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Water Water Everywhere: A Helpful Guide to All Those Different Kinds of Water.....

guineapig

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I've decided to start a thread all about water,

Now before you say to yourself, "Guineapig....Water you doing this crazy
thread for?" (hehe), I would like to point out just how important water quality
can be for maximizing the growth of the Cannabis plant. We'll talk about
everything water-related and especially how it applies to Cannabis plant
growth, including types of water, pH, watering methods, etc. Feel free to
join in the fun and add some interesting water-related stories or articles or
whatever you feel might help out!!!

(look!! I've taken a bath to start the fun!!!)

ok enough jokes.....let's get our feet wet:

Types Of Water:

There is no such thing as naturally pure water; all waters we drink contain dissolved solutes and many contain some microorganisms [965]. There are several forms that the water we drink may take, which vary subtly from each other; drinking water, spring water, tap water, natural mineral water and water preparations promoted with various health claims. Bottled waters are subject to international regulations but are not necessarily safer than tap water. Clearly, all such water must be drinkable, contain solutes (including those classed as contaminants) below the legally-allowed limits, to be bacteriologically safe and be subject to continued monitoring.

-Tap water Water, from any source, treated to meet legal and quality standards. It may contain low or moderate amounts of minerals depending on the source of the water (e.g. hard or soft water areas). This is the major water product with over a billion glasses a day being consumed in the US alone, although most domestic tap water is used for washing, flushing the toilet and through wastage. Often it is chlorinated, which ensures microbiological safety for long periods of storage and eliminates all risks from otherwise devastating diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Although chlorination has been shown to possibly produce potentially hazardous byproducts, the association between exposure and demonstrable adverse health effects is still unproven and the protection chlorination offers far outweighs this risk. Fluoridation of water (e.g. by adding SiF62-) for the purpose of reducing dental caries, is generally regarded as safe [966a]. However, groundwaters containing excessive amounts of fluoride (> 1 mg/liter) are widespead [966b]. The health claims for fluoridation remain contraversial [1048].

-Drinking water Water intended for human consumption and may contain disinfectants and/or other solutes within legal quality standards. Such bottled water is not necessarily better for health than tap water, as shown in 2004 when Coca Cola was awarded an Ig® Nobel prize for producing Dasani in the UK. Dasani was a bottled 'pure' water prepared from London tap water. It was found that it contained high levels of the carcinogen bromate, which is (and was) not present in the tap water. The bromate was introduced by reaction between the added ozone and calcium chloride containing calcium bromide during production (for background science see [1000]).

-Natural mineral water Water from a spring, artesian well or well that naturally contains dissolved salts [967]. It may be carbonated. It is characterized by its mineral content, which may vary between far lower to much higher than tap water, according to source. Mineral waters must be naturally safe with no parasitic or pathogenic organisms as they are not subject to disinfection. The presence of safe microorganisms is used as proof that no disinfection has taken place. Higher silica content distinguishes mineral water from surface (e.g. reservoir) water. The price of mineral water is over a thousand times that of quality tap water.

-Spring water Water from an underground aquifer, collected as it flows and bottled at source.

-Processed water with health claims
There is an increasing market in bottled water and domestic water processing equipment claiming that the water has considerable health benefits varying from more rapid hydration to cures for AIDS and cancer. Generally there are no proper scientific trials to prove these claims, only isolated testimonial evidence. Oxygenated drinks have been proposed to improve the immune status. However, a randomized blinded clinical study [968], although showing a transient moderate increase in oxygen radicals (using 6 mM O2) and signs of activation of the immune response, was not conclusive.

One factor often used to promote these ‘health’ waters is supposed greater cellular hydration or ease of hydration. It is unclear whether increased cell hydration is actually health-promoting. A recent paper has argued that this may be a determining factor in the initiation of cancer [969]. It has been found that cancer cells do have greater water with increased fluidity but the cause and effect relationship (i.e. whether increased cellular hydration initiates cancer or cancer initiates high cellular hydration) has not yet been established.

-‘Sports’ drinks Sports drinks [973] are intended to reduce fluid, mineral (e.g. particularly Na+) and energy imbalance due to exercise. The carbohydrate content and osmolality must both be low to encourage efficient hydration (i.e. the drink must be hypotonic (<280 mOsmol/L) or isotonic (~280 mOsmol/L)). Na+ ions (usually as NaCl) are a necessary ingredient as they stimulate both sugar and water uptake in the small intestine as well as replacing material lost by sweat. Hypotonic drinks give more rapid hydration but clearly contain less sugar and minerals. Chilling improves palatability so encouraging consumption. Some sports drinks contain ‘power’ ingredients such as caffeine or taurine, where there is patchy evidence of some sports benefit. These products are usually promoted with testimonials from athletes or sports teams, but without double-blinded trial evidence.

