so much.
                        1 Marshydro tsl 2000 @ 300 watt.
                        1 sf2000 @200 watts
                        2 philzon @230 watts
                        2x4x5 tent
                        3x6x8 closet
                        Fox Farm ocean forest
                        Black gold for seedling
                        3 gal pot holes in sides and bottom
                        RH 40-60
                        Temp 70-80
                        Feeding with FF trio with molasses
                        calmag and a little flower fuel
                        Light at 10 -16 inches above canopy

                        Finished growing: Durban poison x Atomic Shiva, Dark Matter x Atomic Shiva, Golden Goat x Atomic Shiva and Summit Sweet Skunk x Atomic Shiva

                        Next up: Apple Fritter 2x, ATF, Og Kush.

                        Comment


                          #14
                          I only grow in coco and I feed between 6-6.3 and always seems to work for me.

                          Comment

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