So my tap water as is is 7 and I find ok results with using it………tested run off on my current run and it was 5.5 to me that’s quit a drop in ph what do you guys think is the 5.5 run off concerning to anyone??
Sounds like you may have a salt build up which will cause a lockout issue. You will have to flush your soil. What type of soil are you using? Are you watering to runoff each time?
If you can share more info
What medium are you growing in
Peat based soil
Coco
How old are the plants
What stage are they in
How and what do you feed
A flush may or may not be needed depends on your process of checking PH and if meter is calibrated and if using saucers and measuring run off and those not being cleaned.
Do the plants look healthy currently?
Hard to tell but if your PH from run off is that low and it’s not coco you may need to act.
So it’s an organic dry every two weeks in a mostly peat based based soil a lil coco in it
They are 3 months still veging using saucers they were spic and span clean when I drew run off from them
I’m using dry every two weeks I only watered to run off to test ph
Calibrate your meter and check again next chance you get.
You can also take soil samples from 3 spots in root area and mix with RO water let sit and then pour off some and check it.
So I calibrated and tested it over again in 4 solution it bounced back and fourth between 4 &4.1 now wondering if my fertilization is acidifying towards the end of every three weeks or so ??
So like a sample from the core of the root ball?? Like the middle of the pot??
Just choose 3 spots around pot dig down a bit and get samples. Don’t go tearing things up too much…
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Place soil sample about ¾ full in sample jar and add distilled water to cover soil.
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Cap the jar and shake the soil vigorously a few times.
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Let mixture stand 10 minutes to dissolve the salts in the soil.
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Calibrate the pH tester with a pH 7 and a pH 10 buffer solution.
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Remove the cap and place the pH tester into the wet soil slurry.
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Measure pH and record measurement.
Results
A minor (< ±0.5 pH) difference between results of the same soil sample indicates good technique and high confidence in results.
One of the easiest ways to correct the pH of your soil (both acidic and alkaline) is by adding compost. The alternative is to add an alkaline source (such as ground limestone) to acidic soil or an acidic source (such as pine needles or peat moss) to alkaline soil.
You can also do water to run off and check that like before just make sure your device is properly calibrated.