Anything I use from Fox Farms requires a large amount of PH up to get it right. Soils, nutrients, fertilizers, anything! Anyone else notice this? Last time around I used their soil mix FF Ocean Forest and the run off water PH would come out 2 to 3 points lower then what I poured in without fail. Even if I flush 10+ gallons though it it gets no better! They claim "Beastie Bloomz" is PH balanced when that turned out to be the biggest joke, I ended up having to add 3 whole dropper fulls of PH up to get it back up to around 7 and then after watering the plants the run off water is back down to 4.5ish! This is the same with all of the FF nutrients. Tiger Bloom is even worse! I eventually ended up PH'ing my solutions up to almost 9 to get a good runoff of 6.5 throughout the entire grow.
Why is Fox Farms so acidic
- Thread starter rezball
- Start date
King Arthur
Well-Known Member
I am finishing off my gallon bottles of fox farms right now, to tell you the truth you shouldn't even be PHing with fox farms nutes. I just mix it really good and feed. Something about the chemistry seems to work out fine without phing. This is my 3rd in a row without using a ph meter. I also do a little hydro tray and I check the ph every once in a while to handle my curiosity but I have yet to ph it.
You can call me crazy but I will get some pics going soon that hopefully prove my point with a homerun.
You can call me crazy but I will get some pics going soon that hopefully prove my point with a homerun.
King Arthur
Well-Known Member
I also go feed water water water feed water water water feed, my tap water is at 8 ish at almost all times.
xxxPEACEPIPExxx
Well-Known Member
Start with a pH that is say around 6.2 and those ferts will make your water really acidic if used in strength.. Less is often more in this case.. Those ferts are designed for the average water found and used by most growers
Soil is suppose to be slightly acidic and that FFOF tends to be a hot one and its often testing in the 5-6 pH range from my exp testing and monitoring it through the years.Add an acidic water or solution and its troublesome most times not. The FFOF bite as some call it.....
Soil is suppose to be slightly acidic and that FFOF tends to be a hot one and its often testing in the 5-6 pH range from my exp testing and monitoring it through the years.Add an acidic water or solution and its troublesome most times not. The FFOF bite as some call it.....
calicocalyx
Well-Known Member
I have sworn by happy frog for years but not anymore. It's supposed to be pretty weak on ferts but my last round had super low ph. I also heard that they are under new management and have run out of the redwood that they used to use. Starting to make my own so I know what's in it and know that it's properly aged. Also all the plastic bottles and knowing that most supplements, cost a lot for what amounts to water. I lost a lot of time and everything is stunted thanks to relying on that dirt. Just forgetting or doubling up or not mixing well enough would ruin a whole batch and whose to say that they do quality control.
Im with you there. Making my own soil mixes from now on.
TubePot
Well-Known Member
I always have to use PH Down when I add FF nuts, 6.4-6.7 is what I like for soil. I don't worry how it comes out.
Which Nutes? Tiger Bloom and Beastie Bloomz which I have used had very low PH
TubePot
Well-Known Member
Yup, The Trio. My tap water is 7.0
bellcore
Well-Known Member
Why do you like Roots better?
King Arthur
Well-Known Member
its got roots!
the aparition
Well-Known Member
I love my FFOF(1.5 cu.ft), FFPM(1 cu. ft.), FFLW(1 cu.ft.) mix. I add perlite(4G big & chunky) and dolomite (1 cup) and go.
I don't use their nutes. I use AN's Organic line-up to supplement.
I don't use their nutes. I use AN's Organic line-up to supplement.
green_machine_two9er
Well-Known Member
Always add 25-30% extra per light in ffof! Maybe some Ewc. Stuff is good. I prefer to roots everyday a I can go through 6 weeks veg without feedings or a richer soil. But it does need to be cut
Bugeye
Well-Known Member
I've always been curious about the level of consistency from one bag to the next with both Roots and FF soils (or any big soil company) as far as nutrient content and ph ranges. Anybody ever heard anything on this?
In my opinion, they are both good for short grows but don't compare to a custom organic blend.
In my opinion, they are both good for short grows but don't compare to a custom organic blend.
green_machine_two9er
Well-Known Member
I agree. Can be used start to finish with feeding in one way or another. But not the same as organic super soil. I grew for years out of the bag. Many different brands. With many different nutrient lines. Nothing compares tohighly amended soil mixes
In my flowering mix I use 25% bagged soil in my base. Along with perlite. Ewc and coco in equal parts. And a long list of amendments.
I have used roots. Ffof. Ffhf and m3 mix in my flowering super soil. I prefer ffof by far.
However. Each batch does have is own personality. I've also had ffof bags come infected with massive fungus gnats.
Something about the hot ocean Forrest when cut down works well for me. Idk. Just my opinion.
bullSnot
Well-Known Member
Ok, Your'e CRAZY!...I did a grow just like you said and everything looked awesome until 4 weeks into flower and then I get Mag/Cal and Potasium deficiency and buds stopped growing ...low and behold the soil tested 5.0 - 5.5 on all four. I always started with good filtered water at 7.0 - Fox Farm drops the PH BIG TIME.
Not sure how you did not see problems unless your water started at 9.3 ph - I find it a royal PITA to adjust the nutrients - ended up moving to PH Perfect and spent my extra time vegging on the couch eating Ben and Jerri's