SkunkSativa

This is gonna be long, so bare with me please...

I'm sure this post will make me sound like an ignorant fool, but I will post it anyway (and yes I did about an hour of thread jumping and numerous searches to find the answer, and had no luck)

I just attained some medicinal White Rhino seeds and they are currently germinating. This will be my 3rd grow, and this one I want to count. The last two were a success, but I want to treat this grow as professionally as I can since the seeds aren't bag seeds this time. The last two grows I stuck to the really simple basics (correct light times, proper watering cycles, and fed them Fox Farm Big Bloom during flowering) that is all I did and they turned out great. This time though, as I stated already, I want to be a true success. I think I have everything figured out but one thing.... pH testing.

I know there are different kind of pH testers out there and I want the correct one. One thing I also want to get straight is what pH it is that I want to measure? The pH of the water or the pH of the soil? I assume both are important, but from what Ive gathered, testing the water's pH before watering is going to give you the best results, therefor there will be no need to measure the soils pH, correct? I'm all confused here ha ha (maybe I'm just too lit off the Lavender strain my friend just smoked me to understand the whole pH concept)

So, if you read this whole huge explanation of my retardation, please tell me what I need to do!! Should I just get a water tester and pH corrector solution and go from there? Please help as soon as possible, my babies should be ready to hit the soil in the next day or two *fingers crossed*

Thanks in advance!!

WeeD22MaN

Hey SkunkSativa

Well I do hydro so Im always testing the PH of my fluid's :P But don't be shy to spend a decent amount on a PH Tester. There is lots of good brand names like Hana, ect ect. I'd stear clear from test strips. In soil I think you want to get a feel for your tap water PH. Then test the water that runs off from your soil's PH. This will give u the soils PH and knowing the tap waters PH will help you with how much PH Up Or down to mix. in before watering.

Hope this helps!

WeedMan

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xtensity

Just to add something on, for MOST ph tester you must add water to the soil before testing.

ILLEGAL-SEED

most cheap soil meters SUCK. unless you want to spend 400 on one that works, id suggest the simple lowes kits. where you mix the soil and water together. they will give a much more accurate reading.

water should be tested with chems imo. if 100 percent organic, i like to let the bacteria in the soil do the work.(as they are suppost to)

soil ph should be 6.0-6.5 for best results.

water ph should be around the same. i just baught this meter 2 months ago and love it so far. Waterproof EcoTestr pH2 - Worm's Way

smokey the bare

My understanding is that to properly test soil is a real chore, and most of the time is not required so long as you are being careful about what you are putting in. I know quite a few guys who do excellent soil grows, tap water, and don't know their ph from their hp.

I use well water with a ph of around 6.2. When I add nutes (depending on what I add, this can go down as far as 5.5). I bought a ph meter awhile back (it cost me about $120). I like it, it works well. I never test the outflow from my containers.

If the plants are unhappy they will let you know. If you are using many different nutes, then you probably want to test everything to see if it needs any adjustment. But I am becoming more and more convinced that, at least for soil, one really doesn't need to obsess about ph, unless something is going wrong.

Just my .02

Peace.

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Be seeing you,

-J

burndt

i use this meter and it's served me well over the years. I've had to buy extra probes but no too bad so far


Hanna Instruments HI 98129 and HI 98130 Combination Tester



If you start with a quality soil, ie Fox Farms or soilless Promix, you shouldn't have a problem with PH

If you want to test your soil PH, take 1 cup soil, mix with 1 cup water. Thoroughly mix them together. Let soil fall to bottom. Strain soil water, mix in new cup. Test water only. This should be a true soil PH reading.

For me, if I want to PH my water to 6.5 I always have to add PH up/down. Grab some! I use Advanced Nutrients UP/DOWN.

I use Fox Farm nutes and almost get to the proper PH during veg using grow big and big bloom. It's not until I start flowering nutes that I have a major PH drop. Tiger Bloom is HOT!

I got away w/o ph'ing anything for my 1st 2 years growing. But once I switched strains, they were dying left and right on me....so I had to bite the bullet.

I'm glad I did though cause this makes me feel like I have more control. If something happens, I can always go back in my GJ and check what the PH was

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ChiefWahoo

My experience with the hannah combo pen was not good. Very sketchy reading meter, wouldn't calibrate, slow, just an overall pain to use. Spend just a little bit more and get a Milwaukee SM802. I just got one and I love it. It's perfect, easy to calibrate, quick, and accurate.

IMO mixing the soil like posted above is the best method but I definitely use the runoff test as a quick check to prevent ph issues(its a lot easier now with my new meter). I played with the meter last night when flushing my plants and I watched the ppm's of the soil drop while the ph went up. Starting ph at 6.3 and 1830ppm. 10 gallons later(5 at 6.6, 5 at 6.5), I had a ph of 6.5 and was reading 430 ppms(270ppm tap water). The ladies are already looking much better. So, I do believe using runoff is a good way to get a close reading for a quick check. Honestly, it seems like it might be a very accurate way. I'm gonna do a soil test by mixing it to see if it matches my runoff numbers. That way I know for sure what works best. It seems FFOF will buffer right at 6.5.

Definitely get some ph up/down cause you WILL need to use it at one point....

burndt

Yeah, I agree. But it's the meter I started with and now I'm used to it. Only if I'd done some research 1st I find I have to baby mine all the time and in the beginning watering and feeding were a pain. But now I have all of it down to a science so I know where I should be at all times. It's easy now

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my grow journals & smoke reports | how to search effectively |new to growing? |plant troubles? |japhy's library of great threads|mandala growers|analogs patience tool |a guide about posting threads |oceancowboy - what i've learned |seed bank info thread |product reviews

Posting Guidelines

AUP

no smell, no sell, no tell = no cell
SAFETY FIRST
RIP KMH