london water PH levels

[doobydoobydo]

Hi, I am having a few problems at the moment, iron deficency and maybe my PH levels. I am growing in Biobizz allmix and using Biobizz Grow and Bloom. Because i am using those pouch pots i cannot get a run off so i bought a PH meter, a cheap £10 job that you poke into the pot. I am not sure how accurate it is because somebody told me today in my local grow shop that london water is high ph maybe 7.5 even 8.
The instructions on my PH meter say to take some soil, mix it with water into a mud then use the meter, obviously if london water is high ph then that will faslify the results?
SO my question is this. Should i treat my tap water each time i water the plants?
cheers
a
i have a couple of more questions which may get answered here so i will wait
ps I was told to fill my watering can 24 hours in advance and that helps with the PH, does it?

 

[namvet25]

Leaving your water sit for awhile will have little effect on ph.You need a good ph meter that tests the intake water and not the soil.You should use ph down solution every time you water and have it close to 6.5.

 

[doobydoobydo]

do you mean test the water before i add the biobizz nutrients?
cheers
a

 

[namvet25]

No, always test after you add your nutes or any other additive.

 

[doobydoobydo]

okey dokey, my friend in scotland said that due to the tap water in london i should always add the PH down stuff? Everthing looks ok at the moment so i will carry as i am, another friend here in london has a rain butt and uses that. Sorry if i appear a bit ignorant but i am open to answer any questions on bricklaying or good bars in Bombay!

 

[KonopCh]

Leaving your water sit for awhile will have little effect on ph.You need a good ph meter that tests the intake water and not the soil.You should use ph down solution every time you water and have it close to 6.5.

My water has 7.1 pH. After 1-2 days it has 8.1 pH.

 

[namvet25]

That's wierd to see it go up and not down.I just noticed your using Bio Biz,is this organic?

 

[doobydoobydo]

:smoking:yep biobizz products are organic, i am told you do not need to check PH levels, i wasted a cockel on a ph meter today, oh well so it goes. Am listening to some lovely studio 1 tunes and its a sunny day,

 

[Waira]

...This no checking on pH of soil/medium just because you're using organics is a sweeping generalization mate, I don't agree with it at all,... they can be acidic, just like synthetic, and there are other things that affect soil pH as well-- mainly the roots, and the myriad soil herd as well,... plenty can go wrong, believe it! (Only exception I know of is with True Living Organic soils)...it's their job to break down the organic sources of nute's in there into absorbable forms, and maintaining a good, constant pH is more critical than ever because of this,...using harsh chemical adjusters will fry many of them, so milder ones are called for,... dialing in your water is key to this as well; high pH like that likely means the water is pretty hard-- mineral rich, specifically CaCO3 which is also what buffers pH in water,... so yes, using this wtaer to test will skew results,... and the probe is meant to test well moistened soil, not a slurry.. worse, the cheap probes are not accurate for shit usually,... do you have a digital pH meter, the type used for liquids only?
... pouch pots..? are you saying you can't get run-off because there's no drainage? That can't be right,..

 

[doobydoobydo]

I am using Biobizz organic soil and Biobizz organic nutrients, my mate uses the same and has been for years, the only difference is that he grows in a poly tunnel, ( i am under hps lights but in a room not a tent) he has never needed to test the ph and has never had any problems? I am told on here and other places that you do need to test PH levels with biobizz products?

I am due to water today and will use my ph probe before and after watering, will water one plant with plain water so that i can see the difference.
I had an iron defficency problem the other day on one plant, i gave it a flush and thena couple of days later some cal mag and it seems ok now. Should i give the plants a dose of cal mag every week?
Cheers
A