Major pH issues

311stoner

311stoner

New Member
Alright, my pH has been jacked up the past couple of days, it gets up to like 7.2 in my DWC setup, I have probably 25 gallons in the reservoir and I'll add like 40 mL of distilled white vinegar and get the pH down to like a 6.4 or 6.5 level, yeah I know you're not supposed to have it move so much, I got nute lockout going so I'd rather have a big pH swing then just slowly let the plants die off... I got my the pH down to like 6.2-6.4 earlier today and I just checked it and it's up to like 7.2 again.... Is it an ongoing battle using distilled vinegar all the time??? Is pH down a more permanent fix?? I'm probably going to go to the hydro shop and get pH down tmw but if this is just an ongoing deal I'm going to say fuck hydro and go to soil cuz it's a pain in the ass....
 
Re: Major pH issues...

nevermind, found the answer I was looking for.... Just for informative purposes to anyone else having the same issues, here is why using distilled vinegar to lower your pH is a pain in the ass and so short-term...

From another marijuana growing forum:
"I would recommend NOT using vinegar or lemon juice to adjust the pH of your system. Although they are both acid, they are very weak (notice there is no warning about vinegar contacting skin). This is important because these weak acids will break down quickly, causing the pH to raise suddenly, perhaps stressing your plants, or at least causing you to adjust the pH every day. If you are using bubbler system, the air being pumped into the solution will quicken the breakdown of the acid. If you have a choice, I would recommend nitric acid; because when it breaks down it should leave beneficial nitrogen. I have only used hydrochloric acid because that's what's around.
To lower pH, (not that I've ever really had to except when I added to much acid) try using baking soda, it works and is cheap."

Along with that, pH decreasers designed for aquariums or pools typically have the active ingredient of Sodium Dihydrogen Phosphate or some similar compound with sodium and phosphate as the main ingredients which will typically lead to sodium toxicity. So, pH down sold at your hydro shop or online from hydro stores IS NOT the same as the cheap stuff you see at PetSmart, Wal-Mart or any other place selling aquarium pool supplies. Do yourself a favor and drop the $12 or so per quart of the good stuff b/c it is a lot stronger and more stable than distiled vinegar or lime juice so it will last longer and not allow the pH to drift as much....
 
Re: Major pH issues...

Thanks Ms. Fox, you can find about anything on google if you word your search just right, I had to do about 10 different search phrases to find what I was looking for but was finally able to. Picked up some pH down at the hydro store and switched out my reservoir b/c I had major algae issues, the light tight rule ain't no bullshit but the pH down keeps it at a steady 5.8 now....
 
Re: Major pH issues...

We dont have Hydro shops out here, are there any alternatives to commercial Ph down solutions? Ive been using vinegar for quite some time and I have the same problem.

Ive read in other thread that car battery water is ok to use and hydrochloric acid commonly found in degreasers and drive way cleaners. Any thoughs on these?

thanks!
 
Re: Major pH issues...

Aratilis said:
Ive read in other thread that car battery water is ok to use and hydrochloric acid commonly found in degreasers and drive way cleaners. Any thoughs on these?
thanks!
Click to expand...
Im also planning to use battery water with my forthcoming grow; I've done some research and found out that its either distilled or ionized water, depending on gas station. Both should be fine.
Now, Im not that much of a chemist, but I know that hydrochloric acid is strong acid that corrodes metals. I wouldnt bring that stuff near anything that Im planning to consume, even though human stomach acid contains hydrochloric acid.
 
Re: Major pH issues...

Car battery acid does work. There used to be a old grizzled grower around named sanclem that used car battery acid. he also swore that MH lights were superior and that HPS lights were only good for door stops. If you decide to try battery acid go super easy as it goes a long way. If you ever screw up start over or dilute with new untreaed solution. never add ph up after adding down and vice versus. lock out could occur. It's one or the other.
 
Re: Major pH issues...

Even if you can use battery acid, I have to ask, why? Ph up and down are only about $4 a quart.. I'm not sure where "out here" is earlier in the thread.
 
Re: Major pH issues...

Hey Racefan,

Tell me about lockout if you say have to raise the pH on your water after you dropped it. To make my life easier, I've added 4 x 20 gallon trashcans to my room as reservoirs. Veg water, veg nutes, flower water, flower nutes. I like going in once a week to fill the cans, and baseline everything. I continue to measure during the week and tweak if necessary. Generally the pH will drop over a couple of days from the low 6's into the mid-high 5's So far a couple of tsp of pH up brought above 6 where I like it.

I also use NSU Greenleaves, which with bloom juice at 1400 ppm brings my water to 6.3 (8 oz - 15 gallons).

Anything else I should consider tweaking?

Thanks, Farmer Rich
 
Re: Major pH issues...

The pH creeping down is happening in all 4 cans too.. Water was dropping over a couple of days too. This is where I'd already added pH down to dial it in initially.

Thanks again!

Farmer Rich
 
Re: Major pH issues...

The best solution is to get hydroponic pH down. It's a nice mix of phosphoric acid, citric acid, and mono ammonium phosphate. So thats good for flowering more because of the phosphorous source, but nevertheless there is some nitrogen coming in. This is MUCH better than battery acid, even though it is cheap, im sure it isnt as healthy and organic...it is for motor vehicles after all...1 ml/gl lowers pH about 0.5...very constant. I only have to adjust my pH about once or twice a day. It only fluctuates about .5 over the course of 24 hours or so. A good environment should slowly raise in pH. My reservoir is only 2 gallon too.
 
Re: Major pH issues...

ah! apologies. thought you guys were considering using sulfuric (battery) acid for lowering pH! yeah distilled water is the best way to go. 0 ppm and 7.0 pH.
 
If your PH is rising she wants more nutes. Add 50ppm at a time and do it slowly as to not shock it.
If your PH is falling she wants less nutes, and you need to thin it with water. Try this instead of just adding up/down and throwing the PPM off.
 

Similar threads

A
SOS - Wilting plant
Replies
1
Views
674
ohme
O
pinky2213
ph Control issue
2
Replies
23
Views
2K
pinky2213
pinky2213
papaduckie
Problem with ph
Replies
4
Views
1K
dynasg2009
dynasg2009
Z
pH meter blues
Replies
3
Views
1K
zolar
Z
7
Overuse of white vinegar generated major toxic lockout
Replies
17
Views
717
SmokingWings
SmokingWings
Back
Top Bottom