Major pH Issues, I understand what's wrong I just can't fix it.

[Chronic Chrissy]

OK so there are two parts to this problem, and they will both be gotten to in good time.

This is my second grow, my first one went great bringing in 2oz per plant and while I was great with the pH at first towards the end I didn't screw with it 'till I had problems(which I had a few of), I just pH'd the water and feed.

So here's my issue. I flushed a week before transplanting my 2 month old plants into 3gl pots and got the pH perfect at 6.5, the next week I trans planted and watered and found that the pH was low at 5.5 (here's the first problem but we'll bring it back up later). Since I'm using sunshine mix 4 which has alot of peat I figured I would mix some baking soda into the soil with the rest of the plants in an attempt to raise the pH. I adjusted the soil for the rest of the plants and flushed the soil first and tested. Once the soil got up to 6.5 I put the plant in the now adjusted soil.

Now fast forward a week
I went to water and feed my plants for week 2 of flower and when it started draining out the bottom I tested it and it was over 8! I put too much baking soda in. So once I found out with the first plant I immediately flushe and flushed and flushed till I brought it down to 7(still high but there are only so many hours in the day.

Fast forward one more week
Now thinking that my problem is fixed I fed the first plant again and the pH was back over 8! So I flush again(it took all day)

Fast forward one more week
Same thing....
So now I am bringing every plant up one a day and concentrating only on that plant. My first plant has been under a steady flow of water and draining all day and is now at 6.5.

1st part of questions
Now that I have screwed up what is my best method of fixing the problem?
Can I relax at this point and not dread next week when I go to water this plant and find it's pH back up?

I've noticed the plants aren't doing as well with the bud production, but the plants are bigger with more bud sights(So I hope to bring in at least close to the same yeild) so far this is the only effect I've seen from the pH, if I didn't test the water I would have never known, there are no signs of deficiencies or overdoses.

2nd part of questions
The soil strait from the bag is 5.5 and after a few waterings in the small pots at least the pH stabilizes, a little longer with the larger pots. So I've been flushing pots of soil then it occured to me that the last plants did fine and my trying to fix the problem back fired last time. The way I see it I have a few options.

1)Flush the soil with strait water till the pH stabilizes(a whole day of flushing and we are at like 5.7)

2)Flush the soil with water pH'd at 7.5 to level it off(alot more work than sticking the soil under the tap at 6.7)

3) add baking soda to the soil agiain but flushing thouroughly first to ensure stable pH(Hit and miss could take a long time could be quick)

4) Leaving the soil alone and watering plants with pH of 7.5 till the pH stabilizes(If there is a problem the plants are already in the soil and will be straessed and if I go over it could prolong this process)

5)transplant into the soil and just feed regularly with 6.5 till it comes up on it's own like last time.(could take a while and low pH coud hinder growth in the meantime while waiting)

So what would you do in my shoes? Is a pH of 5-5.5 that does stabilize after a few weeks really going to hinder growth that much?

Any ideas or question shoot them my way. I'm up for anything because at this point flushing plants individuall will take a week at a plant a day and then each plant will be watered individually instead of all at once. Not to mention the last plants will be under stess longer.

Chronic Chrissy Reviewed by Chronic Chrissy on 04-28-2007. Major pH Issues, I understand what's wrong I just can't fix it. OK so there are two parts to this problem, and they will both be gotten to in good time. This is my second grow, my first one went great bringing in 2oz per plant and while I was great with the pH at first towards the end I didn't screw with it 'till I had problems(which I had a few of), I just pH'd the water and feed. So here's my issue. I flushed a week before transplanting my 2 month old plants into 3gl pots and got the pH perfect at 6.5, the next week I trans planted and watered and Rating: 5

[Weedhound]

i don't do soil but I personally like number 5 the best. I have no idea how long that baking soda is going to sit in your soil and play around with the numbers. You've flushed......i'd get rid of as much of the bad soil as you can. (Feel free to ignore this advice )

[bongerstonerd00d]

Chrissy...........grow hydro

[Weedhound]

BONGER!!!! You (...censored....censored...) dog you!!!! Where the (...censored..) you been???? I've missed you my man.

Damn Bonger......you clean up nice....:thumbsup:

If you get a chance hop over to my grow log and feel free to offer advice, suggestions etc. I'll be glad you did.

[Chronic Chrissy]

Chrissy...........grow hydro

It's not flexible enough for me. I'm still working out kings and cycles, once I get to know theses plants a bit more and have more experience I'll probably go hydro, just not yet.

[Scarlet Sky]

BONGER!!!! You (...censored....censored...) dog you!!!! Where the (...censored..) you been???? I've missed you my man.

i should ask you the same

chrissy, i'm at a loss on this one. i'll pay attention as you go through, maybe i can help....

[latewood]

you shouldn't add baking soda to your soil! You mix correctly ph'd water and wash your plants with that. If you want to buffer the ph of soil...you use pulverized dolomitic lime. when you get a soil that is 5.5 I water with neutral 7.0 water/nutrient solution. Goodluck

[fishman3811]

I grew in soil for a year and never used a ph meter and my plants produced 24 ounces per 1000 watt light with just nutes and tap water no ph up or down

[stinkyattic]

I grew in soil for a year and never used a ph meter and my plants produced 24 ounces per 1000 watt light with just nutes and tap water no ph up or down

Right here -a reason to start with a good solid soil that is of known pH and contains enough composted humus to HOLD.

My pH problems ended immediately when I switched to humus as a base for my mix. I eventually just gave up even checking because no matter what I did, the pH stayed constant.

Chrissy you already transplanted but I would have suggested at transplant time making an extra effort to leach out the existing soil, and then go to a very very good quality compost for the transplant.

[Chronic Chrissy]

I grew in soil for a year and never used a ph meter and my plants produced 24 ounces per 1000 watt light with just nutes and tap water no ph up or down

Did I just see you yesterday? You have 50 plants going right now?

I had someone tell me this exact same thing at my growshop, and all I can think is how you could never check your pH because it is so important.

I have two plants going today under drips to flush today. I figure when it comes to the mix right out of the bag I'm just going to let it be and water like I used to.

Me and H were talking last night about an outdoor grow, so maybe I'll use the almost whole bag of sunshine mix to prime the holes.

Stinky what am I looking for in mulch? Brand, Content....

I knw I shouldn't have added bakingsoda of all things but I'm cheap and the thought crossed my mind that I had a pH problem last time and if I fix it my plants will do better. I don't pull noob fuck ups often it looks like I have now, lol, hey it could be so much worse.