Ph with Growers Ark range

[Slow jam]

Hi all. I'm just starting my first run with the GA hard water range. I've used AN since starting back up a couple of years ago and despite their claims always had to adjust my ph to 6.2.

I see that the  GA range has quite a wide ph range . So my question is do I stick with my ph just with nutes added provided it is in recommended range. Or adjust to my normal 6.2?

I see plenty of info on here about feeding schedules which is great but not a lot about ph. Any help would be great as I don't want to mess it up from the start.

 

Thanks  

[tokenroll]

anything from ph 5.8-6.3 i find works perfectly in coco with any coco nutrients.

Edited March 10, 2021 by tokenroll

[Guest]

I'm using hard water GA atm in coco, not ph'ing and no problem.  The nutes bring mine down to about 6.5, which is fine. 

[rootbound]

On 10/03/2021 at 7:44 PM, fatboy77 said:

I'm using hard water GA atm in coco, not ph'ing and no problem.  The nutes bring mine down to about 6.5, which is fine. 

 

I've wanted to try this as bringing mine down to 5.8-6.0 each time is a hassle I'd rather avoid. What's your starting PH and have you ever run in to any lockout issues?

I'm reluctant to mess with the current lot but I'm hoping to have a few plants to experiement with in the coming months and will definitely try this.

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, rootbound said:

What's your starting PH and have you ever run in to any lockout issues?

pH is 7.5 to begin with and never had a pH lockout. 

[GSZZ]

In coco, In Hard Water, you need to aim for  6.5 pH or below. In soft water just forget about it altogether. After I worked out 3.5ml/l of GA feed got my pH to 6.4 I didn't check the pH again after that. Overrated.

[rootbound]

1 hour ago, fatboy77 said:

pH is 7.5 to begin with and never had a pH lockout. 

 

Great to hear, I think mine starts around 7.2 so that gives me some hope.

 

5 minutes ago, GSZZ said:

In coco, In Hard Water, you need to aim for  6.5 pH or below. In soft water just forget about it altogether. After I worked out 3.5ml/l of GA feed got my pH to 6.4 I didn't check the pH again after that. Overrated.

 

My understanding was 5.8-6.0 was the sweet spot in coco with an outside range of 5.5-6.5. Only from what I've read about nutrient uptake. I have no personal experience so it's great to hear from those that do!

[GSZZ]

@rootbound soft water has little to no buffering capacity, the elements in hard water act as a buffer which is why the pH is more difficuilt to mess with in Hard Water. Coco comes buffered to pH 6, so in soft water with its little to no buffering capacity it just changes to suit its surrounding IE the coco at pH 6. Because of the buffers in hard water, it fights against the buffer in the coco so you have to help it out a little bit and make sure the pH is below 6.5 and then let the coco do a bit of the work. Adding lots of pH up or pH down actually messes with the buffering capacity and CEC of coco, so trying to get the pH absolutely bang on 5.8 or 6.0 is actually more damaging to the coco and your crop than just letting the coco do a bit of the work.

[rootbound]

@GSZZ Thank you, that explains it perfectly. The amount of ph down required to drop it has always bugged me and mixing nutrients would be a lot more streamlined without it.

What do you think about changing this mid grow? Could it be determental to plants already used to a lower range? Logically I can't see that it would however I'd gladly apprechiate your input.

[GSZZ]

@rootbound I think you will be fine, the nutrients will still be available and if anything it'll be giving the coco cec a bit of a break because you won't be hammering it with phospherous ions. If they do start looking ropey just start working the pH down a little bit more each watering until they start to look better and you've found what works for you - try and balance it with your A&B also, I usually run at 3ml/l but in my current water I have to run at 3.5ml/l to get 6.4 pH, that way I don't have to add any pH down at all. Food for thought

[rootbound]

Do you run a true 3.5ml/l or are you diluting to reach your desired EC? I find I'm using half strength or lower with autos for an EC of 1.2ish in my hard water. This would of course make it tough to balance the pH using only the GA nutrients. Damn it, thought my pHing days were over!

Edited April 16, 2021 by rootbound
words

[Guest]

I regularly feed below 3ml of ga in hard water.  No pH, no problem. 

[GSZZ]

Just now, rootbound said:

Do you run a true 3.5ml/l or are you diluting to reach your desired EC?

 

A "true" 3.5ml/l, which gives me an E.C of 1.4. Only .2 higher than what I would usually run in a soft water area. 

[rootbound]

Interesting, is that A/B+traces only? I'll check my readings later to see where I land. From memory, 3ml A/B + 2ml extras and 5ml root tonic per litre give me an EC of 2.2~. My hard water starts at 0.7.

[GSZZ]

5 minutes ago, rootbound said:

Interesting, is that A/B+traces only? I'll check my readings later to see where I land. From memory, 3ml A/B + 2ml extras and 5ml root tonic per litre give me an EC of 2.2~. My hard water starts at 0.7.

 

That sounds a bit high. Yes I am only using A&B + traces, anything else I add to the tank doesn't have a mineral content and doesn't alter the E.C. My water is 0.6 from the tap, after 3.5ml/l A&B I get 1.4.