For the complete website, go here: http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/index2.html

Water Quality


Water quality

It probably goes without saying, but the water you use must be as clean as possible. For plants, however, 'clean' is a relative concept. Nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, etc. are always dissolved in water used for plant food. In any case, the concentrations the plants need of these materials make the water undrinkable for humans. In contrast to 100% distilled water, 'pollutants' are found in ordinary tap water. You can request a chart with data about the quality from the company that produces your drinking water. The hardness in degrees - the GH (German Hardness) - is also given. This is a measure for the amount of calcium in the water. Below, you have an example of this kind of water chart. Some of the 'pollutants' aren't 'pollutants' to plants, but actually fertilizing materials. To determine the water quality (and the plant foods you add), you need two types of meters. The first is an EC meter. 'EC' is the abbreviation for 'Electrical Conductivity'. Pure water, also called demineralized water, does not conduct electricity. When we add fertilizer to the water, or the water is 'polluted' in some other way, the water will indeed conduct electricity. Fortunately, home growers can make use of this property of water. With the EC meter, we can determine whether or not the concentration of nutrients in the water will provide for optimum plant growth. A high EC value means a high concentration of fertilizing materials, and a low EC value, a low concentration. Too high a concentration shows that you're over-fertilizing. As a result, your plants will dry out and burn. (By osmotic processes, water is drawn out of the plant; the leaves curl upwards or downwards.) The fertilizer concentration must be lowered by further diluting with water. Too low an EC value means a shortage of fertilizer. This decreases the growth on rockwool substrate. The EC value is given in millisiemens. 1.8 millisiemens is the optimal value for growing cannabis. The second type of meter is the pH meter. With a pH meter, you can determine the acidity of water. Most of us have measured the acidity of a solution at one time or another in high school. We did it with a litmus test. But the litmus test is not suitable for measuring acidity when growing hemp at home. The accuracy of this test leaves something to be desired. Actually, we can only estimate the pH value, to the accuracy of one pH point. We need greater accuracy for cultivating cannabis. The average pH meter used by aquarium owners is relatively cheap, and meets the requirements well. Generally, they're up to 0.02 pH points accurate. The ability to absorb nutrients depends on the acidity of the water. If the pH is too high or too low, the plants can't absorb some nutrients properly. Then deficiency disease occurs . The pH scale goes from 1 to 14. A solution with a pH between 1 and 7 is called 'acid', a pH of 7 is called neutral, and between 7 and 14, 'basic'. The lower the pH, the more acidic the solution (in our case: water). On the next page, you have a chart showing which nutrients plants can absorb best at each pH. You can read from the chart that cannabis plants like it if they receive water which is slightly acidic. The home grower must make sure that the pH of the water being used is approximately 5.8. The EC meter, as well as the pH meter, must be adjusted now and then. Special calibrating fluids are available for this operation. The temperature is also an important factor when calibrating an EC meter. The correct temperature is listed on the package of calibrating fluid. A pH meter has two set screws, and it must be adjusted to two values. The probe of the pH meter is first dipped into a calibrating fluid with a pH value of 7.0. Then, this value is set using one of the set screws. After that, the probe must be cleaned well, otherwise deviations will occur with the second calibration. Next, the probe is dipped in a calibrating fluid with a pH value of 4.0, and this value is set using the other set screw. It's important that the pH meter probe is kept moist. Depending on the type of pH meter, it may be stored in ordinary tap water, or in a special fluid supplied by the manufacturer. In the story about the EC meter, we've already indicated that the temperature of the nutrient solution influences plant growth. Cannabis grows best with a water temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. Below this temperature, the roots of the plant have more trouble taking up water and nutrients. Too high a temperature is not good either. That will kill the plants Tap water must be warmed up to 25 degrees C. Use a water thermometer to keep an eye on the water temperature. Warming the water is easy with the installation of a heating element in the nutrient tank. This equipment also comes from the aquarium world. Quality heating elements with thermostats are available for aquariums. For a 100 liter nutrient tank, you need a 100 Watt heating element; with a 200 liter tank, we recommend a 250 Watt element. Make sure the heating element is always kept under water; otherwise it will be destroyed. This means that you must never pump all the water out of the nutrient tank to the plants. When you want to take the heating element out of the water, always disconnect it first. Then, let it cool off for at least 15 minutes. Only then can you carefully take it out of the water. Any other way, you run the risk the element will crack. To prevent algae growth in the nutrient tank, it's important to add air to the water. We do that by means of an aquarium pump with an aerator attached. The aerator is connected to the pump, and placed at the bottom of the nutrient tank. The water in the tank becomes rich in oxygen by aeration, and is also kept in motion. This way, algae have much less chance to proliferate.


Guide to Watering Plants:

Indoor Plants - Watering

The main cause of death of potted plants is over-watering. Roots need both water and oxygen, and when surrounded by water, they cannot take up oxygen. These roots may rot and eventually the whole plant may die. The symptoms of over-watering and underwatering are similar. Both lead to poor root health, root decline and possibly death of the plant.

A common question from gardeners is "How often should I water my plants?" There is no pat answer to this question. The amount and frequency of watering depends on many factors, such as the plant species, its growth stage, its location, the type and size of its pot, soil mix characteristics and variable weather conditions.

There is a wide range of watering requirements for different species of plants. Plants with large or very thin leaves and those with fine surface roots usually require more frequent watering than succulent plants with fleshy leaves and stems that are able to store water. Some plants thrive under moist conditions while other plants grow well when kept drier.

Plants may slow in growth after a flush of new growth or a heavy flowering. During these periods and while it is dormant, a plant will need less water.

Water evaporates rapidly from the sides of a porous clay pot, which requires more frequent watering than nonporous, glazed or plastic pots. A large plant in a small pot needs water more often than a small plant in a large pot.

