I’m going to give you my file on P H and How It Works It’s Very, Very Large coming to you in 3 parts so just copy it and paste it into your files. It really is a great read. Just use it as a reference guide I do.
Part 1 of 3
How to Check pH & Stop Cannabis Nutrient Deficiencies
If you’re already using quality cannabis-friendly nutrients, the most
common reason growers see nutrient deficiencies in their plants is because
the pH at the roots is not right!
Adjusting your pH only takes a few minutes, and your cannabis garden will
thank you!
Adjusting pH takes less than 5 minutes, and your plants will reward you.
Think of it like a supplement to make your cannabis grow faster and healthier!
Table of Contents
Introduction: How Does pH Prevent Nutrient Deficiencies?
What’s the Correct pH?
Soil pH Chart (6.0 – 7.0 pH)
Hydro/Soilless/Coco pH Chart (5.5 – 6.5 pH)
How to Test and Adjust pH – Step-by-Step Instructions on
How Much PH Up/Down Do I Use?
Digital PH Pen vs Drops / Strips
Common Questions & Problems
Summary: 8 Things You Must Remember About pH
Intro: How Does pH Stop Cannabis Nutrient Deficiencies?
Get one on Amazon.com!
PH is the measure of how “acidic” or “alkaline” something is, on a 1-14 scale.
A pH of “7” is considered neutral, for example pure water has a pH of about 7.
The measurements of pH has to do with the concentration of hydrogen in the sample.
A cannabis grower can measure the pH of a water sample using special pH tester
drops or a digital pH pen, like the one shown here on the right.
Okay, so why is pH important to cannabis growers?
Cannabis naturally likes a slightly acidic environment at the roots. Soil with
a slightly acidic pH is what causes cannabis plants to thrive in the wild. Proper
pH at the roots helps plants get access to the nutrients they need. If the pH at
the roots is too high or low, the plant can’t properly absorb nutrients and you
end up with cannabis nutrient deficiencies!
Paying Attention to pH Gives You Healthy Leaves!
Achieve healthy cannabis leaves by maintaining pH
Some growers get lucky and grow cannabis successfully without having to
worry about pH. Perhaps they had just the right soil, and happened to have
just the right water to create the perfect pH environment for the plant roots.
If your plant is growing perfectly, without any signs of nutrient deficiencies,
than managing the pH might not be something you’re concerned about.
Unfortunately, many growers aren’t so lucky and their setup naturally has a
pH that is too high or too low for optimum cannabis growth. While there are
ways of getting around testing pH for your cannabis grow, nearly all growers
will do better by paying attention to pH.
What’s Are the Benefits of Managing pH?
By maintaining pH…
plants are less likely to suffer leaf problems or nutrient deficiencies
without nutrient problems, cannabis plants can grow faster and produce
bigger yields
occasionally growers are alerted to possible issues before they become a
problem, for example if you determine the pH is too high or too low, you
can fix it before your leaves start suffering from deficiencies
The main thing to remember is that maintaining the right pH at the cannabis
roots helps the plant absorb nutrients. Why is that?
Nutrients take different forms (on a chemical level) depending on the pH
around them. Some forms are easier for the roots to absorb than others.
When the pH is too high or too low, the plant can show signs of a nutrient
deficiency even when the nutrients are physically there at the roots.
With pH, you’re helping plants get access to all the nutrients all the time.
While pH is important for all grows, it is most important for growers using
cannabis nutrients. The way that liquid nutrients are formulated, they are
highly available to plant roots, but only in the right pH range.
What’s the Right pH?
Soil – 6.0-7.0 pH
Hydro/Soilless/Coco – 5.5-6.5 pH
As a result of the pH being too high or too low, cannabis plants may
start showing signs of nutrient deficiencies even if the nutrients are
available in the growing medium.
Once you get the hang of maintaining the pH, it’s a breeze and will
take you only seconds. And after you have your grow dialed in, you may
not even need to check pH as often because you know what to expect.
What’s the Best pH for Growing Cannabis?
The following charts show you how easy it is for the plant to absorb
each nutrient at different pH levels. This can give you something to
aim for when you notice a specific nutrient deficiency.
Soil ~ 6.0 – 7.0 pH
In the wild, cannabis prefers a slightly acidic soil environment.
For soil an optimum root zone pH for cannabis is between 6.0 and 7.0,
with the most time spent with a pH between 6.2 – 6.9. It’s a good idea
to let the pH cover a range instead of always adjusting to the exact
same pH number.
See which nutrients are best absorbed at which pH levels
Growing marijuana in soil pH Chart
In a soil environment that doesn’t use liquid nutrients, pH isn’t as
important. When using liquid nutrients in soil, you will almost always
need to manage pH to prevent problems and get the best harvest.
Hydroponics, Soilless or Coco ~ 5.5 – 6.5 pH
For hydroponic growing setups (as well as soilless growing mediums
like coco coir) an optimum root zone pH is between 5.5 and 6.5. This
is slightly more acidic than the optimal root pH for growing in soil.
