Ph Up&down

[quizywig]

I've been using white vinegar for PH down for the last couple of months, it seems to work ok, a little less toxic than the regula stuff from the hydro shop, hydrogen peroxide and some sort of acid, cant remeber without it in front of me. does any one have a reliable ph up along the same line of vinegar, Edited March 1, 2004 by MADOGA

[Luke Skywalker]

Vinegar is acidic, yes, but it's not the best acid to use for altering your ph levels. Phosphoric and nitric acids are usually used in hydroponics, and these can be diluted down to lower concentrations. You'll likely not find nitric acid, as it's a sight more dangerous than phospohoric.

 

But vinegar will provide nowhere near the performance of phosphoric acids for ph down. Trust me. I've tried.

 

Phosphoric acid is no more toxic than phosphorus itself, and is actually a nutrient used by the plants. Acetic acid will not, and will likely encourage problems aplenty, as well as requiring regular rechecking and adjustment, far more than if using ph down.

 

Yeah, go get yourself some ph down, if it's too strong and that worries you, just buy some distilled water, make up a 1:10 dilution of acid to water, (be careful), and this can be your ph down. You'll need to use more of it than the original fluid, but it'll be safer to use.

[Luke Skywalker]

And you should never have to adjust a solution upwards anyway. Unless something significantly and seriously wrong that is. In which case you'll likely need to do a lot more than just use some ph up.

 

but bicarb soda does a good job if you really need it, although to maintain a good ph environment in soil, the usual answer is lime. Whether you could use this on plants in hydro, well, I doubt it. Perhaps a soaked solution if you were really that desperate to do so, but I doubt that you'd ever nead to do this.

[quizywig]

I agree with not needing ph up usually, I've acutally got some proper hydro ph adjuster, I was just to lazy to dig it out of the shed so I used about half a cup of the vinegar to a 50l tank and it comes up right,

the thing i dont like about keeping the proper ph stuff in the house is I had a horible toxic fire a few years back from not putting the lid on tight and a leakage out of one of the bottles, there was no real damage but the whole house was full of toxic fumes at 2 in the morning and since it was near my plants they ended up tasting a bit toxic,

guess im a bit paranoid with chemicals.

[jackfrost]

Hey guys,

 

The PH down acid to use is one that is "balanced NPK acids" combinied, General Hydro make one like it but is very expensive.

 

You will need "ph up" about from week 6 onward as you increase the amount of P and K available to the plant for the final 20 days of flore.

 

It is not unusual for the PH reading to drop from 5.5 to 5 over night in "week 6" when you start using high quality PK additivies (ie Kabloom by general hydro). This is normal as the plants use the extra PK available, the PH of the resi will go down. Just be awere of it and adjust every day. The benefit to the plant using PK additives is massive bud swelling, tight buds and huge amount of crystal.

 

Jack

[Luke Skywalker]

The PH down acid to use is one that is "balanced NPK acids" combinied, General Hydro make one like it but is very expensive.

 

So why bother when phosphoric is so much cheaper and effective?

 

You will need "ph up" about from week 6 onward as you increase the amount of P and K available to the plant for the final 20 days of flore.

 

I have never used ph up in my reservoir.

[F420]

i also have never used up.

 

Take Lukes advice, he knows what hes talking about.

I posted quite a big resopnce to this question awhile ago but basicallyy its the strength thats the problem. You need to add too much vingegar to drop the nutes,. And that leads to nutrient problems.

Edited April 25, 2004 by Ferenge420

[jackfrost]

Hey Luke,

 

For the sake of $15 per 500ml extra why would you use straight P acid when you can have 100% balanced NPK acid.

 

And yes the PH will go down in the resi if you are using PK addivities, check out the availiable PK in Kabloom by General Hydroponics, Shits all over canna pk13-14.

 

Will post very soon as to why it goes down.

 

Jack

 

Ps. hey star trek - i dont give a fuck if you take my adive or not - This is what works for me, after years of trail and error.

[F420]

Ps. hey star trek - i dont give a fuck if you take my adive or not - This is what works for me, after years of trail and error.

 

Yup and thats why we have this website,

Text books and shit wont tell you what experiance will, I didnt mean not to take your advice but i have not EVER had to use ph up OR had the need to. But hey ive only done about 6 indoors grows mate so Im still learning and word of mouth is THE best type of info for sure.

 

 

Its like the tip with Bio bugs and oxyplus, Ive always wanted to try it but always thought it was a waste of time. BUT im going to try it on my next grow.

[Luke Skywalker]

And yes the PH will go down in the resi if you are using PK addivities, check out the availiable PK in Kabloom by General Hydroponics, Shits all over canna pk13-14.

 

I do use a pk additive, and the ph goes down when adding most nutrients to the unadjusted water. But you take this into account when you make it up, and you shouldn't need to go up at all... That way you don't have to pissfart around adjusting ph up or down all the time.

I do not dispute that what you use works for you, but it remains to be seen whether what works only for you works for everyone else.

 

For the sake of $15 per 500ml extra why would you use straight P acid when you can have 100% balanced NPK acid.

 

How is said npk acid formulated might I ask? Is it just a mixure of nitric, phospohoric and pottasium based acids? Or is it something else?

 

And yeah, for the sake of 15 bucks extra on a tight budget I'll use the stuff that's never done me wrong too. What do you use for ph up? Is there a similarly balanced npk up? Just wondering on that....

 

General hydroponics may be the shiznit for some, but I feel it's yet to be a "proven" winner when so many growers use so many different nutrients and have very good if not excellent results... Just my opinion though, which is all I can ever give.