Different soil mixes require different watering schedules. Heavy, fine-textured potting media and those that contain a lot of peat moss hold more moisture than loose, porous mixtures of bark, sand and perlite.

A plant in a warm, dry, sunny location needs more frequent watering than one in a cool, low-light environment.

The rule-of-thumb is to water when necessary. The following methods may be used to determine when to water:
Touch the soil – The most accurate gauge is to water when the potting mixture feels dry to the touch. Stick your finger into the mix up to the first joint; if it is dry at your fingertip it needs water.
Tap the pot – When the potting mix in a clay pot begins to dry, it shrinks away from the sides of the pot. Rap the side of the pot with the knuckles or a stick. If the sound is dull, the soil is moist; if the sound is hollow, water is needed.
Estimate weight – As potting mixtures become dry, a definite loss in weight can be observed.
Judge soil color – Potting mixtures will change from a dark to lighter color as they dry.

There are a number of watering meters available to measure moisture in the soil, indicating whether water is needed. These products vary widely in accuracy. The readings can be influenced by factors other than soil moisture content. Fertilizer and soil type can affect the reading.

When watering is required, water thoroughly. Apply water until it runs out of the bottom of the pot. This washes out the excess salts, and it guarantees that the bottom two-thirds of the pot, which contains most of the roots, receives sufficient water. Don’t let the pot sit in the water that runs out. Empty the saucer.

Do not allow the soil to become excessively dry. If the salt level in the container is high, root damage may occur. If soil does become very dry and hard to rewet, use the double watering method. Water once and then again half an hour later; or place the pot in a sink or a bucket of water. Remove the pot when the soil surface is moist. Allow the pot to drain completely. If peat is allowed to dry completely, not only is it difficult to rewet, it also will not hold as much water as it could hold before it dried.

Do not water with hot or cold water. The water temperature should be between 62 and 72 °F.

Do not water plants with softened water because sodium and chloride will also be added to the soil mix, possibly causing plant damage.

Although wilting is often an indication of the need to water, it is not always so. Any injury to the root system decreases a plant’s ability to take up water, including root rot, which is caused by too much water. This inability to take up water will cause wilting, and under these conditions, watering may make the problem worse.

Excerpted from the South Carolina Master Gardener Training Manual, EC 678.
 
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guineapig

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The Hidden Messages In Water...
by Dr. Masaru Emoto
The Hidden Messages in Water is an eye-opening theory showing how water is deeply connected to people's individual and collective consciousness. Drawing from his own research, scientific researcher, healer, and popular lecturer Dr. Masaru Emoto describes the ability of water to absorb, hold, and even retransmit human feelings and emotions. Using high-speed photography, he found that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward it. Music, visual images, words written on paper, and photographs also have an impact on the crystal structure. Emoto theorizes that since water has the ability to receive a wide range of frequencies, it can also reflect the universe in this manner. He found that water from clear springs and water exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns, while polluted water and water exposed to negative thoughts forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. Emoto believes that since people are 70 percent water, and the Earth is 70 percent water, we can heal our planet and ourselves by consciously expressing love and goodwill.

Pictures of crystals and further information:
http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/aug1/consciouswater.html

DR. EMOTO: "Think of it in terms of vibration. It's easy to understand that language -- the spoken word -- has a vibration. Well, written words also have a vibration. Anything in existence has a vibration. If I were to draw a circle, the vibration of a circle would be created. Drawing a cross would create the vibration of a cross. So if I write the letters L O V E, then these letters put out the vibration of love. Water can be imprinted with these vibrations. Beautiful words have beautiful, clear vibrations. But negative words put out ugly, incoherent vibrations which do not form clusters. Language is not something artificial, but rather is something that exists naturally. I believe that language is created by nature."

"...water is the mirror reflecting our level of consciousness, a large percentage of the people on the planet, at least 10 percent of the people, need to have the love and the kan-sha awareness."

:ying: happy water grows happy plants :ying:
 
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guineapig

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Water Pseudoscience...

Water Pseudoscience...

And, just to be fair....

Gallery of water-related pseudoscience

Junk science in the marketplace

This index lists some of the companies, products, processes and people whose names I have come across in my explorations of water-related pseudoscience and quackery.

The links in the left column take you to the sites that promote the product. Web pages that are now accessible only as archived versions are indicated in strikeout type.

The links in the middle column are to locations in my site that provide debunking information on a particular "technology". In my opinion, there is no credible scientific support for any of the claims referenced here.

http://www.chem1.com/CQ/gallery.html

(Dr. Masaru Emoto is, of course, on the list along with a whole plethora of
other water quackery and snake-oils.....gotta present both sides to be fair..)
 

guineapig

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Watering Cannabis Plants....

Watering Cannabis Plants....

Cannabis Watering Tips


Ok sorry....back to our topic....

Marijuana Watering Tips



After the seed has been planted and the soil watered well, you don't need to water again for a few days.

The amount of water, and how often to water varies with the size of the pots and plants, and the amount of light.

When plants are small they transpire less, and don't require as frequent watering as when they are larger with more leaves.

When seedlings have just appeared above the ground, you should water very carefully to prevent the force of the water knocking them over.

Water provides the hydrogen necessary for plant growth and also carries the nutrients throughout the plant.

Cannabis plants prefer a regular watering cycle, but should preferably not be watered every day.