It’s a good idea to let the pH cover a range instead of always
adjusting to the exact same pH number.
See which nutrients are best absorbed at which pH levels
Growing marijuana in hydroponics pH Chart (including soilless mixes
that include coco coir, vermiculite, perlite etc)
With hydroponics, it’s especially important to allow the pH to range
slightly, as you can see above, some nutrients can only be absorbed
at higher or lower pH’s.
In a hydroponic setup, you will almost always be using liquid or
powder nutrients, so save yourself a ton of trouble by watching and
adjusting the pH as needed! The pH will naturally change over time,
and you only need to correct it when it starts going out of the 5.5-6.5
range.
What about soilless mediums like coco coir?
Most soilless growing mediums are completely inert, which means they
don’t contribute any nutrients to the plant. Instead they act more as
a support system for your roots while you provide all the nutrients through
the water. When the plant is getting all it’s nutrients in the water, it’s
considered a “hydroponic” growing setup.
However, some soilless growing mediums with a lot of organic matter may
need a slightly higher pH to thrive. For example if you heavily amended
your growing medium with worm castings (worm poop), you will want to aim
for a pH between soil and hydroponic ranges since you’ve added “soil-like”
components.
No Need to Be Exact – Let pH Range Up & Down
The thing to remember with pH is that you don’t need to be exact. What
you do need to be is consistent in keeping the pH from creeping too high
or too low in your plant root zone.
As long as you stick within the recommended pH ranges above, you will
prevent the majority of all nutrient problems caused by too-high or too-low pH.
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.
If your marijuana plant roots are experiencing the wrong pH, it’s recommended
you react as soon as you notice, and not wait until you actually notice problems
with the leaves. It can be tempting to ignore a pH problem, but you’ll often get
the best results by acting before your plant displays a problem. That being said,
if your plant is growing green, vibrant and healthy, sometimes the old saying
applies, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Tips
Be consistent in making sure pH stays in the range
You don’t need to be exact, just keep an eye on things and react if you notice
the pH is getting too high or too low
Add all of your nutrients to your water first before checking and adjusting the pH.
Your nutrients will affect the pH of your water so it’s important they get added
before making any adjustments.
How to Test and Adjust pH for Cannabis
Supplies: What Do I Need to Test & Adjust pH?
Get one on Amazon.com!
? PH Tester
Digital pH Pen or
pH Measurement Kit with drops or strips
These are the two most common methods for measuring water pH when growing cannabis.
Learn more about the pros and cons between a Digital pH Pen or a pH Measurement Kit.
? PH Adjuster
A bottle of “PH Up” and a bottle of “PH Down”
A bottle of PH Up & PH Down gives you one of the best ways to adjust pH in soil or hydro.
They each come in a bottle that lets you easily measure how much to add to your water.
General Hydroponics makes the most common version of products like this, but there are
other brands such as Mad Farmer which make similar products that are just as good.
There are other methods of adjusting pH, but using pH Up and pH Down is the best method
I’ve tried – I know these products work great for growing cannabis, and they keep the
pH more stable than natural alternatives like vinegar or baking soda.
? Water
For many growers, tap water works just fine for growing cannabis. Do you need special water?
I use a container that was originally made for drinking water to mix up my nutrients,
but many different types of containers will work. Most importantly, avoid anything
fragile, especially glass (which can break your instruments or shatter).
? Nutrients (If You’re Using Nutrients)
Learn more about cannabis nutrients – do you need them for your setup?
How to Adjust pH For Your Cannabis Plants
1.Add Any Nutrients or Supplements to Your Water – always do this first
because nutrients can change the pH of your water
2.Gently Shake or Stir Your Water
3.Test pH – this is done using a pH Pen, drops, or strips. Which one works best?
4.Adjust pH by adding “PH Up” or “PH Down” solution. Your goal is to get
your water in the right pH range for your growing medium. If your pH is too
low, you need to add “PH Up,” and if your pH is too high, you need to add
“PH Down” in order to correct the pH.
5.Re-test to make sure pH is in proper range.
6.Water plants with pH’ed nutrient solution or add water to hydroponic reservoir
7.Check – Soil or soilless growers who handwater their plants should check the pH
or their runoff water to make sure it’s in the right range – try to test the earliest
runoff if possible. Hydroponic growers can check the pH of their water by testing a
small sample from their water reservoir a few minutes later. How do I correct a bad pH?
That’s it!
How much pH Up/Down do I add?
The amount of pH Up or Down you add will vary a lot depending on your water. If
you’re using very soft water than you will need just a tiny amount of fluid to
adjust the water’s pH since there’s not much “stuff” in the water to buffer the pH.
However, if you’re using hard water than you’ll need to add more.
For PH Down – 1 mL/gallon of water will generally reduce your pH about 1 point.
That’s just a very rough estimate, but gives you a starting point. In imperial
measurements, that’s 0.2 tsp/gallon (1 tsp/5 gallons) will reduce the pH by 1 point.
If you’re regularly measuring PH Down I highly recommend using a blunt-tip syringe
with mL measurements, it’s much simpler because imperial measurements don’t have
precise enough measurements for the small amounts needed with PH Down!
