My tap water supply here is measuring a pH level of 8 this week (could it possibly vary? it's usually 7.5 or so) I always use a Brita filter before filling the bowls and that tends to lower it to 7 but not this time... When I added the filtered water and nutrients it fell to 7.7. I'm using Advanced Nutrients pH perfect but apparently it's not so perfect Would you - a) immediately pH down and if so, to what number? or b) wait a few hours and see if it hasn't dropped then take action? (i.e. would the nutrients cause such a spike?) I did have the beginnings of smelly water earlier this week, I flushed and used H202 and Hydroguard, smell went away... could that be part of it? I thought acidic water would kill the buggers! Thanks!
You've got temperature problems, ph problems, and pathogen problems. And that's this week. After this run, maybe give growing organic in soil a try. The universe is telling you to change something.
Perhaps. But that doesn't solve the issue at hand. If anyone has insights into my questions as opposed to my universe that would be appreciated
Certainly doesn't. I'll let someone else chime in on that. Can you post a photo of your setup and plants?
OK so to explain. Mylar along the back (that could also be the contributing to the heat problem) Mylar on the bowls to reflect the light (see pic 2 looking down-- they are not one piece) And a fan on low 6 ft away two air stones in each plants 1 week old
First. Lower your pH to 5.8 with the use of citric acid. It is used for preserving foods and can be found in that section of most hardware and big box stores. Also keep in mind.. When water is aerated, it creates turbulence. The turbulence then causes the aqueous CO2 (carbon dioxide) to outgas. Outgassing of CO2 from water results in an increase in pH.
THANK YOU! I have pH down... I also removed the mylar from the back... I need to make sure the inoculants colonize the roots and that the plants become healthy at the outset....
hmm... I assume the water hardness is high. I don't think you should be starting plants using tap. And later in hydro, I sometimes get away adding some tap, some even suggest 10% addition of tap to RO, but generally you want lower EC levels for sprouts and seedlings. I would recommend that you start you plants in a regular cube or rapidrooter and just use RO with no more than 1/4 tap water, at least in the start. Again this is an assumption that you are using hard water. Also, a Brita filter is not able to remove (calcium) bicarbonate; for this you need to use an RO membrane, or acid (see below). A Water Quality Report for your municipality should be available online. this is exceptional for the use in a good organic grow, but remember, citric acid is a Carbon source and will nourish microbe populations, which may not be a good thing at this stage or in this setup,although maybe there is another benefit to the plant? not sure. I suggest phosphoric or even nitric acid as pH down. I've previously suggested that it takes time for lime (ie. calcium carbonate) in hard water to react. The neutralization of calcium carbonate is dependent on sieve size (ie. microscopic size of the calcium carbonate granules), where larger granules take longer to react. So if you use pH down, I suggest bubbling it overnight and watch the pH. Note* Henry's Law: That CO2 can only be depleted as much as the atmospheric CO2. This isn't to disregard @TimJ 's comment regarding bubbling increasing pH, but this is due to loss of CO2 in the form of carbonic acid, derived from carbonates and bicarbonates. *The addition of acid will cause the carbonate->bicarbonate->carbonic acid increasing the CO2 level in the water; bubbling will remove this CO2. The excess calcium will form a conjugate salt with the acid conjugate; for example, using nitric acid will result in the formation of calcium nitrate (a fertilizer); using phosphoric acid will form calcium phosphate (another fertilizer but I think with lower solubility?); using citric acid will form calcium citrate, etc. I wouldn't recommend sulfuric as this will form gypsum, calcium sulfate, another 'fertilizer' with low solubility, aka drywall. looks like you got it worked out.
Scent/smell = bacteria= root rot= hi reservoir water temps. Preferred Reservoir temp for me is 68 degrees F , Any lower I start getting condensation on the outside of my DWC systems .
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To each their own, No egg on face if you use the droplets. Some in here use nothing but digital PH meters. me I only use the droplets . Good luck .