Although the theory that the more water a plant is given, the faster it will grow is incorrect, underwatering will slow plant growth.

Although the Cannabis plant loves lots of water, the most common cause of death in homegrown plants is from overwatering them.

A large pot that was saturated before germination may hold enough moisture for the first two to three weeks of growth.

Plant cells are kept rigid by water, and when there is not enough moisture left in the soil, the leaves start wilting and dropping off.

The ideal water for your plants should have a neutral pH and be relatively free of chlorine and other harmful chemicals.

Never allow the soil to become too dry, but never allow it to be constantly wet either.

Your plants will grow better if you water them during the morning hours rather than the evenings.

It is always better to use water at room temperature than warm or cold water, to prevent "shocking" the root system.

Too much chlorine in tap water tends to turn the soil a little acidic, and may have to be balanced by adding some calcium.

If your water supply is high in chemicals, the best solution is to let the water stand in an open container for a few days before use.

Although distilled or boiled water will not be harmful to your plants, it does not contain certain minerals beneficial for good growth.

Plants with a long daily light photoperiod will transpire more and require more frequent watering than plants grown with a shorter light period.

Lightly spray the leaves of your plants to cool them down after a hot day or long light photoperiod.

A wilted plant that has been without moisture for several days can still be saved if watered immediately and thoroughly.

A good sign to water your plants is when the top five or six centimeters of the soil in the pot has dried out completely.

If your plants start losing more leaves than normal, it may be because you are overwatering them.

It is better to use a watering can with a sprinkler top than a one with a solid flow, to prevent soil and root disturbance while watering.

Always water into the pot from above, rather than by filling the tray underneath and letting the plant suck up the water.

Whereas a small plant growing in a big pot will only require weekly watering, a big plant growing in a small pot may require daily watering.

It has been suggested that by limiting the watering during flowering, you can positively influence the potency of the plant.

During flowering, you should check how long after watering your plants start wilting, and then regularly water them one day sooner.

Although Cannabis is a very hardy and adaptable plant and survives quite well in conditions with little moisture, it prefers a regular watering cycle.

Always check the pH of your regular water supply to determine it's long-term effect on the soil and growing plants.

Because some plants grow faster than others, hand watering each pot individually is usually preferable to automatic drip-release systems.

Rain water often contains nitrogen and other elements, which makes it an excellent source of water for indoor marijuana plants.

Cannabis prefers a well-drained soil, so you should not be too concerned if some water runs through the pot and into the tray below.

As indoor marijuana plants do not receive stem strengthening rain and wind, spraying the leaves with water is a good substitute.

(Thank You Concept420: http://www.concept420.com/ )marijuana_watering_tips.htm
 

guineapig

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Overwatering...

Overwatering...

Overwatering

Sometimes growers get a little too anxious and overwater, either by hand
or because the drip-system which they have set up does not provide enough
time for the plant to dry out:



These plants were watered too frequently and their appearance is typical of
overwatering symptoms: crinkled leaves, droopy leaves, and extreme
shriveling are evident.

Do not be fooled by the fact that these plants are still sitting in a tub of
water. The grower has added Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in an effort to fight
the effects of the overwatering, kind of like an emergency treatment in order
to try and save these plants lives. Adding an airstone would also help add
more oxygen to the solution and help to cure these chronically overwatered
chronic plants! More on Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in a little bit.....

The Following can be found in the "Complete Guide to Sick Plants" in the
"Cannabis Infirmary" Forum here at ICmag, compilled by MyNameIsStitch:

Over watering

Over watering is one of the biggest mistakes new growers make, reason for this is, because they feel the need to give there plant everything and will overdue a lot of things and one of them is over watering. By over watering your plant you soak the roots so much, they can’t get enough oxygen and slowly die. The plant shows signs of over watering by: Wilting, droopy look, yellow and or dead leaves falling off, which includes leaves that don’t look dead falling off. One of the best ways to tell how NOT to over water is by, picking up the pot when it is dry and then picking up the pot after you water. (This is a reason why it’s smart to use light pots.) When you water, you want to water just enough to where you see a bit of water coming out of the bottom, not gushing or pouring out. Just enough to see a little bit, then you know the plant has enough water. To prevent over watering you can either: add more perlite to your soil, add hydrogen peroxide to your water for extra oxygen, all the while killing bacteria if any in the soil. After watering, wait a few days to water. Mj plants like a good watering and then a couple days to dry out in between watering. So it’s very easy to over water. Besides the weight of the pot, another way to test if your plant needs water is to stick your index finger a couple inches into the soil. If the soil at the tip of your finger feels almost dry, then it's time to water again. The top of the soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings if it's still moist the plant does NOT need watered. You can also use a moisture meter which will tell you the level of moisture down in the soil. You can buy them at most garden supplies or hydro shops.

Here is a picture of what over watering looks like:

(photo by shopvac)
 
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guineapig

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Underwatering...

Underwatering...

Underwatering

Underwatering has very negative effects on Cannabis plant physiology. In
an effort to conserve water, the plant will almost completely close its
stomata, which are the microscopic pores on the leaves which allow CO2 to
enter the plant as fuel for photosynthesis.