Note: If you are starting with RO (reverse osmosis) or soft water, you likely need
less PH Down than the specified amount; if you have very hard water you may need more!
For PH UP – PH Up is not potent stuff! It actually has a very weak effect. Compared
to PH Down you will need to add much more PH Up to adjust the pH by the same amount.
With PH Up, depending on how hard your water is you need to add 2-4mL/gallon of water
to raise the pH 1 point. In imperial measurements that’s 0.4-0.8tsp/gallon.
The first time you’re adjusting, you don’t know what pH your water is, how “hard”
it is, and how your particular nutrients and supplements are going to affect the pH.
Initially, you’ll have to add just a little bit at a time and keep testing until you
get an idea of exactly how much you’ll need with your tap water, and the nutrients
you’re using. After 1-2 times this step will only take seconds!
It can be helpful to make a note of the total amount of pH up/down added. The total
amount of used pH up/down will be about the same each time. Remember that number and
write it down! It will make pH’ing easier in the future! The amount will change a
little depending on which nutrients your plant is getting for its current stage of
life, but having a ballpark figure is really helpful.
Unfortunately there’s no exact formula to adjusting pH, because factors such as the
source of water, growing medium, nutrients, drainage and growing setup all have an
effect on pH.
You will need to use trial and error to figure out what amount of pH Up or Down
works for you in your setup with your nutrients.
If you’re new to adjusting pH, start small with pH Up and Down, and only work
your way up to bigger amounts after you’ve gained some experience. Most growers
will be able to figure out their personal measurements within 1-2 waterings.
The very first time you pH your water, it will take a little trial and error to
figure out how much PH Up or PH Down to add to get to the right number, since
everyone’s water is a little different. The general idea is to start with a
little bit, maybe a few drops, then retest and add more if needed. Continue
this until you get the water in the proper range. PH Down is much stronger
than PH Up, so be extra careful with PH Down! After the first time, it will
be much easier to measure out how much you need.
Tips for Cannabis Nutrient & pH Management:
Don’t Go Overboard: With liquid nutrients, it’s usually better to give too
little than too much. You can always add more, but it’s harder to take nutrients
back. A good rule of thumb is to start out at half the recommended dose, and only
raise nutrient levels if the plant needs it.
Never Mix Nutrients or Supplements Directly With Each other: Always add nutrients
directly to your water. It’s bad to mix nutrients together. They can react with
each other in a way that can make nutrients less available to your plants. Most
nutrient bottles or pH adjusters will come with a clear warning that says the
same thing. Always add any additives directly to the water – your plants will
thank you for it.
Add “Micro” to Water First – If you’re using a 3-part nutrient series with a
bottle for “Micro,” you should always add that to the water first. It will also
say so on the bottle and on the nutrient schedule, but just something to be aware of.
Tap Water Can Be Easier to pH Than RO or Highly Filtered Water: Tap water or
mineral water has an extra buffer of extra minerals and other “stuff” in the
water. This helps prevent the pH from swinging up too high or too low quickly
and can make pHing easier. RO water has very little buffer (it’s basically pure water)
and tends to swing up and down in pH easily with just a little pH Up or Down.
Do you need special water or is your tap water good enough?
Shaking Water Changes the pH: When checking and adjusting pH, some growers like
to shake their water container to make sure everything is evenly mixed. This works
well, and roots love the extra dissolved oxygen, but it’s important to understand
that after shaking the nutrient water for a long time, the additional dissolved
oxygen will raise the pH of the water. Don’t worry about this – don’t retest then
readjust the pH. If you’re going to hand-water to your plant, you want to make
sure you go by the pH of the water before it was shaken up. In hydro, the water
is going to be oxygenated anyway, so shaking it before testing is ok. If water
is allowed to sit for a while, it’s normal for the pH to change a bit. When it
comes to mixing, make sure you mix water gently so nutrients and pH Up or Down
are evenly distributed, but avoid vigorous shaking until after you’ve already
adjusted the pH.
pH Drift is Normal. Try to keep pH in the suggested range and you’ll be fine,
even if it’s on the higher or lower end of the scale.
How Do I Correct a Bad pH?
Summary of Steps
1.Get Current Root pH
2.Adjust pH – Instructions
3.Checking & Maintenance
1.) First get a ballpark figure of the current root pH
Soil or Soilless Mediums
Next time you water the growing medium, test the pH of the water going in
Test the pH of the water that runs out of the bottom (runoff water)
If the pH of the runoff is in the right range, even if it’s not the same as the
pH you put in, you’re good. If the pH of the runoff water coming out is too high
or too low for your range, you know that you’ll need to correct the pH.
Hydroponics
Test the pH of the reservoir by taking a small sample of water and use it to test the pH.
If the pH is outside the 5.5-6.5 pH range, you know you’ll need to correct the pH.
2.) If pH at Root Zone is Off, Adjust the pH
Let’s break down exactly what you need to do!
Hand-Watered Plants
Soil
Soilless