I got a Handheld Sharp Waterproof pH Tester by MILWAUKEE INSTRUMENTS, INC today. When watering my plants I have been filling a five gallon bucket and letting it sit for a couple of days, taking out what I need, adding nutes (sensi grow a/b and cold processed sea kelp) and watering. When i tested some water today that has set for at least a week the ph was at 7.3 (just water, no nutes added). I know that the nutes will/should chnge the ph some, but, assuming for the moment I was watering with 7.3 ph water, is this much of an issue for nute lock? My plants are nice and green and healthy looking so I am not too concerned about it but was wondering if I should be worried?
Each strain differs in it's ability to uptake nutes. Some are more sensitive to Ph than others and often times improper Ph can go unnoticed but still cause the plants growth to be affected. As a general rule of thumb I stay right around 6.5 for my soil plants.
alkalies build up in grow media Slowly until it reaches an uncontrollable level causing ph fluctuation can you plant will slowly yellow for no apparent reason and you cannot flush it out. Go to Growers underground from advanced nutrients and download the ph manifesto. I promise if it don't confuse you it will put you on the way to master grower :thumbs-up:
I would say ya on the nute lock. It may be ok now but wait and you'll see a stunt. Did you stir that bucket before taking a ph test? It could be stagnant water?? anyway before you water test...thats why you have a Ph pen. 6.5 for soil is what your aiming for. Hope that helped.
I got some ph up and ph down yesterday and played around with it. A little goes a long way! I started with a quart of tap water, measured at 7.3 ph. I took the cap from the ph down and put what would amount to about 1/8th of a teaspoon in it, mixed it into the quart of water and tested it. The ph went to 5.3. Next I took roughly the same amount of ph up and mixed it into the now 5.3 water. The ph went up to 8.9. On a side note, I am using Advanced Nutrients Sensi Grow A/B as part of my feeding regimen. The information on their web site says that the stuff is formulated in such a way so as you will not have to adjust the ph of your water. I will be testing this theory at the next feeding.
Advanced Nutrients has a new formula they call pH Perfect, but that doesn't mean you do. Check your bottles. If your Sensi Grow is a black and green label, you have the original formula. If it's a yellow label with a picture of a woman on it (and an orange ribbon saying "pH Perfect Technology"), then it's the new formula with the pH Perfect. This is on their website if you want to compare for yourself, under Products. http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/products/sensi_grow/sensi_grow_product_information.php
pH Yes a little goes a long way. You want to only adjust your water/nutrient solution in one direction. Add either pH up or pH down but not both into the same bucket (excess salts can be formed by mixing the 2). Generally speaking if you are adjusting plain water you will need to adjust down. Get a ml. dropper to measure the pH up and down. You'll only need a very small amount especially when adjusting plain water. Once you add nutes the solution will tend to drop in pH and you'll need to adjust pH up. Add only a small amount at a time and stir well and test until you reach the desired 6.5 pH. Use very small amounts so that you only adjust in one direction and eventually you will get a feel for how much it takes to adjust to where you want it. Acceptable pH range for your nutrient solution and water should be ideally right at 6.5 but when I adjust my soil solutions I will allow anything between 6.4-6.6 nothing under that or over that and your soil will buffer the small differences. If you continue to use 7.3 water you will eventually run into problems, probably later when they are flowering and you don't want them to suffer during flowering. pH is critical in the proper growth of plants, and IMO is the single most important and most overlooked aspect of growing. It's the seemingly little things that can make all the difference in the end.:thumbs-up:
I agree that ph is very important. I'm going through some magnesium deficiency issues now because of it. The 7.3 ph got me (and over fertilizing) before I got my pen. Four of my gdp's payed the price (they are still hanging in there but have some bad looking areas on them). Now everything is in the range you said. Things look like they are getting squared away. Have been getting the water to 6.5/6.6 after adding nutes and also added cal/mag yesterday.