Under watering can show the exact same symptoms as over watering can, they show the droopiness along with the top soil being hard. To avoid this make sure every other other watering you give your plants a good watering, like use a bit more water then you normally do, because sometimes your plants will need a good quenching once in a while. So doing this will help the bottom roots and root hairs get enough water to produce newer growth. For new growers they tend to do both over watering and under watering.
More over watering then anything else, they tend to be to "generous", and then you have ones that are to afraid to water them to much and then they get the under watering symptom. Under watering seems to droop more than over watering does, the fan leaves will droop closer to the stalk and won't be as yellow as over watering looks like, under watering looks like this picture below, only way to stop under watering is to water when the pot feels lite. Make sure few drips of water come out at the bottom of the holes, that way you know the plant has enough water.

 
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guineapig

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guineapig's pH primer....

guineapig's pH primer....

The pH Scale

As we have previously mentioned, the plant's ability to absorb nutrients is
determined by how acidic the water is. Scientists use the pH scale in order
to measure this particular quality of water, the proper management of which
is absolutely crucial for proper plant development.
When the pH is "7.0," we call that "neutral." Anything below that (0-6.9)
is an acid and is described as "acidic." Any reading above 7.0 is called a
"base" and is described as "alkaline." I know this isn't the most intuitive or
natural concept in the world, especially for those readers who might be brand
new to the world of pH. It still confuses me sometimes!! Here is a picture to
help us remember:



Acids and Bases

An acid is a substance that increases the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in water. A base is a substance that decreases the concentration of hydrogen ions, in other words, increasing the concentration of hydroxide ions OH-.

The degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution is measured in terms of a value known as pH, which is the negative logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions:
pH = 1/log[H+] = -log[H+]

What is pH?

On the pH scale, which ranges from 0 on the acidic end to 14 on the alkaline end, a solution is neutral if its pH is 7. At pH 7, water contains equal concentrations of H+ and OH- ions. Substances with a pH less than 7 are acidic because they contain a higher concentration of H+ ions. Substances with a pH higher than 7 are alkaline because they contain a higher concentration of OH- than H+. The pH scale is a log scale so a change of one pH unit means a tenfold change in the concentration of hydrogen ions.

Importance of balancing pH

Living things are extremely sensitive to pH and function best (with certain exceptions, such as certain portions of the digestive tract) when solutions are nearly neutral. Most interior living matter (excluding the cell nucleus) has a pH of about 6.8.

Ph Problems in Cannabis Plants

One of the first signs of having a slight ph problem is, your plant having part of the leaves kind of twisty, spotty with brown, yellowish, red spots within each other.
Sometimes they don’t have to have all the colors, they could just be spots that have yellowish brown, or just reddish brown and can happen anywhere on the plant. Mainly starts on big fan leaves then goes to little leaves.
When this happens you need to check your soil ph, water ph before and after adding your nutrients. One of the biggest causes is adding nutrients like earth juice; they take the ph down quite a bit. Also can happen when you add bone and blood meal to your soil, that will throw the ph off as well, so it’s smart to test the mix before putting your plants into the mix. After the spots happen you will soon see nutrients being locked out, when that happens DO NOT ADD ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNTILL YOU GET YOUR PH FIXED!! Reason why is, because the plant isn’t absorbing that nutrient, by adding the nutrient it is deficient in, you are causing it to have a build up in the soil therefore can cause that nutrient to become toxic to the plant, because of buildup, to much buildup of certain nutrients will lock out other nutrients. In order to fix the problem you will need to first fix the ph and then if the soil is deficient in nutrients you can add it to fix the problem. A digital PH tester is the best tester to use as they are the most accurate.
If you can’t afford a digital ph meter, then your best bet is to get ph testing papers. DO NOT get soil testers, those are the cheapest junk I ever seen and do not give good readings, so you cant rely on one of those. There are a lot of good ph testers out there, one of them is hanna. That is the one I use and is the best money ever spent! Vast majority of problems with soil ph comes from the soil if it has additives like peat moss, which is HILGY acidic..... and or the water you are using, as well as nutrient deficiencies from using the wrong ph for watering. You want to be careful when adjusting your ph, doing this over a week is the best idea, to fast will cause shock to the plant.
If you can’t get a hold of a ph tester or ph test papers. If you have some dolomite lime, its always better to use it in soil rather than every time you water, imo and from others (Uncle Ben) That it really doesn’t stabilize as many people think it does, Soil pH and micronutrient availability are interrelated. Don’t Use to much lime to increase the soil pH to a point where micronutrients can't be unavailable to plants. The micronutrients affected by pH include iron, manganese, zinc and, not as often copper. The problems when you apply to much lime can make it harder to correct your ph than what you would have when you didn’t add as much lime. You can always add more lime, but if you add to much you can’t remove it if you put to much lime in the soil. With great soil moisture, lime will work immediately and pH will start to change over a few months. However, it can take up to a year for the real benefit of lime to work. As the soil pH rises, the time it takes for lime to react decreases due to lower levels of soil acids. If you need to change your ph when its to high, if you choose to use lime it will not help as much as you think in raising your ph, it would need alot of lime to raise your ph to a point where it would cause a toxcicity to the plants so look else where to use something to lower your ph rather than using lime.

So here at the bottom is a list of some buffers that are good to go with when raising and lowering ph!

Here are some ph buffers when your ph is too high: Use these SOIL PH Adjustments to lower your ph: sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips, cottonseed meal, leaf mold and peat moss. Sawdust, composted leaves, woodchips and, lemon juice, PH DOWN.

