Fertile Fibre And P.h

[Guest mrpn1]

Evening fellows.

I started growing in fertile fibre vegro multipurpose a little while ago, but in the past have always grown in compost happily not adjusting the PH due to its self buffering properties.

I was hoping someone could answer this one.

The fertile fibre is made from coir not peaty compost and was wondering that the reason I'm getting a lot of magnesium defs might be due to PH being incorrect?

Should I be adjusting the PH?

And if so, what to?

[Scribb|e]

You deffo have to adjust the Ph for Coco grows, I do know that much - and there have been a lot of Coco users getting Mg defs, too. I'm sure that someone will be along shortly to tell you what the correct range is. Also, what are you feeding them with? As far as I know, you pretty much have to use Coco-specific nutes in that medium.

[Guest mrpn1]

Not sure about that.

I use bio bizz, theres no probs with the feed at all.

Its not your standard coco, its kind of compost looking with organic nutrients in it (fantastic stuff). I've been using it for a while with not that many problems really considering I treat it like compost.

Edited November 3, 2006 by mrpn1

[oldtimer1]

Fertile fibre make seed MP and potting compost, none of these should present deficiency problems growing cannabis.

If we are talking about straight coco fibre, its not compost but an inert medium and belongs in hydroponics not the compost section.

[Guest mrpn1]

Press Me! This stuff oldtimer, its not plain coir/coco

Edited November 3, 2006 by mrpn1

[oldtimer1]

Fair enough mrpn1, do you have an idea of the run off ph.

Any good compost should not present MG deficiencyproblems. It may be the fertile fibre product does not suit cannabis. Its possible it could be adapted, depends on its buffering level, ie the rum off Q.

[Guest mrpn1]

depends on its buffering level,

Thats what I wanted to know, compared to the buffering levels in normal compost.

I dont know the ph of the run off, I dont have anything to check it. BUt it may be that it needs to be adjusted lower than normal compost because of its make up?

[oldtimer1]

Hmm seems like FF composts are not ideally suited to cannabis OM and BU did a grow a bit back, have a read here!

I think if I was to use it I would add some sterilised loam and inoculant.

[Guest mrpn1]

Hmm seems like FF composts are not ideally suited to cannabis OM and BU did a grow a bit back, have a read here!

I think if I was to use it I would add some sterilised loam and inoculant.

I add bio micro to the Media but nothing else. Don't get my wrong, the fertile fibres pretty good stuff, I was just asking about the pH thing to save me having to use Epsom salt.s

[Guest mrpn1]

Just found this on their website

pH is neutral, and our quality control verifies that it remains in the range 5.4–6.0.

pH seems a little low for normal compost. I use water from a tap left for 48 hours.

I'm assuming theres no need for adjustment, but seems a bit odd?

[oldtimer1]

I would “not water” with ES, misting may help, [it will not hurt the micro heard watered or misted]. OM used Alg Mic with some success, bio micro works best with some real soil/loam in the mix to support/establish the micro heard in colonisation long term.

Can't answer on buffering unless you can tell me what the root ball is doing. Normally you water into a pot tray until full, let it stand for 30 mins, run it through again and take the ph, it gives you a good clue on what is happening in the root ball.

pH is neutral, and our quality control verifies that it remains in the range 5.4–6.0

In that case adding a little fine ground dolomite lime will help with the MG prob, also raise the buffer level a little but you can't beat measuring what your root ball is doing and that depends on your water supply. Standing water for more than a few hours without using a pump makes it more and more anaerobic, its a very bad practise and encourages root problems.

[Guest mrpn1]

I would “not water” with ES, misting may help, [it will not hurt the micro heard watered or misted]. OM used Alg Mic with some success, bio micro works best with some real soil/loam in the mix to support/establish the micro heard in colonisation long term.

Can't answer on buffering unless you can tell me what the root ball is doing. Normally you water into a pot tray until full, let it stand for 30 mins, run it through again and take the pit gives you a good clue on what is happening in the root ball.

In that case adding a little fine ground dolomite lime will help with the MG prob, also raise the buffer level a little but you can't beat measuring what your root ball is doing and that depends on your water supply. Standing water for more than a few hours without using a pump makes it more and more anaerobic, its a very bad practise and encourages root problems.

Cheers oldtimer, I haven't got a pH pen, but I will try adding some dolomite lime next re pot and see how it goes from there.

Mr P

[Guest mrpn1]

Morning people

Just wondered if anyone could give any recomendations to the amount of lime to add to the mix.

I was going to try adding maybe 100ml to 50L, as I'm worried about over doing it?

[Om]

Morning people :wink:

Just wondered if anyone could give any recomendations to the amount of lime to add to the mix.

I was going to try adding maybe 100ml to 50L, as I'm worried about over doing it?

I just caught up with this one. I didn't find the need to buffer the FF but the one thing we did find was the compost was quite a hot one and didn't need a lot of nitro. It would appear there was slow release ferts in the mix already. When we cut back on the nitro and only used a little bb bloom some of the problems went away. Algamic didn't help that much in fact it may have added to it. For the last 3 weeks or so I just gave them plain RO water which seem to help matters. I would keep the nutes down as for the Mg deficiency I would mist with epsom salts as OT1 suggests to water with it maybe a mistake. As for Dolomite lime I believe 100ml per 50 Litres should be ok but be careful as this may cause an imbalance with the nutes. Do you have any pictures ?

Om

[Guest mrpn1]

Cheers Om

Their 6 weeks into flower so wont be misting with anything, I'm not using the FF potting soil (the strong one) I'm using the multi purpose, its nowhere near as strong as the potting mix. I've got some others veging at the moment, their about 2 week old cuttings thir doing fine but when I pot them up I was going to put the lime in that mix to see how it goes.

They dont really show bad signs of mg def untill half way through flowering.

I was thinking of going out today and buying some ingrediants for the potting mix HERE The one with the peat in it, even though I've been trying to go peat free, I just dont seem to get on to well with peat free soils.

Mr P