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I have read Stinky's tutorial on checking ph using runoff. I certainly have had my share of ph problems this time. When I discovered my tap was over 8, I flushed 4 gal with clearex ph adjusted followed by a 1/4 strength feed. But runoff is still dark..too dark to use the liquid ph tester with. So does this mean I need to flush until the runoff is more clear? Much thanks to any one who can help.
If it's a yellowish color in the LIQUID, keep flushing.
If it's suspended particulate matter, run it through a permanent coffee filter, or a regular one that you have pre-rinsed with your flush solution.
Or just let it settle out before testing.
Hi Stinky
the runoff color is very dark. I can't even see through it. and that is after all the flushing. should i flush again until i see a more clear runoff?
Let it sit for a while to settle. You probably have a lot of fine particulate matter in there. Let it sit on the counter for an hour or so and I'll be it is clear, and you can test it.
And there;s he coffee filter method too.
(Is there an echo in here? Or am I having deja vu?)
Just out of curiosity, what are you using for soil?
soil is vortex potting soil lady bug. And i feed fox farm big bloom. i have written before because of ph problems..of course most of the problem was due to me...old test strips & bad tester. I gave them bottled water until they went into 6" pots and thats where all the problems began. I started using tap with bad testers and wahla here we are, 2 wks into flower with 2 males and one female. i suspect nute lockout cause of the actual ph of the tap being over 8. I can't believe I even got a female and that she isn't worse off than she is. She is very light green with a little hook down on some of the leaves. I have done a lot of research so i know she is lacking which leads me back to the ph and lockout.
my runoff is still so dark it just seems like it should be more clear. i don't know, i have never had any ph problems before and it is driving me crazy. but if i get the feed & water ph correct then it should be ok? or should the runoff not be so very dark? I will do as you said Stinky and let it sit out for awhile. and see if it gets lighter. thanks for the help i do appreciate it and oh yea sorry about the rambling, you know how it is.
Usually a 3:1 flush is all you need to correct problems with ph and nute issues. (3 gallons of ph'd water, for every one gallon of soil volume)
If more than one flush is needed, let pot sit till soil dries out a bit. Otherwise, root rot from overwatering is a strong possibility.
My guess is that Stinky is right. (is she ever wrong, lol..?) Likely you are seeing small, dark particulate matter that will settle-out after a few minutes. Does it really matter with your liquid ph tester, tho? If there is any color at all to the run-off water, won't it skew the color-coded test results? My aquarium water ph test kit was unusable for run-off, for just that reason.
Milwaukee ph test pen...$60.00.
Stinky:
We often suffer from deja vu. Problem is...newbies suffer from vu ja-de. (that feeling you've never been there before)
bought my Milwaukee test pen here, for $24 ...very reliable so far .. I also purchased testing solutions there ...
Milwaukee pH600 pH Tester, Meter, pH 600 :smokin:
Nice find. Makes ph testing much quicker and easier than the vial test-kits. :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by the image reaper
Hey Rusty
yes you are right that is what us newbies suffer from..lol..i only have a couple of other grows under my belt so i am certainly a newbie. I have never tackled a ph problem and i guess i never really paid attention to runoff color. but i know Stinky said something about color in her how to post but i couldn't follow what was meant except it seemed like it was saying dark runoff was no good. i am phing my water with ph down and just gave them half strength nutes since the flush. she just looks hungry.
thanks for chiming in if you have some advice or insight i am all ears or in this case eyes oh i am going to research the Milwaukee test pen thanks for the tip.
thanks reaper for the link i just saw it. heading there now.
ok i checked it out and i have just 1 question..how do you use it? i have never used one like that. is it strictly for soil or water or both? I will do some research to see if i can find the answers but if you want to cut my search short feel free to jump in.
read in the faqs about the tester and thanks again for the info. i am getting one.