Hydro PH Adjustments: PH Down (vinegar and lemon juices are good for soil, but not recommended for hydro use) Thanks goes out to syko2 for that one! (Only quality PH buffers should be used to adjust ph and be sure the buffer and nutrient work's well together.)

Here are some that will raise the ph: use these SOIL Adjustments when your ph is to low: PH UP, dolomite lime, hardwood ash, bone meal, crushed marble, or crushed oyster shells, potassium hydroxide <--- Thank you Uncle Ben!

Hydro Adjustments: PH UP,lime,nitric acid during vegetative; phosphoric acid during flowering.(Only quality PH buffers should be used to adjust ph and be sure the buffer and nutrient work's well together.)


Here are 2 pictures of ph spotting before nutrient lockout occurs. The last pic is shown is high ph with the twisty leaves. Note the edges are brown, this is a potassium deficiency that is caused by ph lockout.(Sometimes this gets confused with a nitrogen toxicity, so always keep your ph in check and test it often!)





(Thank you again MyNameIsStitch!!! Taken from "The Complete Guide to Sick Plants" available in the "Cannabis Infirmary" forum....)

Guineapig here!!! Just so y'all know, the tester strips which this article
mentions are made of "litmus paper" and really have fallen out of the retail
marketplace. They have been replaced by "pH drops" which come in a little
eyedropper-sized vial. You add 1 drop (or maybe 3-5 depending on the
brand) to a small sample of water and then the water changes color. Simply
compare the color of your water sample to the colors on the back of the
bottle and you have your pH reading. Of course, a pH pen is more accurate,
but if you cannot afford a pen then please use these drops and test often!!
Sometimes it is hard to determine the color of your water sample due to
improper lighting or dark-colored fertilizers, but still it is a good idea to always
attempt a pH test before and after adding anything to your water.

Guineapig prefers to use "Earth Juice" brand of pH down
to lower the pH. This is a concentrated citric acid product and along with
lowering pH, citric acid has the secondary benefit of helping nutrients enter
into cells via a phenomenon known as "chelation." Also, if you need only a
slight drop in pH, you can buy a bottle of Carbonated Mineral water and add
a little bit to your nutrient solution. All the fizzy CO2 bubbles in carbonated
water lowers your pH and is more commonly available than other pH downers.

As far as pH upping goes, one product that does this is "potassium silicate"
solution (Barricade, Liquid Sand, Protekt, etc). This is an awesome plant
enhancer which helps resist heat and promotes strong plant cell walls. So
you get 2 benefits out of one product!! Only use this product sparingly
because a very small amount will be sufficient to raise your pH and do not
overdose on silicates (use 1/3 tsp per gallon or follow the label's instruction).

One more thing: If you are using aquarium bubblers to introduct more
oxygen into your water (this is good), monitor your pH before and after the
bubbling. You should notice that bubbling your water causes an immediate
shift in pH into the Alkaline region. This is because the newly introduced
Oxygen molecules "kick out" all the CO2 molecules in the water. And,
because water containing CO2 is mildly acidic (see previous paragraph), this
new hyper-oxygenated water will be mildly Alkaline. So, if you are serious
bubbler-bucket grower with tons of airstones, be sure and check your pH
regularly.....

:ying: kind regards from guineapig :ying:
 
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BabyHughie

Member
guineapig said:
Do not be fooled by the fact that these plants are still sitting in a tub of
water. The grower has added Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in an effort to fight
the effects of the overwatering, kind of like an emergency treatment in order
to try and save these plants lives. Adding an airstone would also help add
more oxygen to the solution and help to cure these chronically overwatered
chronic plants! More on Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in a little bit.....

anxious to hear what you have to say on this GP. I never used h2o2 until just a few weeks ago, and it did wonders for my DWC roots.


Good post, really dig the blurp on Dr. Emoto, though I wonder if he is crazy sometimes it does give some food for thought. :chin:
 

Ms.Grat3ful

Sunshine DayDreamer
Veteran
guineapig said:
(look!! I've taken a bath to start the fun!!!)

.
:rasta:
Nice post lil'G'pig..... so happy to see one so devoted to getting the information out there.... :yes: good discussion thread...

:ying:

ms.G
 

The Dopest

[THC] True Hippie Coonass
Veteran
every post i read from the guineapig is full of interesting knowledge, except the introduce yourself posts, then he just shakes his ass for everyone to see. lmao great thread GP, keep it up you should think of compiling the official GP how-to cannabis book! i'd come out my pocket on that one:wink:
 
K

kokua

thanks for the write up GP...

thanks for the write up GP...

guineapig said:
Don’t Use to much lime to decrease the soil pH to a point where micronutrients can't be unavailable to plants.... As the soil pH rises, the time it takes for lime to react decreases due to lower levels of soil acids. If you need to change your ph when its to high, if you choose to use lime it will not help as much as you think in lowering your ph, it would need alot of lime to lower your ph to a point where it would cause a toxcicity to the plants so look else where to use something to lower your ph rather than using lime.

