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FourOaks · January 18, 2017

Alrighty, here we go.

For those of you growing in soil-less media, and using such fertilizer as Masterblend and Chem-gro, do you, or have you measured the PH of the runoff?

I have ran across this topic as I research growing in straight Coco Coir. The problem is that limited info seems to exist and its limited to those who grow "herbs". If you catch my drift.

The idea is that the soil media will/could/maybe affect the PH of your nutrient solution. So, you compensate by adjusting the PH of your nutrient solution, sometimes beyond what would seem "normal".

Example:

Lets assume you want a PH of 6.0 for your nutrient solution. Supposedly, for Hydro, this is the ideal PH, from what I can find. Lets assume that everything aligns when you mix your nutrient solution, and you have exactly 6.0. You feed your plant, and measure the runoff. Now depending on the media, peat, coir, promix, whatever... your PH runoff could be, say 5.0.

At this point you would have to increase the PH do to the media dragging down the PH. at the root level.

Thats my take on the situation at the moment. The only thing I know to do, at the moment, is to do some samples. Maybe Coir and my homemade mix leftover from last year.

Anyone have thoughts on this. Also, what do you usually PH your solution to?

January 18, 2017	#1
FourOaks Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: NC Posts: 511	Lets discuss container runoff PH Alrighty, here we go. For those of you growing in soil-less media, and using such fertilizer as Masterblend and Chem-gro, do you, or have you measured the PH of the runoff? I have ran across this topic as I research growing in straight Coco Coir. The problem is that limited info seems to exist and its limited to those who grow "herbs". If you catch my drift. The idea is that the soil media will/could/maybe affect the PH of your nutrient solution. So, you compensate by adjusting the PH of your nutrient solution, sometimes beyond what would seem "normal". Example: Lets assume you want a PH of 6.0 for your nutrient solution. Supposedly, for Hydro, this is the ideal PH, from what I can find. Lets assume that everything aligns when you mix your nutrient solution, and you have exactly 6.0. You feed your plant, and measure the runoff. Now depending on the media, peat, coir, promix, whatever... your PH runoff could be, say 5.0. At this point you would have to increase the PH do to the media dragging down the PH. at the root level. Thats my take on the situation at the moment. The only thing I know to do, at the moment, is to do some samples. Maybe Coir and my homemade mix leftover from last year. Anyone have thoughts on this. Also, what do you usually PH your solution to?