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ChrisWho
Psilosopher


Registered: 03/06/08
Posts: 426
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Casing pH help needed
#10103817 - 04/04/09 04:31 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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So I'm preparing casing for 2 dub tubs, and I just finished mixing my peat and hydrated lime, and my pH is reading like 9! I've tried adding more peat to lower the pH, but no luck so far... I started with 8 tablespoons of lime to 3 quarts of peat. Will the pH go down when I add gypsum? I really really don't wanna mess this up.
-------------------- Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. And it may be that we need techniques to move us in that direction, and the use of psychoactive drugs clearly is one path that has helped many people.
-Andrew Weil
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veda_sticks
Cultivator




Registered: 07/29/07
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Loc: UK
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Re: Casing pH help needed [Re: ChrisWho]
#10103958 - 04/04/09 06:19 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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How are you measuring PH??
If you followed the 50/50+ tek you shouldnt have to worry about the ph, it should be right if you followed the recipie.
--------------------
PF TEK - writeup by EvilMushroom666
Lets Grow Mushrooms - RogerRabbit & RoadKills website with sample videos plus the full PF TEK video series. Alot of great information - BUY THE DVD
Cakes can and will pin! - So you think cakes suck for pins. Your wrong
Franks Simple Coir/Verm Tek
Franks Proper Pasturisation Tek
Franks Spawning To Bulk - Monotub
Professor Pinheads RTV Injection Port Tek
Foo Mans No Soak WBS Prep Tek
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ChrisWho
Psilosopher


Registered: 03/06/08
Posts: 426
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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I don't have any litmus paper, so I was using strips I use for my fish tank as well as a pool test kit... I didn't use the tek. I just mixed the lime in at 4% by volume... I guess I'll go look for the tek and mix up some new stuff.
-------------------- Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. And it may be that we need techniques to move us in that direction, and the use of psychoactive drugs clearly is one path that has helped many people.
-Andrew Weil
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veda_sticks
Cultivator




Registered: 07/29/07
Posts: 14,191
Loc: UK
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Re: Casing pH help needed [Re: ChrisWho]
#10104079 - 04/04/09 07:21 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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Ive just been reading through 50/50 tek posts and alot of people have been saying dont use hydrated lime, as its very hot. Use calcium carbonate.
I think you want your casing layer to be around 8.
--------------------
PF TEK - writeup by EvilMushroom666
Lets Grow Mushrooms - RogerRabbit & RoadKills website with sample videos plus the full PF TEK video series. Alot of great information - BUY THE DVD
Cakes can and will pin! - So you think cakes suck for pins. Your wrong
Franks Simple Coir/Verm Tek
Franks Proper Pasturisation Tek
Franks Spawning To Bulk - Monotub
Professor Pinheads RTV Injection Port Tek
Foo Mans No Soak WBS Prep Tek
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ChrisWho
Psilosopher


Registered: 03/06/08
Posts: 426
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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I thought 7.5 was optimal... Either way I'll look around for some ca carb. today.
-------------------- Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. And it may be that we need techniques to move us in that direction, and the use of psychoactive drugs clearly is one path that has helped many people.
-Andrew Weil
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brainsOplenty
myconut



Registered: 06/27/06
Posts: 750
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Re: Casing pH help needed [Re: ChrisWho]
#10104115 - 04/04/09 07:38 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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i don't ever ph adjust my casing, peat/verm. i add a little crushed limestone for the long-haul, that's it.
-------------------- FOR GOD'S SAKE MAN! TELL ME ABOUT THE FUCKING GOLF SHOES!!!
LIVIN THE LIFE!!!
"WE KNOCK NIGGAS OUT AND MAKE EM BOUNCE LIKE RICKY HATTON"- IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE
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ChrisWho
Psilosopher


Registered: 03/06/08
Posts: 426
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Would gypsum work just as well?
-------------------- Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. And it may be that we need techniques to move us in that direction, and the use of psychoactive drugs clearly is one path that has helped many people.
-Andrew Weil
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veda_sticks
Cultivator