Hate to be the one to tell you...but lime raises pH.

lol I used to get that backwards too :)
 
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K

kokua

guineapig said:
another way to test if your plant needs water is to stick your index finger a couple inches into the soil. If the soil at the tip of your finger feels almost dry, then it's time to water again. The top of the soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings if it's still moist the plant does NOT need watered. You can also use a moisture meter which will tell you the level of moisture down in the soil. You can buy them at most garden supplies or hydro shops.

the finger test is hit or miss...it depends on your soil's moisture retention properties and your environment. In a warm, dry environment the top 2-3 inches of soil will dry out fast, way before the bottom. The best way is like GP said earlier...the weight of the pot.

Moisture meters are less accurate than the finger test. Never, Never, NEVER rely on a $10 dollar meter to tell you anything useful.
 

guineapig

Active member
Veteran
How Water Affects Your Plants

How Water Affects Your Plants

H2O: How Water Affects Your Plants

Tap water contains many contaiminants for humans and plants. We all know how tap water leaves traces of white calcium sediments on coffee machines, and in the bathroom or kitchen sink. Calcium and magnesium are tow minerals that make water "hard," pushing the pH level over the acceptable range of 6.5 for plant growth. Other familiar "ingredients" in our tap water are chlorine and fluoride. Contrary to the propaganda that's been circulating for 30 years, the fluoride in our water isn't good for our teeth! According to studies, 30-60 percent of Canadian children show signs of overexposure to fluoride. In 1992, after many research findings backing the fluoridation of water had been falsified, one of Canada's top scientific researchers, Richard Foulkes MD, shocked the nation with this statement: "The fluoridation of community water supplies can no longer be held to be either safe or effective in the reduction of dental caries (cavities).....Therefore, the practice should be abandoned."

Chlorine can be a deadly poison. It reacts with water-borne decaying organic matter, like leaves, bark, and sediment, to create a family of chemicals called trihalomethanes and other highly toxic substances. Trihalomethanes, or THMs, include the chemicals chloroform, bromoform, and dichlorobromethane, all of which are extremely carcinogenic even in minute amounts.
Chloramine is another substance now used in many large municipalities. In systems where the level of chlorine is at the highest acceptable level but still needs more disinfection, the utility will then add a chlorine/ ammonia compound. Chloramine is represented as totally safe but with a disclaimer to not give chloramine-treated wather to your animals or use it in your fish tanks (it kills fish). From the smell of the water you can roughly diduce how much chlorine it contains. If there's a strong smell then you should exercise caution and leave the water standing in an open container for a few hours during which the chlorine evaporates; if you fill the bucket/tank with warm water it'll evaporate even quicker. In large quantities chlorine (and fluoride) harms plants, causing dried-up leaf edges, necrotic bronze-coloured leaf spots, and retarded growth. Unfortunately, calcium and chlorine can be found in high concentrations in most urban areas. In hydroponic systems the negative effects are much more obvious: Plants often grow in a closed irrigation system (such as water farms and drip feeding with recycled nutrient solutions) and the substrates offer no "buffering" to ease some of the effects (such as pH imbalance) from excess traces of minerals, like calcium and magnesium.

There are, however, many other potentially harmful contaminants and salts in tap water or even in well water: for example, heay metals like cadmium, zinc and lead. Lead pipes in the distribution system are the main sources of lead pollution. It's estimated that 98% of all households hae lead in their plumbing. Houses older than 20 years and less than 5 are most at risk; houses in areas of soft (low mineral levels) water tend to corrode the lead from the pipes more easily. Industrial pollutants from contaminated ground water enter wells or municipal pipes (through cracks) and make up another category of unsafe substances. Plants can generally cope with moderate amounts of heavy metals, but growth slows down if a level of toxicity is reached. Heavy metal absorption is governed by soil characteristics such as pH and organic matter content; thus, high levels of heavy metals in the soil don't always indicate similar concentrations in plants. The extent of accumulation and toxic level depends on the plant and heavy metal.

In a recent study done in Nigeria it was shown that cannabis absorbs significant amounts of heavy metals from the air and soil. Nigeria is heavily contaminated from its oil industry, and the cannabis plants had high traces in the leaves (flowers were either absent or not tested). Trimmed buds contain enough leaf material for them to be a potential risk for regular smokers. These findings are quite significant, especially for medical users. They advise caution if one's living in an area that has an unusual amount of heavy metals in the water or environment.

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

Is this all just an exaggeration? No way! Water's a vital part of plant cultivation and the quality it has (or doesn't have) plays a major role in how much you get out of it. Caring for your yucca plant in the office window can't be compared with cannabis home growing. What used to work for houseplants, turning on the faucet and watering pots directly, isn't going to give your cannabis plants what they need. Cannabis is a fast growing, annual plant, meaning it has a short life span and takes up water and nutrients quickly; therefore, it reacts more sensitively to changes in the water and substrate. The most important things to watch out for are the salt, or EC level, and the pH level, which tells you how alkaline or acidic the water is.

Before you begin planting cannabis, it's a good idea to first check the quality of your water. There are three ways to do this:

1) The most basic method is to test the pH and EC levels. This should be a standard procedure or any home grower. To test the pH use a liquid testing kit or a battery-powered pH meter. The salt concentration can be tested with an EC meter. Tap water often changes in quality so it's advantageous to regularly test.

2) As an alternative, you can get those readings plus the general composition of your tap water from your local water utility. They will, however, only provide you with the analysis done every few months. So if the EC and pH values change in the meantime you and your plants will be the last to know....

