DWC lower pH with this?

[Justones]

I have a 5 gal bucket DWC going I just started. I dont have any ph down yet. Ph is at 7.3. I need to lower it asap. I used apple cider vinegar last night and got it to 6.0. Then this morning it's back to 7.3. I knew using vinegar was temporary. But man just a few hours of stability is worthless of my effort.

I am ordering some advanced nutrients ph down. But due to time of the year & shipping. At best it's two weeks away.

I've read that you can use sulfuric acid too. I can go buy that at a local auto parts today. Has anyone used this in hydroponics with good success? I hear it's good but wanted to get more info.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Citris does it too, like real lemon juice

I've used white vinegar and it didn't bounce back

What's yet water pH, and what nutes u using

 

[Justones]

Natural spring water ph 6.4 & general hydroponics trio of nutes.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

How is yer pH going up after adding nutes???? If it starts at 6.4

 

[Justones]

Hell if I know man this is my first time doing hydroponic stuff lol. 5 gal bucket, 6" mesh lid, 2 air stones, air pump, hydrogen clay pebbles. One incredible bulk plant started.

I wondered if the clay pebbles were effecting it. I did wash them off a little before use. There is some clay dust in my water mix by the looks of it.

 

[Justones]

I'm going to dump that first mix & fill it back up with fresh water/nutes. It's only been in there 3 days tho.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Could be

When did you last change the rezz...ok just read yer reply, good call on changing it

I use the same Nutes, how much you feeding them? Are u using a schedule??

Do u use a pH pen for yer ph

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Pull the net pot and pour some water over the hydrotron to try and clean it more

Ya should soak it awhile before using it. I'll soak in a h202 mix to help clean it out

 

[Justones]

I have a decent ph pen type reader. Aprera PC60 meter.

I'm new to this hydroponic stuff. This is my first cannibis grow with it. Successful soil grows in the past.

I'm currently just using the general hydroponics chart for mixing nutes by the gallon. I figure I'll just mix up new nutes each week. Completely dump the old & start fresh once a week. I wasn't sure, but thought that would be fairly fool proof?

Just keep an eye on my ph etc.

 

[Emilya Green]

The cheapest pH down I have ever seen uses sulphuric acid instead of phosphoric but I never had any trouble with it. Buy a $6 jug of battery acid at the auto parts store and a gallon of distilled water. Remove 1 cup of distilled water and give it to your plants. Carefully, while wearing goggles, slowly replace that cup of water with 1 cup of battery acid. (this one purchase will last for years} This 1/16th dilution works at just about the same rate as the popular store bought pH down, and for pennies on the dollar.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Start with 1/4 strength nutes, and ramp up to 1/2 strength around 4-5 node....and stay at 1/2 strength unless yer good at reading what the plants need

Do u have an enzyme cleaner like hydroguard or z7
Pretty much a MUST for DWC growing

 

[Justones]

No I dont have any of that. I didnt see it listed in what's needed when researching this info earlier in the year. What's it for?

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Keeps algae and goopies under control

It's a must have for sure

 

[Justones]

alrighty thanks. I'll check into it.

 

[Justones]

The cheapest pH down I have ever seen uses sulphuric acid instead of phosphoric but I never had any trouble with it. Buy a $6 jug of battery acid at the auto parts store and a gallon of distilled water. Remove 1 cup of distilled water and give it to your plants. Carefully, while wearing goggles, slowly replace that cup of water with 1 cup of battery acid. (this one purchase will last for years} This 1/16th dilution works at just about the same rate as the popular store bought pH down, and for pennies on the dollar.

Awesome advice thanks man. I got some today & mixed it as you described. Just 1ml of that mix per gallon is a measurable amount to gauge where to go.

I read its better than vinegar in a couple ways. One it mixes with the nutes well & is very stable. Two is that I've read that vinegar causes a slime to appear in the mix & on roots? I didnt dig hard looking into that one honestly. Could be true or false. But good things about the sulfur mix.