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 TrueHerbCrystal
Uncertified Oregrowian
 
Registered: 02/07/09
Posts: 1,352
Loc: Emerald City 
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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 Best pH neutral Soil? 
#823027 - 01/26/17 09:32 PM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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Whats the best soil brand/type to get with zero nutrients in them?
Aka teh most pH neutral soil?
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 phychotron
Medicated
Registered: 02/17/11
Posts: 1,995
Loc: Earth (mostly)
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pH and nutrient content are different. pH is the availability of loose H+ ions. Water is neutral (not really, but for sake argument) and when you add salts (nutrients; + and - ions) they interact with the water and alter the amount of H2O that converts to OH- and H+.
You can still have a lot of nutrients and still have a neutral pH. Its the balance of those ions that determine the pH. Its the individual constituents that determine how much they have an effect on pH. Ca/Mg are huge fat molecules and because the electron it looses is further out from the nucleus and its ratio of mass between the two, it has a buffering effect and prevents huge changes in pH. Its been awhile since I've studied chemistry but that's the gist of it.
What you want is a soil that is buffered to the correct pH so when you add nutrients it won't have a huge swing. Bag soil is not real soil. Its a composted blend they expect you to grow some plants in. Real soil develops on the face of the earth over time. If you want zero nutrients it sounds like hydro is the way to go. I like drain to waste with coco so it doesn't have to recirculate and you can avoid any nutrient-tank maintenance.
I think most people find hydro easier than combating what the bag soil company gave you. Not every batch is consistent and the requirements of one plant might be different than that of another. Its just too much work to have to always watch for deficiencies that you'll need to correct.
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Any help given is for educational purposes only. Its your responsibility not to break any applicable laws
 Bamboo Bongs I make | Perfect Dry and Cure | Grapegod under LED
“Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player.” ~ Albert Einstein
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TrueHerbCrystal
Uncertified Oregrowian
Registered: 02/07/09
Posts: 1,352
Loc: Emerald City
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Re: Best pH neutral Soil? [Re: phychotron]
#823031 - 01/27/17 02:29 AM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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Very true.
Is there any simple to do hydro systems?
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phychotron
Medicated
Registered: 02/17/11
Posts: 1,995
Loc: Earth (mostly)
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Coco drain to waste is simple. Water like normal, let the runoff go down the drain or a drain bucket to be dumped as needed. To water just put a pump on a timer and put in a 1/2" hose with 1/4" hose to each plant (or 2 or 3 if its large enough). Its basic irrigation parts that are sold at nearly every hardware store. Once you get it down you won't have to do much work. I had my weekly work to 5 minutes of mixing up nutrients and another 10 minutes of waiting for the res tank to fill up. Timers and pumps do all the work.
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Any help given is for educational purposes only. Its your responsibility not to break any applicable laws
Bamboo Bongs I make | Perfect Dry and Cure | Grapegod under LED
“Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player.” ~ Albert Einstein
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TrueHerbCrystal
Uncertified Oregrowian
Registered: 02/07/09
Posts: 1,352
Loc: Emerald City
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Re: Best pH neutral Soil? [Re: phychotron]
#823035 - 01/27/17 02:47 AM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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Sounds interesting. Do u have any pics of your set up or a similar set up?
Im having a hard time imagine it....
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phychotron
Medicated
Registered: 02/17/11
Posts: 1,995
Loc: Earth (mostly)
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in the signature.
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Any help given is for educational purposes only. Its your responsibility not to break any applicable laws
Bamboo Bongs I make | Perfect Dry and Cure | Grapegod under LED
“Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player.” ~ Albert Einstein
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TrueHerbCrystal
Uncertified Oregrowian
Registered: 02/07/09
Posts: 1,352
Loc: Emerald City
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Re: Best pH neutral Soil? [Re: phychotron]
#823038 - 01/27/17 03:35 AM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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Damn your garden is sci-fi to the max! 
Very cool stuff. I like those air pots.
I saw your hydro grow and it makes sense to me now. Coco in a bag which hold the plant. A series of tubing that soaks the coco from above then the excess water drains out into a pan as waste. Intriguing. Seems pretty simple to me.
Looks like u use those shopping bag like bags for the coco/plant?
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phychotron
Medicated
Registered: 02/17/11
Posts: 1,995
Loc: Earth (mostly)
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I don't like thin plastic bags at all for pots. The cloth one's also suck cause they need to be washed and get saturated with nutrients. The airpots seem like the way to go. For the larger one's its not as needed but because they're rigid I like them better. I found some slotted pots at the local hydro store at half the price that do essentially the same job and are one piece instead of 4. The bags tend to damage the root zone when transporting the plant around, even if its just moving it over 6 inches, sometimes you'll see the soil split open.
The feed manifold in those photos could use improving. I was using my own custom made stuff whereas now I just buy the irrigation parts. With the rigid containers its easier to get a more even main hose. If it roller-coasters up and down it tends to not water as well.
I wish I still had that garden setup. I didn't realize what I had until I moved and haven't been able to find a suitable space to do everything.
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Any help given is for educational purposes only. Its your responsibility not to break any applicable laws
Bamboo Bongs I make | Perfect Dry and Cure | Grapegod under LED
“Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player.” ~ Albert Einstein
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TrueHerbCrystal
Uncertified Oregrowian
Registered: 02/07/09
Posts: 1,352
Loc: Emerald City
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Re: Best pH neutral Soil? [Re: phychotron]
#823046 - 01/27/17 02:18 PM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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ah, i see.
thanks for the tips.
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