pH run off

[cufix]

Hello,

I have a question regarding to pH level of water that runs out of the pot.

I'm watering with soultion that has pH around 5.9 (I'm growing in coco/perlitte) and I was never testing pH level of water that runs off.. today I did and pH level was around 4 :O what does it mean? Should I start watering wih higher pH solution or what? Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Scientific]

Based on my experience, you got some coco that was really acidic. The stuff I got had to be washed and washed before planting to get the pH up to an acceptable level.

The great thing about coco/perlite is that you can't overwater it. If I were you, I'd just keep rinsing it until the pH of the runoff gets up to at least 5.5. And yes, rinsing with, say, water adjusted to pH 8 will speed the process.

 

[cufix]

Based on my experience, you got some coco that was really acidic. The stuff I got had to be washed and washed before planting to get the pH up to an acceptable level.

The great thing about coco/perlite is that you can't overwater it. If I were you, I'd just keep rinsing it until the pH of the runoff gets up to at least 5.5. And yes, rinsing with, say, water adjusted to pH 8 will speed the process.

I've washed it well before use and this is actually my second grow on same coco, I removed most of the roots when I recycled it.. and I washed it well with Flawless finish from AN which supposed to brake and flush all minerals etc. I'm also using Sensyzim as an enzyme to help brake down all dead roots etc..

I'm watering 3 days already with soultion adjusted to pH around 7 and my runoff is still little above 4 :S do you suggest I rinse it with plain water with higher pH until I get correct pH runoff and then rewater with nuts?

 

[Scientific]

I've washed it well before use and this is actually my second grow on same coco, I removed most of the roots when I recycled it.. and I washed it well with Flawless finish from AN which supposed to brake and flush all minerals etc. I'm also using Sensyzim as an enzyme to help brake down all dead roots etc..

I'm watering 3 days already with soultion adjusted to pH around 7 and my runoff is still little above 4 :S do you suggest I rinse it with plain water with higher pH until I get correct pH runoff and then rewater with nuts?

Well that's just weird. I'm wondering where all of the acidity is coming from. Watering with higher pH water should raise the pH f the coco according to the laws of chemistry, but your pot seems to be operating in the Twilight Zone, so I don't know.

(I have a nursery tomato that was potted in peat moss that I have been watering in higher pH water all summer, but the pH is still in the 4s but the tomatoes are beautiful and plentiful. Go figure.)

Just don't go too crazy with the pH up when you've got a living plant in there.

 

[Dwight Monk]

How are you measuring the PH? And if a meter type have you calibrated it for both low and high? As that would be my guess is your reading is whacky, as takes a lot of chemicals to get it to sit at a 4.0

 

[Scientific]

How are you measuring the PH? And if a meter type have you calibrated it for both low and high? As that would be my guess is your reading is whacky, as takes a lot of chemicals to get it to sit at a 4.0

That's a great thought! Of course if you're getting really weird and unexpected results, check the instrument. And around here, whether the meter is getting two point calibration is less the question than is it being calibrated at all? (A bottle of GH 7.0 calibration fluid at Amazon is the absolute minimum.) And I guess we're also assuming the test instrument is an actual glass bulb pH pen and not one of those combo garden soil probe thangs...

 

[Dwight Monk]

That and if you are not having any plant issues, then it's the good old "don't try and fix it if it ain't broke" just keep doing what you are doing or were doing.