Question about pH 5.7-6.0

[cavanaugh]

My soil is 6.8 and my tap water is 7.0. So I should lower my ph to around 6.0 using tab water and ph down? Is this right? My soil should be at about 6 or lower, or my run off should be about 6.0 Does it make that much of a difference going from 6.8 to like 6.0 ph or 5.7 ph? Or is 6.8 fine? Thanks. Cav

 

[verticalgrow]

6.8 is to high but 6.5 is acceptable.
Soil 6-6.5ph
Hydro 5.5-6ph

Cav pour tap water in a bucket and let it breath for 12 hours then check ph, and if needed
add ph down.

 

[Emilya Green]

My soil is 6.8 and my tap water is 7.0. So I should lower my ph to around 6.0 using tab water and ph down? Is this right? My soil should be at about 6 or lower, or my run off should be about 6.0 Does it make that much of a difference going from 6.8 to like 6.0 ph or 5.7 ph? Or is 6.8 fine? Thanks. Cav

Measuring soil pH is an exercise in futility because at best it is simply a moment in time of a constantly moving target. From the moment you water soil in a container, the pH will start to drift upwards, as the water reacts to what is in the soil. Also, it is actually desirable to have the soil pH drift through the acceptable range of 6.3-6.8 in between waterings, so that all of the nutrients can in their turn become mobile and able to be absorbed by the roots.

Here is an interesting fact. Your soil will absorb almost 3/4 of its volume in water. When you water a container to run off, or saturation, imagine that container being 3/4 full of water. It actually is a shocking amount of water that can be held in suspension in a container of soil, and when you water, that soil has absolutely no choice but to achieve the pH of the water that you just added. Don't worry about the soil pH... just water with the correct pH and the soil will take care of itself. This is why in soil, we go to 6.5 every time, because we know at that instant, the pH of that soil is right where it needs to be to pick up EVERY nutrient that our plants need, knowing that it will drift upwards from there. Pay no attention to your run off pH... of course it is going to be different... it just percolated through all that soil.

Lastly, let's talk about the pH range itself... since you asked how much of a difference there is between 6.8 to 5.7. pH is a logarithmic scale, so 5.8 is 100x more acidic than 6.8. The difference between 5.7 and 6.0 is just as dramatic, 5.7 is 3x more acidic than 6.0. That is 3x as much acid that can break down components in the soil! It is a huge difference, and understanding what these numbers mean really makes the importance of being within the pH correct range easy to see.

Hope this helped you understand pH in a container grow.

Emmie

 

[OldMedUser]

High Cavanaugh

Do you know how hard your water is? Not likely too hard at pH7. A ppm pen can tell you how much minerals are in your water but not what they are. Check with your water supplier to find out what all is in it. You can usually get a free report with a phone call or it may even be on a website. Tell them you want to start raising fish if they ask why you want the info but they don't usually ask.

Some tap water is very high in minerals like calcium and magnesium. These will build up in the rootball and can cause problems if not regularly flushed out. Anything over 50ppm can eventually cause problems and some may be as high as 500 which definitely cause trouble.

Water is such an important part of growing that it's best to know exactly what you're working with.

L8r

 

[cavanaugh]

Measuring soil pH is an exercise in futility because at best it is simply a moment in time of a constantly moving target. From the moment you water soil in a container, the pH will start to drift upwards, as the water reacts to what is in the soil. Also, it is actually desirable to have the soil pH drift through the acceptable range of 6.3-6.8 in between waterings, so that all of the nutrients can in their turn become mobile and able to be absorbed by the roots.

Here is an interesting fact. Your soil will absorb almost 3/4 of its volume in water. When you water a container to run off, or saturation, imagine that container being 3/4 full of water. It actually is a shocking amount of water that can be held in suspension in a container of soil, and when you water, that soil has absolutely no choice but to achieve the pH of the water that you just added. Don't worry about the soil pH... just water with the correct pH and the soil will take care of itself. This is why in soil, we go to 6.5 every time, because we know at that instant, the pH of that soil is right where it needs to be to pick up EVERY nutrient that our plants need, knowing that it will drift upwards from there. Pay no attention to your run off pH... of course it is going to be different... it just percolated through all that soil.

Lastly, let's talk about the pH range itself... since you asked how much of a difference there is between 6.8 to 5.7. pH is a logarithmic scale, so 5.8 is 100x more acidic than 6.8. The difference between 5.7 and 6.0 is just as dramatic, 5.7 is 3x more acidic than 6.0. That is 3x as much acid that can break down components in the soil! It is a huge difference, and understanding what these numbers mean really makes the importance of being within the pH correct range easy to see.

Hope this helped you understand pH in a container grow.

Emmie

Yes. Thanks for your time. A lot of writing went into this email on p.h.. WOW! Let me put my Jesus shoes on because I just walked on water. Ha Ha. I got it now. I want my water at 6.5. This sounds like good advice and straight to the point. B-4- Like most. I let my water breath over night and watered. Might even add a bubbler to my water for more air.