How much baking sosda would you use per gallon lets say to get it from 5.5 to 5.8
Using Vinegar For Lowering pH
- Thread starter trkyhntr420
- Start date
How much baking sosda would you use per gallon lets say to get it from 5.5 to 5.8
Scientific
New Member
Not what you're asking about, I know, but why not just use pH Up? That's potassium hydroxide so it adds a necessary nutrient. Adding a bunch of sodium by adding sodium bicarbonate won't help and might hurt. I guess it would do in a pinch...
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
Very little. I would say less than an 1/8 of a teaspoon but that's based on my water.
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
I actually was told to do this when I tried to buy ph up from the hydro store. He kinda looked at me and whispered just use baking soda. Not a scientific answer or a solid one by any means but works well for me. I also literally put a very small pinch in. Doesn't take much. The worst thing is adding both. Like never ph up and then ph down the same solution if you make a mistake. If you fuck up dump it out and try again.
I do use ph up, just curious on the baking soda.
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
I haven't had any problems with baking soda. However I feel my experience and others may very. My ph is 5.5 out of the tap. So I need very little to correct it. Baking soda is also helpful when dealing with mold or fungus.
Scientific
New Member
Huh! Interesting. Potassium hydroxide (lye) is a much more powerful base so it would take less on weight to weight basis, but I guess if you don't have a big correction to make and don't mind the sodium, why not?
KmKGreyhat
New Member
Huge thanks to this thread. I've been doing everything I can find to bring my plants back to life. After they were done their growth spurt they started dying. Numerous problems really. Like the containers being too small. And roots not getting enough oxygen. And my pH is way too high. Been wondering where the hell I can get some pH down but Vinegar is easier to find. Thanks for the info
anduin1
Well-Known Member
It seems to work for watering soil type of plants but I notice that if I use vinegar to drop the pH from say 7 to 6, it will slowly creep back up over the course of the next 24 hours so making it not ideal for stuff like reservoirs. So I wonder how this impacts the plant if you water at 6 pH but then does the pH drift in the soil itself or does vinegar break down?
Scientific
New Member
Vinegar is an organic acid (acetic acid, CH3COOH), so it can be broken down by the wee beasties living in your reservoir.
I would guess, though, that a pH shift over the course of 24 hours would probably be more likely from something like buffers catching up (including any carbonates naturally present in your water supply).
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
Hey Folks,
I thought I would give an update on my thoughts with this. Scientifically what Jorge Cervantes says about salts and soil is absolutely incorrect. One of the biggest things we have been duped into believing is that if it sounds bad it is. Which is such a bad way to measure things. I'll be honest I was a little worried about the thought of using baking soda or vinegar from the comments here. So I went out and bought some ph up. Guess what ph up is? Extremely corrosive potash. So I dare you to eat that over vinegar. Lol just because something sounds bad doesn't make it so. Just because something sounds natural doesn't mean it can't kill you. I remind everyone of grizzly bears. Just a science lover wanting to set something straight. Ph is ph weather you use baking soda or vinegar or lime.
I thought I would give an update on my thoughts with this. Scientifically what Jorge Cervantes says about salts and soil is absolutely incorrect. One of the biggest things we have been duped into believing is that if it sounds bad it is. Which is such a bad way to measure things. I'll be honest I was a little worried about the thought of using baking soda or vinegar from the comments here. So I went out and bought some ph up. Guess what ph up is? Extremely corrosive potash. So I dare you to eat that over vinegar. Lol just because something sounds bad doesn't make it so. Just because something sounds natural doesn't mean it can't kill you. I remind everyone of grizzly bears. Just a science lover wanting to set something straight. Ph is ph weather you use baking soda or vinegar or lime.
ondercuver
Well-Known Member
so you eat other plant fertilizers ?
"just a science lover" you sound more like a "Gwyneth Paltrow" science lover to me ... vinegar will lower ph , citric acid will do that too , any acid will lower the ph providing it's strong enough .
What you fail to observe it's the ability of this acid to decompose and make the solution revert to it's initial ph much faster than phosphoric acid for example (that's ph- for most pot nutes labelers)
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
The hell are you talking about? That's exactly what I'm saying, learn to read. I think Cervantes followers are the woo peddlers of the growing industry. I recommend you reread what I wrote.
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
I'll summarize my point. Acid is acid as you say. However that's my whole point so if you missed it you have reading comprehension issues. I'm just surprised that they feel baking soda is bad but something that is actually corrosive is cool. Lack of scientific understanding.
Conradino23
Well-Known Member
I'll have to agree with that. He's a nice guy, I really like him as a person, but he's spreading so many myths in his vids that it cracks me up sometimes. His plants don't do that great either and he got a lot of shit for that once on YouTube.
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
Yeah I still love the guy. I'll speak for myself. I use to fall for all the organic and feels right logic too. I even think an organic grow can be great but mixing synthetic nutrients with organic soil works great together. This whole idea of salts stopping the mycorrhizae and microbes is just laughable. NPK is still NPK. I just found it funny how much harsher actual ph up is in comparison to baking soda. I don't think either are bad but the logic is hilarious.
Conradino23
Well-Known Member
It's not the salts that stop mycorrhizae from growing, but phosphorus concentration over 120 ppm in the root zone.
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
Good to know. So does the flower period kill or prevent from growing the majority of the microbes?
Conradino23
Well-Known Member
When plant is chopped mycorrhizae goes dormant and eventually dies, but bacteria keep on living as there are few really that are symbiotic to the point that they can't live without it.
aprosjat
Well-Known Member
I think this thread need to keep going , so here is my 2 cents...
I also use vinegar to lower my PH , but I used Sherry vinegar as it is all I had , PH down to 6.4 . 1ml to 1.5 litres of water worked a charm...
I also use vinegar to lower my PH , but I used Sherry vinegar as it is all I had , PH down to 6.4 . 1ml to 1.5 litres of water worked a charm...
