Ph Range?

[willard3]

I have been growing in hydro for quite a while and have just concluded an unintended experiment.

My data indicates that when my  Ph varies from 6.5-7.0  chiles grow, flower and fruit just fine. For the last couple of months, I have been letting the Ph go to between 7.0 and 7.5 and the growth turned much worse.....nothing died, growth slowed, flowering and fruiting slowed or  stopped. I have changed Ph back to 6.5-7.0 and all the chiles  have recovered

I grow in a temp controlled g'house and climate/light conditions have not changed and nutrient maker and concentration have been constant....the only variable changed was Ph.

Conventional wisdom (the thing I was testing) is that Ph from 5.0 to 7.0 is good and I disagree.

Other observations.....?

[Sauli Särkkä]

I have observed similar patterns of growth behavior with Aji Cristal. When the pH is too high, even a smidgen above 7, there are little ill effects but once pH drops to a low 6, troubles begin. Crumpled leaves, slower growth, to name a few.


-Sale

[Jogi]

Hello,

one would list those exactly says which for a material when best works!






Many greetings Jogi

[cornell]

I agree willards observations. I  don't own a proper pH meter, just a colour indicator and pH 6+ (green) works best for my chillies. PH under 6 or over 7 makes the plants look bad.

[tadytomas]

Got a question. I am starting with ebb&flood system, now building. And want to know: the pH is too low/high what to do, what to add? thanks

-tadytomas

[synkri]

Use pH-Up or pH-Down.

Not an add, just to show an ex. of the stuff:
http://www.viherpeukku.fi/catalog/index.php?cPath=104

[tadytomas]

and for example: I have 40l in reservoir, pH 7,5 and want 6,5, how much I have to add? Just to know.. how big package buy. Thanks

[Fatalii]

Try with a little at first, like 5ml of liquid ph down. Stir the solution.

Then the important thing is, DON'T start measuring it right away, instead,
wait overnight and measure again and add more PH down if needed (I presume so.)
With high a ph water, it tends to raise back up, but adding buffered ph down solution like few days in a row (if needed) will help to maintain the ph level where wanted.

Hope it helps!

[tadytomas]

well, thanks for advice. I have just one question. It is about fertilizers. I will have more chilli tribes in one system. Some has shorter and some longer growing season. Muss I quit adding fertilizers before harwest of each kind?

thanks

[Fatalii]

Well, that's something you need to decide by yourself.. of course the chiles will taste better if give them just water before harvesting but it certainly affects the growth / bloom season of the other varieties / species.

I think I'd go with at least milder solution, just use less nitrogen (floramicro for example) to avoid bad taste.

Good luck!

[tadytomas]

Hi all, got another problem  I have got 60l solution "box" for my ebb&flood, GH nutrients micro and mato, pH down GH, and I can not achieve still pH..

I add a pH down -> measure the solution some time after and the pH is between 6,5 and 7. But after 2 ar 3 days pH is back in 8 or so. I know, that sometimes is necessary to checked it and correct it few times. I have already did it 5 times now and it isnt still still.

Any ideas? thanks

[Fatalii]

Have you washed your medium properly? sounds like something is affecting the solution..
I usually add a little "too much" ph down liquid, and it usually sets quite nicely. You could try that.

After growing quite a few different species and varieties on hydro, I have to say that the best ph range for producing pods is pH 6.
certainly not less but not too much above, 6.5 being still acceptable but 5.5 not.

I guess this guideline is quite close to ideal showing between 6 and 6.5 is optimum, at least for chiles.


Some results using pH 6 through the season:














And so on.

Some wild chiles really like to have completely different pH values for proper fruit set.

[tadytomas]

wow.. nice pics, hope i will have at least 10% harvest.. 

well, a folloved the willards numbers, so between 6,5 and 7. I will try lower.. about 6.

And yes, I washed it properly in water few times, all dust is gone and the solution is clear I will try some liquid pH down

edit: should be the problem in small cocentration of nutrients? 60l water, 60ml Mato and 60 micro. The next solution I will make the same (maybe littlebit stronger) and I will make it stronger and stonger each few days.

[Fatalii]

Don't make it stronger everyy few days!

Just keep as it is for like 14 days, ADD JUST WATER!

Then, completely change the solution, pour off the old solution.
New solution can be a little stonger when the plants have grown a little.

Keep in mind, always add just water after changing the solution.

[tadytomas]

yes, I know about the water, for clarification. But I thought that it si bad to change the solution for much stronger one in one step, that it is better to go in small steps each few days    In my case make a solution 60l water, 60ml mato and micro and each 3 or so days add another 5ml micro andd mato. And the next solution start on so much ml mato and micro which a achieved. But maybe it is all wrong..    I will follow your advices.. you are so much more experienced 

did you see my latest plants in ebb? how many ml (mato and micro) would you add in ane litre.. thanks

[Fatalii]

You mean these?

http://chilifoorumi.fi/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5457.0;attach=474;image

At that point, I'd still be more closer to cuttings and seedlings instructions on floramato bottle. A bit stronger perhaps, after they have grown a little, go as high as medium feeders if you have plenty of light forr them.

[lee]

Have you washed your medium properly? sounds like something is affecting the solution..
I usually add a little "too much" ph down liquid, and it usually sets quite nicely. You could try that.

After growing quite a few different species and varieties on hydro, I have to say that the best ph range for producing pods is pH 6.
certainly not less but not too much above, 6.5 being still acceptable but 5.5 not.

I guess this guideline is quite close to ideal showing between 6 and 6.5 is optimum, at least for chiles.


Some results using pH 6 through the season:















That's what I'm talking about  . Just amazing!!

And so on.

Some wild chiles really like to have completely different pH values for proper fruit set.

[tadytomas]

Fatalii, you were talking about pH down liquid. I am going to buy some, because the pH level still raises. In my local growshop, threre are the acids: nitric acid (grow one) and orthophosphoric acid (bloom one). Do you use just one of them, or do you combine them? for growing and blooming.. thanks..

[Fatalii]

I use pH Down by GHE. It's a buffered stuff meaning that it will hold the pH levels quite well.

I had my pH down bottle since 2003 so it really lasts forever... not a good idea to save money there.

It works and you don't have to kill your plants with any dish washing liquids or similar emergency relief!
NO, DON'T USE THEM!

[tadytomas]

It is not some dish washing liquids  Well, in my country GHe is not very popular and I cant get pH down from GHe here. I meant for exaple advanced hydroponics of holland or canna.. It is a proper stuff for lowering the pH level in hydroponics. But they make the solution in two versions (grow- nitrogen and bloom- phosphorus). I googled pH- from GHe and they make just one