so for the past 3-4 weeks i have been having headache with the runoff testings . maybe i torture my self too much but i like to explain everything i see. and what i see is that in soil the runoff ph is crazy . i have 3 ph meters and 2 soil ph testers . dont ask why. the thing is that the runoff ph could be 8.0 or 7.5 or 7.2 . but the plant looks fine plus when i test after the watering with the soil testers (long ones to the root) the ph is like 6.7 or 6.8 . then i also take some soil from deep and i do the soil test where i soak it to RO water for an hour and then test it . that gives me also resonable results. so should i stop testing the runoff ph as it comes from the bottom of the pot? can someone please explain to me what the reasons for that is? is it happening to others as well?
thanks
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by looking around i came across an article from a university study that is saying that the only runoff that has meaning examining for ph is the absolute first drops . after that the ph will not be rapresenting anything valuable. i will post the article as soon as i find it , but it makes sense. will give it a try . thanks again
ok i will try it . thank you so much for all the help
Ok so the runoff pH is the only one that seems off. 6.1 going in, 6.5 with a soil pH tester, 8.0 runoff.
According to the Biobuzz website, they " have a self-regulating system, which helps maintain the pH values at the correct level." ... I have no idea what they mean by that and can't find any additional information on it. I wonder if they are adding dolomite lime?
You may want to try measuring both an "early runoff" and then a separate measurement for "late runoff" to see what you get. I personally catch the last bit of water coming from the bottom of the grow pot and use that as a sample. I also water slowly, in the center of the pot, to allow the water to go through the medium instead of running straight down the sides of the grow pot or coming out of the sides of the fabric pot.
thats what im saying . i must be doing something very very wrong but i cant find what . the soil p[h at the end is the right ph . just my runoff reading is off for some reason. i use organic biobizz light mix soil . when i test root zone soil afterwards its at 6.5 . is it possible that i have to take the very first runoff sample? or should i wait untill all the water drains and then measure it?
So you're in soil, putting water in at 6.1 pH and the runoff pH is 8.0? What is your soil made up of?
the thing that im trying to understand here is why i have such differences between the runoff ph and the true soil ph that i get with the soil testers and the soaking soil method. for sure something im doing wrong measuring the runoff ph? i place the pot elevated above a bucket. i water and wait untill i get the right amount of runoff. then i measure it. the ec comes out at the expected levels. but the ph is all around. today i got 8.0 with the water going in at 6.1. ???????????
Too many variables to explain why you could be getting those high pH numbers in your runoff. We would need to know a lot more information such as what is in your soil mix, what nutrients you use, what the pH going in was, how exactly are you gathering the runoff example, etc.
The short answer is there are things that could increase the pH in the soil, such as dolomite lime. Also the microbial activity in your soil also contributes to pH adjustment. It's impossible for someone to tell you exactly why that's happening.
To answer your question on why monitor pH... because different nutrients are better uptaken by the plant at different pH levels. If your pH is too high or too low, you could experience lockout issues.
If you want to completely ignore pH, grow organically ;)