Question about ocean forest pH

Hey everyone! I'm switching over from rockwool to soil and will be using FFOF. I've been researching a bit and know that most people add dolomite lime to keep the pH from dropping. what I'm wondering is, can I get away with not using lime seeing as my tap pH is 7.3? I assume that the higher pH will balance out the soil if it drops. If you do recommend adding lime, should I then be pHing my solution down to 6.5? I would think adding lime plus the already high pH of my tap water would cause problems, but I've also heard pHing water in organic soil is a no-no. Opinions?

DynamiteBob said:

Hey everyone! I'm switching over from rockwool to soil and will be using FFOF. I've been researching a bit and know that most people add dolomite lime to keep the pH from dropping. what I'm wondering is, can I get away with not using lime seeing as my tap pH is 7.3? I assume that the higher pH will balance out the soil if it drops. If you do recommend adding lime, should I then be pHing my solution down to 6.5? I would think adding lime plus the already high pH of my tap water would cause problems, but I've also heard pHing water in organic soil is a no-no. Opinions?

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The nutrients and lime in the FFOF is good for about 3-4 weeks, depending on plant size.
I have always added 1tbsp/gallon of powdered lime to any bag mix I have purchased.
Dolomite, oyster shells, egg shells are all suitable for an organic approach.

Water or nutrient water doesn't need to be pH'd but I I have always added and tweeked my mates pH. Ideal soil pH is 6.5, and a healthy soil will stabilize your pH, but it has to adjust it first. If your in going is 6-7 then your golden and the plant can immediately make use of it. If it's too high or low, it takes a day or so for the soil to balance and that's lost time that the plant should have had access.

Also if your tap is high (7.3), then find a suitable organic fertilizer like earth juice, that's acidic, and you should be in the sweet spot when using alkaline water and not have to worry about pH products or swings in the soil.

Right on. My blue planet nutrients get the water right at 6.5. I'm just worried about veg while I don't have to use any nutes. Don't wanna add lime at the beginning and then water with plain 7.3 tap and have ph problems!

You need to add.more.lime.to food it's usually.pretty low on pH ND even lower on east coast. Add lime for sure

DynamiteBob said:

Right on. My blue planet nutrients get the water right at 6.5. I'm just worried about veg while I don't have to use any nutes. Don't wanna add lime at the beginning and then water with plain 7.3 tap and have ph problems!

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Lemon or lime
Apple cider vinegar
Organic liquid aloe (ph stabilize with citric acid)
Microbial products like EM and photosynthesis plus are also acidic.
DIY finished Lactobacillus serum or even the fermented rice wash will work too, both are very acidic.

Forgot about humic acid. It too is slightly acidic and is also a chelation agent. It's allows a wider pH range of nutrient adsorption and helps encourage microbial presence, which if there's a nutrient source, the microbes will also assist in pH buffering.

I could always just use the ph down that I have also... My question is more if I SHOULD be pHing my water down while they're vegging.

As for humic, yes, it's great! I will be using it.

DynamiteBob said:

I could always just use the ph down that I have also... My question is more if I SHOULD be pHing my water down while they're vegging.

As for humic, yes, it's great! I will be using it.

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Blue planet is salt base, yes?
If so, then yes you will still have to adjust pH in veg. And in flower too. The media your using may be organically alive but if you don't feed the soil with dry ammendments or liquid 100% organic nutrients, then you won't have the organic advantage.
In this case absolutely you'll need to monitor and maintain the values going in and out. In my experience using salts, the pH climbs in veg because of the primary demand for Nitrogen, which is acidic. And this creates a higher pH due to the exudates the plant excrete through the roots into the soil. Based in the specific need, amount and element that's uptaken, the pH swings up or down.

So I'd in veg, target an in going of 6.2 to favor more Nitrate and green growth, but allow it to rise to 7 and get adequate p/k then bring it back down to 6.2.

Make sure your soil is limed properly and you'll be problem free.

I'm actually using their organic line! I ended up adding some dolomite to the soil.