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If this is too long to read I just need an answer to this question: How much vinegar should I add to a gallon of 7.3 pH RO water along with my very small amount of nutes to get it to a 5.5-6 range? The pH of full strenth nutes (i'm using 50%) is 6.08 according to Technaflora. I used a dash, about 1/32 of a tsp last time. Until my pH meter and pH down get here this is all I can do. I'm fully aware vinegar is not good for Phing, and I'm fully aware I need a pH meter with coco, but right now I need information, not poor-shaming.
I'm using Technaflora nutrients in coco coir with Auto AK under a 400w HPS, feeding full strength every watering, (between 40% and 50% of prescribed levels) and up until this point everything has been amazing except for slight N.tox when switching to flowering. I now believe that previous N. tox was just the beginning of my nute lockout taking place. I used RO water + nutes for the first few weeks, and then i took some anecdotal advice and started using my tap without pHing it. All was well until a few days ago when i noticed severe N. tox, calcium deficiency, and what just looked like general nute lockout. There's yellowing leaves on the bottom, leaf clawing on the top, yellow spots on some top fan leaves, necrosis and brown spots on some of the dying leaves. They're about two weeks into flower. So here's where I really screwed up, i bought a cheap 3-in-1 pH meter and went by those horribly inaccurate results and flushed with tap water.
I then came to find out that the pH meter was completely inaccurate, fluctuating readings between 3 and 7 for the same water, and displaying tap water with a tablespoon of baking soda as more acidic than normal tap. So i smashed that pH meter and I have a new one coming in like 10 days, but until then I accidentally flushed with a tap water that has 8.6ph. I didn't mistype that, i did in fact mean 8.6 pH. So until now the only thing keeping my plants alive has been the fact that the nutes have been lowering the pH enough to create a semi-livable environment. I flushed them with reverse osmisis water with a small amount of nutes and about 1/8 of 1/8 of a tsp of vinegar per gallon less than 30 minutes after this horrible mistake, and they haven't gotten worse.
Should I keep using about 1/32 of a tsp of vinegar to water until my supplies get here? If not, should I use less or more? I'll have some pictures up of the leaves after I make lunch.
I'm using Technaflora nutrients in coco coir with Auto AK under a 400w HPS, feeding full strength every watering, (between 40% and 50% of prescribed levels) and up until this point everything has been amazing except for slight N.tox when switching to flowering. I now believe that previous N. tox was just the beginning of my nute lockout taking place. I used RO water + nutes for the first few weeks, and then i took some anecdotal advice and started using my tap without pHing it. All was well until a few days ago when i noticed severe N. tox, calcium deficiency, and what just looked like general nute lockout. There's yellowing leaves on the bottom, leaf clawing on the top, yellow spots on some top fan leaves, necrosis and brown spots on some of the dying leaves. They're about two weeks into flower. So here's where I really screwed up, i bought a cheap 3-in-1 pH meter and went by those horribly inaccurate results and flushed with tap water.
I then came to find out that the pH meter was completely inaccurate, fluctuating readings between 3 and 7 for the same water, and displaying tap water with a tablespoon of baking soda as more acidic than normal tap. So i smashed that pH meter and I have a new one coming in like 10 days, but until then I accidentally flushed with a tap water that has 8.6ph. I didn't mistype that, i did in fact mean 8.6 pH. So until now the only thing keeping my plants alive has been the fact that the nutes have been lowering the pH enough to create a semi-livable environment. I flushed them with reverse osmisis water with a small amount of nutes and about 1/8 of 1/8 of a tsp of vinegar per gallon less than 30 minutes after this horrible mistake, and they haven't gotten worse.
Should I keep using about 1/32 of a tsp of vinegar to water until my supplies get here? If not, should I use less or more? I'll have some pictures up of the leaves after I make lunch.