Soil growers and PH adjusting

Hey gang, lookin to see if I can get some opinions here on what I'm doing and using. Growing in FFOF and using organic based nutes "earth juice and espoma" also Mag Cal+. What ive been doing is filling a 6 gallon container with tap water and using an air stone in that for a few days. I also oxygenate my feed water "premixed gallon" for a day or two.

My problem is my nute feed water is up to 8.0 PH. I have been using PH up and down to adjust it but should I ? Will this mess up the beneficial microbes in the solution ? I have been bringing it down to 6.5.

Any thoughts would be great.

I'm growing grape ape in ffof and air stoning my water also which brings the ph up around 8 or so. I ph down to 6.5 6.8 so far no issues. Im using general organics go box nutes.First grow for me. Here are my girls today first day of flower after 30 days veg. I attached a pick of when they were baby clones

Ktfinch said:

I'm growing grape ape in ffof and air stoning my water also which brings the ph up around 8 or so. I ph down to 6.5 6.8 so far no issues. Im using general organics go box nutes.First grow for me. Here are my girls today first day of flower after 30 days veg. I attached a pick of when they were baby clones View attachment 3885235 View attachment 3885237

Click to expand...

Nice little setup ! I've been doing it too but have read conflicting responses as why I asked. Thank you for the response !

It all depends on the alkalinity of your water. If it is hard water the medium may build up calcium over time and raise the ph out of range. But fox farm ocean forest has a good oyster shell buffer to keep the medium stable with acceptable water.

The standard ppm for our use for water is 150 calcium. After 250 ppm calcium then ph adjustments may be needed.

The fertilizer is also in action here. Organic ferts like yours will be ammonium based more than nitrate. Ammonium ferts tend to acidify the soil (and then the oyster shell or lime raises it back up as well as the plants feeding raises it.) but nitrates tend to raise ph and for example with my good well water and ocean forest they may still raise my ph too high and I would need ph down acid to compensate.

Best to know your water and its relationship to your chosen medium and fertilizer. That is what the agricultural extension of the university does with the soil and water samples for your vegetable garden. It applies inside as well. The common answer use ro water or ad cal mag or its a ph problem are useless without knowing what I said above.