Registered: 07/29/07
Posts: 14,191
Loc: UK
Last seen: 5 years, 13 days
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Re: Casing pH help needed [Re: ChrisWho]
#10104126 - 04/04/09 07:44 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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gypsum is added as a longterm buffer, it prevents the ph swinging over time.
Crushed limestone is calcium carbonate, so you are pretty much adjusting the ph.
there are so many variations on this tek. im now getting myself confused
--------------------
PF TEK - writeup by EvilMushroom666
Lets Grow Mushrooms - RogerRabbit & RoadKills website with sample videos plus the full PF TEK video series. Alot of great information - BUY THE DVD
Cakes can and will pin! - So you think cakes suck for pins. Your wrong
Franks Simple Coir/Verm Tek
Franks Proper Pasturisation Tek
Franks Spawning To Bulk - Monotub
Professor Pinheads RTV Injection Port Tek
Foo Mans No Soak WBS Prep Tek
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brainsOplenty
myconut



Registered: 06/27/06
Posts: 750
Loc: on your sister
Last seen: 3 months, 24 days
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Re: Casing pH help needed [Re: ChrisWho]
#10104137 - 04/04/09 07:48 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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there are alot of things you can use as a buffer. i use the crushed limestone because 1. it's cheap 2. it's very slow acting since my peat/verm mix is nearly optimal to begin with. another thing to look at is your water supply, if using tap water. our water here is very basic, if i test it right out of the tap it reads really high. go get a ph meter from local garden shop. they are cheap and very handy.
-------------------- FOR GOD'S SAKE MAN! TELL ME ABOUT THE FUCKING GOLF SHOES!!!
LIVIN THE LIFE!!!
"WE KNOCK NIGGAS OUT AND MAKE EM BOUNCE LIKE RICKY HATTON"- IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



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Re: Casing pH help needed [Re: ChrisWho]
#10104522 - 04/04/09 10:27 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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There's so much bullshit wrong info info in this thread I can't touch it all.
Use hydrated lime at one TEAspoon per cup of peat as I've posted here repeatedly. A quart has two cups, therefore you use two teaspoons of hydrated lime per quart. You used more than twice the recommended amount.
Gypsum is NOT a long term buffer. In fact, it's not a buffer at all since it doesn't change pH to a noticeable degree. Gypsum supplies calcium and sulfur, two elements essential to good fruit formation.
There is no use for long-term buffers such as crushed limestone in a casing layer, despite what you read in published books to the contrary. Long term buffers are for the garden outdoors where you're growing plants all summer. In mycology, the life of a casing is measured in weeks, therefore there is only a need for immediate pH correction, which is why we use hydrated lime since it's water soluble and begins to work right away. Advice that it is too 'hot' or not to use it is flat-out wrong.
Double up on your peat and your pH should be around 8 which is where you want it at the start. It should also be noted that if you're using a bulk substrate and growing cubensis, no casing layer is needed anyway. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms
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ChrisWho
Psilosopher


Registered: 03/06/08
Posts: 426
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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So RR, you're saying it would be ok to just throw the tubs into fruiting conditions as is? Would my yeilds not suffer at all? I've read it's important to maintain close to 100% Rh, and I'm not sure I have the right amount of polyfill in my tubs for that, and I'm not sure how much is too much.
-------------------- Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. And it may be that we need techniques to move us in that direction, and the use of psychoactive drugs clearly is one path that has helped many people.
-Andrew Weil
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shroomzey
Humble Student




Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 904
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Re: Casing pH help needed [Re: ChrisWho]
#10108492 - 04/05/09 01:13 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
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Yes you can fruit uncased with cubensis, your yield will be the close to the same as if you had cased. You'll just have a less even pinset with larger fruits than if you had cased. Besides, casing takes time, effort, ingredients, and increases your chance of contamination in the long run.
It takes experience to get casing layers perfect to see real increases in yield in the first flush, and its main purpose is to provide a good pinning environment when conditions are less than optimal.
So rather than spend your time getting good at casings, get good at providing the best environmental conditions first. Then experiment with casings so you get that experience under your belt.
--------------------
200 years from now, we will look back and laugh at ourselves for how stupid we were.
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Edited by shroomzey (04/05/09 01:13 AM)
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