What is the best way to adjust pH? My tap water is about 8.5. I have an RO unit for my Reef Tank top off water but its pH is about 9.5 to 10. I adjust it for my reef tank but the buffer I use only brings it down to 8.3. I have a digital pH/TDS meter now so adjusting is not a problem. I just got the meter this past weekend. I was shocked to see that my water pH was so high and I have not been adjusting. I used some Acidifier with Iron and trace elements that I got from my local garden store to adjust the water. It's a once a year additive( directions are for acid loving plants and said to mix one bottle to 15 gallons and apply to soil at base of plant and will work all season) so I'm afraid to use it to much, but I will have to adjust for every watering and I don't want to get to much build up of trace elements found in this solution. I did a flush with water that I adjusted to 6.4. The water effluent from the pots when flushed with the 6.4 water was about pH of 7.8 so I know it was much higher. I flushed and measured the effluent until the effluent from the pots was pH of 6.8. Hope I did not shock the pore little girls. BIG QUESTION? What's the best fluid to use for pH adjustment? Thanks!!
your RO using is not working then if your ph is that high, ph is supossed to be lower becaue RO removes alot of puritys and nutrients from the water to get low ppm's which is why RO unit is critcial for hydro grows did yuo make sure your meter was calbrated before using it? what bran of meter do you have? or is it self calbrating? trust me the ph thing you got, if your growing hydro you will have to use it moer than once a year and is it safe on plants your using? there are other ways of adjusting ph if you are growing soilk you do NOT need to adjust the ph of the water you are using your soil mixtuer is the contrl here and if your soil mixture has a problem thrn you will need to adjust the soil ph by adding amendments like lime to the mixture to control the ph are you growing soil hydro or soiless mixture?
Hi Gator At this time i only have clones on growing at rockool cubes, i go for hidro. My tap water is like yours 8 / 8.5 ph (i was using a analoge ph metter that give me wrong mesures at water). Thats how i do to calibrate the ph metter and water: 1- I use a neutral buffer solution from Milwaukee that the liquid inside is PH 7. 2- Insert the metter on liquid for at least 2 hours and let there on stand. 3- With the metter inside liquid (i know that is a PH of 7 for sure) i adjust on the screw trimmer a get adjust to PH 7 on metter. Now my metter is corrected calibrated. For PH water adjust, i use Citric Acid at 50% monohydrate, i was in doubt use phosforic acid or Citric, i decided for Citric because plants them self produce some small amout of this one, so i think this is better them Phosforic acid. 1- Get a bowl of water check the PH, some small drops of Citric on water, mix all and check the PH intil' is ok (for me 5.5 - 6.3 i use 5.8) Hope this help you. Here some pics for check Stay cool. Guardian
No I had just got the pH meter and had not yet calibrated it. The PPM dropped from 380 in tap water to 35 to 40 in the RO water but the pH is still high like 8.5 from the RO and 9.8 from the tap. Im visiting a hydro store this weekend to pick up some supplies and will pick up some calibration fluid.
yeh m8 - calibrate ur meter before u make any adjustments to ur solution. i use vinegar ph- & baking soda ph+ Both are completely harmless & imo safer than the powerfull + & - u buy in hydro shops. If u use vinegar make sure it contains no preservatives
I have used both of those to adjust pH of my fish tanks. I guess it makes sence that if It wont hurt a reef tank than the plans will be fine. Good call. As far as changing soil pH goes is it true that the water I use does not effect anything. In that case how do I fix my soil problem. I don't remember the brand name of the soil I used but it looks good and does not have any fertilizers added. I mixed in 50% soil and 30% perlite with 20% mushroom compost. I don't think there should be an unusually high pH with this mix. I figured if it was high than I must have caused it with the water. I am still noticing yellowing tips on some of the new growth. I included pics check them out Using T-5 w/ 8 bulbs. and the nuets shown. I have a digital pH/ TDS meter. Im using the LST method
Here they are http://forum.grasscity.com/attachments/general-indoor-growing/45451d1156422438-lst-stressing-plant-question-1.pdf <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o> </o> http://forum.grasscity.com/attachments/general-indoor-growing/45452d1156422438-lst-stressing-plant-question-2.pdf
hi! do you have any pics??? how are the plants? Try to adjust the ph of the water you use to have a run through water( the water who come from the pots after the soil) at 6.3 to 6.8 of you are there, there should be no ph probs, maybe a ppm prob??
UPDATE: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o> </o> Calibrated my meter. It was slightly off but I think the problem was I was taking the reading to soon. It takes the meter a minute to stabilize and give an accurate reading. Ok my pH seems to be in line at about 6.9 to 7.05 from the pot run off. I did a fresh water flush about a week and a half ago. I have watered with fresh pH balanced water since. I balanced with vinegar to bring RO water down. I have given plants no Fert since. I am now getting yellowing of the lower leaves. I think its time to feed. I'm using Fox Farm Grow Big and Big Bloom. How much should I start with in PPM as I have a meter I would like to use for accuracy? I have also heard that a more accurate way of measuring is to use ECC? Does any one measure feeding this way. Plants look great.