3) If you're using well water, or would like to know something that your utility cannot provide, you have the option of sending a sample to a lab for testing. But you need to specify exactly what they should test for. Apart from the EC and pH level, heavy metals, and other contaminants you're interested in, well water also contains bacteria that makes it unfit for drinking. Ask your local pharmacy for more info (but don't mention Cannabis!).

PLANT INFO

The ideal pH value of irrigating water for cannabis cultivation in soil is 6.2-6.7. If you use the middle value of 6.5 you can never go wrong. Minor deviations are, of course, not going to damage your plants since soil "buffers" pH fluctuations quite well. Always regulate the pH value before you water your plants! In hydroponic systems, the pH can fluctuate quite strongly depending on your type of system, which is quite stressful for grower and plants alike! Usually, the standard procedure is to use a low pH such as 5.5-5.8, because the pH tends to rise quickly over the next 24 hours in most hydroponic setups.

GETTING PURE WATER

Even if you find yourself living in an area with unsuitable water you can still improve it considerably. I've already described an easy method for getting rid of chlorine. If the problem is hard water and a very high pH, such as 7.5-8.5, you can remove minerals (like calcium) through filtration. There are a variety of good household filtration systems available. The cheapest filter usually does the trick, but you have to wait a few hours in order to collect enough water if you have more than one or two plants.

If your water is very polluted, you have a medium to large garden, or you work with hydroponics, you'll require a more professional solution. A reverse osmosis filter is an ideal way to completely remove minerals, salts, heavy metals, fluoride, organic matter, and even radioactive material quickly. The pollutants are expelled through a separate hose that should be placed in an appropriate drainage (not in you r garden near plants, ponds, or streams!). Depending on how much water is required daily, you can buy a unit starting from around $150.

Osmosis water is extremely pure with an EC of only 010-080 ppm. It contains no alkaline properties that could buffer the pH. The ideal ratio for using osmosis water is mixing it with 25-50% regular water. Since it doesn't contain any calcium at all, mixing it with tap water provides the plants with traces of calcium which is required for growth. Cannabis uses generous amounts of calcium for cell growth in the root and shoot tips. Calcium also works as a pH stabilizer. It's otherwise almost impossible to regulate the pH of pure osmosis water. One drop of vinegar or lemon juice sends the pH down to 4.0. Hydroponic fertilizers, such as Canna Coco, that are designed for cultivation in coco fiber contain calcium in the form of CaO. General Hydroponics offers its own version of three-component fertilizer set for soft water. In your local grow shop you can inquire about these and other available brands. Also available are the so-called pH+ products: Calcium Carbonate (CaO) or Potassium hydroxide (KO). Remember that these products alter the EC level too!
Osmosis water is also great for spraying your plants with bio-insecticides or fungicides when necessary. Some biological insecticides, such as the caterpillar killer "Bacillus thuriengesis," only work effectively when they're mixed with pure and soft water. Water daily.
 
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guineapig

Active member
Veteran
Water Curing

Water Curing

The Water Cure

The process known as the "water cure" can actually leach out a lot of unwanted and potentially harmful residue from commercial pot and make it more beneficial.

I first read about the water cure in Rosenthal and Frank's "Grower's Guide." It was briefly described as a way to improve schwaggy weed or leaf. Although this is true, I've found it more useful for improving commercial buds that are already reasonably potent- just a bit too chemmy tasting.

Note that by removing many of the unwanted compounds from you rgrass, you can actually increase its potency by 30% or more! But, please, try this treatment with a small amount of bud to see if you like the results before committing a big bag.

It's simple! Stick your bud in a clean glass jar, fill it with good clean water, close the top, and let it sit for 24 hours. Don't worry: The cannabinoids won't drain out of the bud because they aren't water-soluble. What is going to leach into the water is the nasty stuff you don't want, resulting in a green, brackish solution which resembles old bong water (do not drink!!!). Drain the water and set the remaining bud to dry. Alternately, for a more thorough cure, refill the jar with fresth water and leave it to soak an additional 24 hours.

The cured bud is going to dry more quickly than bud that's just been picked, but make sure it dries well before bagging and smoking. The result, however, may not be totally pleasing to the eye, looking more like Thai weed: dark, shriveled, hard buds, with a very mild smell. But it should give a mellower, slow-burning, more potent smoke, without the nasty aftertaste. If you're a habitual or medical smoker it's a way to avoid some of the nasties associated with chemmy, hastily picked, or uncured bud.
 
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K

kokua

that is most excellent of you to compile all of this info in one thread. Cheers :)
 

FreezerBoy

Was blind but now IC Puckbunny in Training
Veteran
Note that by removing many of the unwanted compounds from you rgrass, you can actually increase its potency by 30% or more!

As a dedicated WC kinda guy, "increased potency" is an illusion. WC leaves you with about 1/2 the weight and volume of a jar cure. While WC has more THC by volume, it does not increase the THC of the harvest. If the harvest held 3 billion trichs, it will yeild 3 billion trichs after either method of curing.

The illusion comes from there being more THC by volume. People fail to adjust their toke procedure. A bowl of WC will have twice the THC of a bowl filled to the same level with JC. We haven't increased the potency, we're just smoking twice the THC per hit.
 

jammie

ganjatologist
Veteran
we're just smoking twice the THC per hit.
i don't see that as a down side- yukyuk
 

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