My last run was organic and i still had to go for a ph range of water when feeding.
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You shouldn’t have to as long as your starting water is within range hell i can open and use a brand new bag of Happy Frog without even PH’ing any water
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I shouldn’t say i had too, i just did ph water when i only used water
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I found getting good at targeting a certain ph was a good habit, sometimes i use white vinegar to lower or baking soda to raise.
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Awesome! Thanks for the insight EVERYBODY!! Sorry for the belated response, i was at my legal limit of posts for a newbie yesterday so i couldn’t respond until now.
Really appreciate the point in the right direction! sounds like it could hopefully be music to my ears by not having to dick around w PH’ing!!
@LiesGrows @Skydiver the insight on the BaS “auto” buffering incorrectly ph’ed water will hopefully save my butt! So i won’t need to ph my water when using BaS? Just double checking based off @Boogy post. Again my original water ph is 7.8.
Yes it’s 1st time using the BaS. Checked and it is thr ammended 3.0 (white bag with the orangish label). They were originally smaller pots with a mixture of left over dirts but then transplanted to a mix of 5 gal and 7 gal pots prior to their move to the other room and then later switched over to flower.
Great to know about the need to cook the mix too! Ill keep that in mind for the future.
Shouldnt be a need to ammend until start of flower right? Do you recommend keeping an eye on the soil ph to know when to ammend? Or do you recommend following a certain schedule?
Thanks to everybody again!
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I’ve never used their premixed bagged soil.
This is what you used correct
I would call or email build a soil and ask them directly about your questions regarding PH of water and its buffering abilities and if it’s made to last through flower with water only or if you’ll need to add amendments at some point.
I know they do sell a top dressing for flower but again I haven’t used either before so I don’t know.
Cooking is if you build the soil using their 3.0 amendments mix that would be added to a bag of Fox farm or roots etc but from what I understand you got their bagged soil with the 3.0 already in it and they cook it before selling it.
Best to contact them directly and get from the horses mouth they are great helping folks with questions.
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I never bothered to pH my living soil, at first. My well water is 7.3, and I found that I do have to get water within target range. Otherwise, my pots pH would remain outta the zone. The microheard could only do so much to buffer it back down. Maybe, the pots were just over limed, but it’s made a noticeable difference in quality, watering in range.
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Sorry for the belated return. The flu has been ripping through the house…blah!
Thanks @Skydiver ! Yes youre correct that’s the bag that i have switched to for the first time for the current run. However i just transplanted them into it prior to switching into the flower room. Therefore, according to the chart that they provide, it should last the entire cycle (depending on the pot size, but should be good for mine in 7gal).
However, while the above mentioned is the case with my current run…unfortunately it’s not my first ph issue, as ive had it for the past 1+ year. Previously i was using FF OF or HF and ammending/top dressing as needed throughout the run.
I’ll give em a shout and see what they say.
In the meantime until I can figure out the ph issue…any recommendations on a possible water source to use? A specific brand of bottled? Distilled (realizing it has no mineral qualities)?
Thanks @Budbrother !
So based on your feedback of it not being able to buffer from 7.3…then I’d definitely need to ph to range with my water coming in at 7.8
Thanks again for all the help! Sounds like I’ve got plenty of work still to figure out where i need to be. I’ll keep y’all posted!
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Agree with above.
My Apera 60 does not grow weird white or colored stuff, the way the Apera 20 does.
Monthly cleaning and calibration part of the plan.
Full cal kit support with clean fluid.
Definitely part the monthly plan.
My municipal water is about 7.5
My TPS nutrient feed lowers PH of solutions.
Trying for 6.5 in, and monthly soil core sample slurry for soil checking.
Available options.
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Question about the BaS…
Is it safe to use at all stages? Vs is it too hot for smaller plants/at which stages?
Again hopefully this is a solution for my ph issues, but don’t want to use it at wrong stage and cause another issue(s)!
Also forgot to mention…this run is staggering a couple custom creations along with some honey melon haze from sensi seeds.
Hopefully i can kick the ph issues and have some purdy pics soon!
Take a look at this on Amazon
There are other brands at other prices. Any one will work to produce Reverse Osmosis water and will remove nearly everything from the water and it’s PH will be essentially neutral and will not increase or decrease soil PH nor add calcium etc causing possible PH increases that those buffers (calcium etc) over time add up.
Rather than buying jugs of water I have an RO system hooked up at my utility sink using the adapter that comes with it.
You could also hook it others ways but this works best for me and I believe in the long run less $ out of my wallet.
I refill using old 1 gallon jugs, 5 gallon buckets and sometimes my 35 gallon brute trash can. Takes about 35 minutes per gallon which varies based on water temp coming in. Faster if warmer slower if colder.
If I need to lower tap PH I use citric acid. Cheap found in grocery stores. A little goes a long way.
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@WishICould. Im small grower, hand water 2 plants.
We use a 5 stage filtering system called Zero Water.
I target my feeding ppm, parts per million.
Zero water has TDS meter in handle, it starts at zero ppm. If i am feeding a clone at 200 too 300 ppm and tap water averages 153 ppm that doesnt allow much for good nutes.
Drinkable, its a pitcher with a 5 stage filter.
Just a option. 40.00 walmart
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