New Grower PH Soil Run Off / Lock Out / Why? / Best Fix? / So Upsetting dont laugh !!

[blue]

Good catch Blue!!!! I think tho like Muddy posted, this is no help do to the nutrient line up.

hehe, agreed GoAuto - sorry wasn't calling you out! Thanks for the chart again (saved a good few grows in the past!)

:hug:

 

[true]

Wow those are nice. You do have a N issue going on there and that ph seems awful low coming out of your soil. What i would do is flush the soil and add Epson salt to the soil mix in water also id spray the leaves to feed from the top with epsom salt. Are you or have you been flushing your soil around day 30 or 35 ?

Are you adding garden lime? If not id put some right in the top of the soil water it in . It keeps your ph more stable.

Hi Big Guy, thanks for the reply
Yes I flushed at 35 days, not really heard about using lime in the soil. Im going to look into that.

I agree the PH levels look stupid low.
I did the test the best I could, my Blue Labs PH pen is top of the line as far as I know and calibrated before this run off test.

Thanks for the input,
True.

 

[true]

Same prop over here but i have a lock out + N overdose. Flushed 2 times now with Cana Flush but its not getting better atm. First time since ages that i run on soil and bäm ph issues arghh

Hi Medic, thanks for the message.
Ive had this trouble before on my other grows.
I had everything just so perfect this time round, Im keen to get to the bottom of this.
Good luck brother Medic

 

[true]

them calculations aren't that great (imo) you calculated right, I just don't trust that way of checking, cause if ur soil was that low ur plants would not be alive. can I suggest spending $50 on an accurate 8 soil probe. best $50 I ever spent( no bullshit) my 2 cents: N def for sure, prolly mag too. cause that would make ur leaves limp feeling. lack of or lockout I don't know but if you had an accurate 8 you wold knw

Hi Faded, thanks for the message.
I agree the tests maybe are not that perfect. Get this I did buy an Accurate 8 on my last grow with a whole host of other soil ph probes.
The Accurate was ordered from America but I found it to be as rubbish as all the other cheap tat on ebay.

I know shocking as everyone raves about them. Now Im thinking my was duff. It just never showed a reading. In my wisdom it got put in the bin in disgust .
I bought every PH probe off ebay and thought I would do a probe review on here. I just got pissed off and sacked them all as junk.
Hey ho...

 

[true]

The chart is fine. I've given it out countless times and the only times i've seen it not working is when pens aren't calibrated properly or when too much run off is taken. Just the first 100ml or so will do.

I'll try and run through your questions.

1) 6.1 to about 6.4
2) Ideally yeah, if you water at 6.2, and your run off is 6.2 then your soil medium is almost certainly 6.2.
3) I didn't check the all, but the first one - yes.
4) Check your meters - recalibrate. Sounds really low for soil - did you add any additional ammendments? if this is all done, then keep trying to get it in range with feedings or you may need to do a proper flush (3 times the amount of water than the pot could hold)
5) It's a balancing act. If you need to raise your "medium ph" (soil) then you'll need to raise your feeding ph.
6) I've got a suspicion but i'll leave that to the end.
7) I personally dont think so
8) I always use good quality medium with buffers. Negate your chances of mishaps by getting the good stuff.
9) becuase as your plant cant get what it needs from the soil, it eats itself. The green going to yellow is the plant eating itself (lol)
10) Here's what i think.

Your plants look a little overwatered (they don't look N deficient in any way shape or form) infact they look dark green and droopy (which is overwatering)

I just think you're overwatering.

I can only think that you're pens are giiving false readings. If your PH really was that low, the plant would look horrible and dying and scraggy.

These are my opinions and appologies if they don't align with other views. But I think this could help.
Try lifting the pots to make sure their feather light before watering (before they droop from underfeeding lol)

Hope this helps

Blue ^_^

Hi Blue,

Thank you so much for the brilliant and full full full reply !

When you say on question 4, did I add any additional amendments, what do you mean?
On question 8 you mention buffers, what do you mean by this? The soil is supposed to be highly rated stuff over here and up til now I would agree.
Something like this happened on my last grow. I got all worried about PH and never really got to the bottom of it.

I did calibrate my PH pen before starting the test and its a decent Blue Labs metre. I will keep running these tests and monitor whats what.
At the beginning I was all over checking PH and EC at every mix but since the numbers were always well in range I stopped.

Now you mention watering...
Im not just saying this but the other day I thought the exact same thing.
This is my 3rd ever soil grow and 3rd grow back after 15 years off. I did hydro then, my point is I dont know much about soil or growing in general.
Knowing how much to water is a dark art it seems and something sadly is very very hard to express on a forum.

One mans light pot is another man's (or woman's said in Monty Python style) heavy pot.
Im following Tangs guide as close as poss, this suggests watering twice a day. Ive just been in my room for there evening meal and given them all a little cuddle and lift but its no dinner tonight for those plants.. nil by mouth

You know what Blue my mate I think you have hit the nail on the head here with over watering.

The Plan
Im going to check some other plants run off tomorrow and make a big effort on less watering.
They had no dinner tonight, so should be nice and light come the morning.

Thanks again Blue for a top reply, thanks for the effort!

 

[bad dragon bzzz]

spare potted pot,never water it.wish I had knew that my first 2 grows.

 

[true]

With such big plants in such small pots getting an accurate run off reading is going to be hard and frankly, I wouldn't trust it. If those leaves are coming from the bottom of the plant and from the center, near the main stem, that's pretty common once they become well shaded from the rest of the plant. That yours are limp and floppy makes me think that could be the case. I'm not seeing any signs of an N deficiency. If the soil pH is low and causing lockout, it should show as P and K deficiencies with possibly some cal/mag as well.

What is the PPM of your base water? pH Perfect was designed to be used with RO water and to work properly, needs the PPM of the base water to be between about 100 - 150 PPM. I've tried using it with my tap water, which has a base PPM of 250. I had similar problems with the loss of the lower fan leaves showing exactly what yours are.

I would also suggest you invest in an Accurate 8 soil probe. Well worth it to know exactly where you soil pH is at. Much more reliable than checking run off.

Hi Muddy,

Thanks for the message back!

Yes from the bottom first, yes from the centre near the stem. These are large inside leaves.
My tap water is run into a 200l water butt and has an air stone running 24/7. This water is always stood for a few days until used.

Base water is reading the following from my Blue Labs EC Truncheon
CF - 6
EC - 0.6
PPM 500 - 300
PPM 700 - 420

Funny that you bring up RO Water, I was also going to ask if its OK to us RO water with soil and Advanced Nutrients.
My tap water is hard and has a high PH of 8.3.
Im definitely going to get a machine set up now.

Are you growing in soil and using RO water? What nutes are you using?
Thanks,
T.

As said above I tried the Accurate 8 and got no readings off it at all.
Anger got me and it was dumped in a sulk.

 

[true]

Should that be 6.2 "Minus" 2.1 ?

^_^

Yes sorry
Told ya I cant add up..

 

[true]

spare potted pot,never water it.wish I had knew that my first 2 grows.

Hey Archie, not sure what you mean ?

 

[bad dragon bzzz]

will get you used to what is a light pot,and a pot heavy with water.