Why flush with pH adjusted water at the end of flowering?

[nachoconqueso]

I'm not here to discuss whether or not flushing is helpful in making a better end product. I just want to know why people choose to adjust the pH their water when flushing. If anything it seems like you'd want to flush with non pH adjusted water at the end to prevent more nutrients from entering the plant thus forcing it to metabolize nutrients inside fan leaves and such. If the goal is to get nutrients out of the plant as effectively as possible then using non pH adjusted water might be a better way to go. There are so many flushing threads on icmag and very rarely do I see someone mention this, but the ones who do are very adamant about it.

 

[Granger2]

I always use pH'd water, but now that you bring this up, it would seem to me that varying the pH between 5-7 would be best for removing nutes from the medium. Different nutes are available/soluble at different pH's. Also, RO water should be best, whether you're using straight water, lite nutes, Clearex or some other flushing agent because RO/distilled is farther from the saturation point no matter what you add. -granger

 

[LyryC]

One reason is to leave the medium behind viable so you can replant after harvest. It'll be clean - ph'd and ready!

Another is some flks just have ph'd water more easily available than say tap water... Everyones grow is different.

Its just one of those things you do or don't. I'll use ph'd water just cause I'm lazy lol and I already have it ready opposed to getting 5 gallons of straight tap.

It doesn't matter in the end brother.

Senescence is natural and you can feed the plants but they will still continue dying. Some people don't flush - others do - some this way others that. I suggest you do it your way brother!

Like Granger says - Distilled is the best - Distilled water is used to flush the human body. The water bonds to minerals pulling them out of their source. distilled is pure h2o - not sure about R/O water - its clean but not "distilled" but would likely be just as effective.

And FYI we should start calling it what it really is - Leaching.

 

[Rabbi]

I'm not here to discuss whether or not flushing is helpful in making a better end product. I just want to know why people choose to adjust the pH their water when flushing. If anything it seems like you'd want to flush with non pH adjusted water at the end to prevent more nutrients from entering the plant thus forcing it to metabolize nutrients inside fan leaves and such. If the goal is to get nutrients out of the plant as effectively as possible then using non pH adjusted water might be a better way to go. There are so many flushing threads on icmag and very rarely do I see someone mention this, but the ones who do are very adamant about it.

I never change the ph in my flush. Basically for the reason you mentioned.

 

[Asslover]

As I type I'm smoking some Gorilla Grape that was given ph'd water for 14 days prior to chop. I never ph'd the water before and I won't ever again. The smoke/taste/white ash/etc is EXACTLY the same.

 

[Skunkpassion]

imho when flushing plain water should be used.. No flushing agents, no ph +/-...

 

[nachoconqueso]

Good show. Thanks guys. My plants are draining as we speak.

 

[AlterEgo860]

I also reuse my soil.. and the only way ive found it actually works well is the flush has to be done well.. then.. what I do is.. after the chop.. I flush all of them 7 gallons of soil.. with 5 gallons of 1/2 strength bio vega with cannazym bio rhizotonic. and then I let it sit.. with fans on blast in the rooms.. to try to dry some of it out for a week.. once it looses some weight.. I go empty out take roots balls out. and I put the soil back into the bags I bought the soil in.. until I use it .

and honestly. ive found.. that first harvest is good.. the second harvest has more smell and taste... and the 3rd is just perfect... after 3 uses in doors.. it goes in to garage to be stored until next outdoor session ....

I kinda want to find out really if this shit im hearing about CBDs and CBD being found in the roots of plants.. because if that's true.. I will start hydro.. and use my roots also!!!

honestly roots could be used for rubs and chapstick and shit along those lines.. wile the plant material is used for smoking.. an eating..

 

[McKush]

Alter - can u post a link to the CBD found in root discussion or thread? That is intriguing news to me.

 

[Storm Shadow]

using RO water you never need to change the PH when using it to flush out your medium.. its comes out to a perfect 7.0 neutral.. just flows right through

 

[Nifty_PoT]

Using RO water means it has zero alkalinity(buffering ability) so it will take on your mediums ph instantly, so it would be pointless to try and ph that , however ,

What about when you use tap water ? For instance my tap water has 60ppm. About 30-40ppm CaCO3 as alkalinity, just enough to change the mediums ph closer to the waters ph of 8.5 .
My main concern is that if i do not ph my tap water in final 2 weeks , that my mediums ph will not be staying ideal(move towards 8.5) , ie provide major stress to the plant ? maybe cause a nutrient lockout in the last most important stage ?

Anyone else worried about something like this? I always want to provide the ideal environment avoiding stress and i guess that why it concerns me .

 

[mg75]

from what i noticed, coco is much more sensitive to ph fluctuations (than soil). it is so easy to PH your tap or RO water... why not just do it and be worry free. if your water is between 5.5-6.5 you are ok, but if it is really low or very high, then PHing is peace of mind.

also, i found that chlorine or whatever the state/city pumps into the water supply will "harden" your buds. not in a good way hard... rather crispy hard... so i suggest to let the chlorine air-out before you flush your coco.

first thing to do is look at your water source and determine its properties. next is to test for PH and PPM yourself. Finally, adjust accordingly.

 

[TheCleanGame]

---snip---

 

[Nifty_PoT]

I dont think anyone is actually flushing with copious amounts of water , what i define and probably many others as the flush period at the en as gradual lowering of nutrients (more correct term some prefer is leeching) , i try to lower it about roughly 100ppm a day during the last 12-14 days to end up with about 100-200ppm in the last 2days. Even more reason to keep a optimal ph in my mind everyone has their own preferd method at the and of the day i suppose .

 

[aridbud]

using RO water you never need to change the PH when using it to flush out your medium.. its comes out to a perfect 7.0 neutral.. just flows right through

Very much in agreement with you Storm. I strictly grow in soil....definitely for grows I try to use RO....or adjust tap water sitting.

I just use plain water (sitting to allow chlorine to evaporate) the last two weeks (I work again 80% with autoflowers) before harvest. Last day or two, I flush a lot, then allow plant soil to dry, putting in total darkness for 2 days....and then use the machete. Never a chemical taste. And slow dry/cure for a smooth satisfying draw.

 

[BrnCow]

PH water allows the rest of the nutes to be used up...as I understand it.

 

[nachoconqueso]

I'm feeding with plain old 7.3pH tap. The plants are fading exactly the same as always. If my buds come out the same then I have my answer. I have a feeling adjusting pH is a waste of time and mone, but I've often been wrong. We'll see in a few weeks here.

 

[yujin]

As I understand it. Using pH balanced water in a flush is simply to avoid changing the soil pH during the course of a grow. A bi-weekly flush that you might do over the course of a grow would be one that should be pH balanced. That being said I do not pH my flush water for the final flush my plant will get. So, the very last water I will give the plant will not be pH adjusted(yes, I'm that lazy). This is the case in my synthetic grows. In my organic grows I never pH anything besides an occasional soil pH test for diagnostic reasons.