Hey guys! First time posting over here. So I'm trying to get as organic as I can, and I feel that the chemicals used in the pH down products could be harmful to me. I tried lemon juice my last grow, but it dissipated too quickly. Is there something else I could use? I've heard of people using that lime stone (cut fine), but I can't find info on it. Thanks!
Organic, cheap method for lowering pH?
- Thread starter Slappy92
- Start date
Serapis
Well-Known Member
Welcome to RIU!!!
General Hydroponics makes PH Down with a phosphorous element that the plant can actually use, unlike aquarium PH Down which uses acids. You can use vinegar to lower PH, as I have done on my soil grows, however I recommend GH PH Down for hydro growing. $23 a gallon and it lasts a long time.
General Hydroponics makes PH Down with a phosphorous element that the plant can actually use, unlike aquarium PH Down which uses acids. You can use vinegar to lower PH, as I have done on my soil grows, however I recommend GH PH Down for hydro growing. $23 a gallon and it lasts a long time.
upthearsenal
Well-Known Member
If you're going to purchase something specifically to lower pH in soil, you should go with Earth Juice's natural up/down, a lot better for soil than that GH stuff. Vinegar works, and if possible get a pH meter to measure your water
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
agreed, earth juice down is best. citric acid is also good. lemon juice and other citrus juices/vinegars aren't going to work long enough. In addition, the pH will rise over time naturally, due to several reasons. The good pH down adjusters will slowly return to higher pH, but not as quickly as juice or vinegar.
The way your water pH over time responds with adjusters has a lot to do with your water's alkalinity (not pH), which you can find out from the water company if you are on city water. Are you doing organic hydro or some soil-less potting mix?
The way your water pH over time responds with adjusters has a lot to do with your water's alkalinity (not pH), which you can find out from the water company if you are on city water. Are you doing organic hydro or some soil-less potting mix?
I agree about the lemon juice, I found with my last two unsuccessful grows that the pH would stay down for a day maybe, if that sometimes. I'm going to be using 50% miracle grow soil, 25% perlite, 25% vermiculite. Does that sound like a good idea? I know miracle grow is a shitty brand, but it's all I could find around town..
I would lose the vermiculite. It retains too much water in the long run and just causes problems IMO
Wet
What exactly is your Ph reading? You didn't say. 6.2-6.7 is where you want to be. 6.5 is ideal. Ph up and down product aren't recommended for organic grows. Coffee grounds will do the trick, unused coffee grounds will lower the ph into the 5's so be careful. You didn't say if your were in containers or outside in the earth. I'm guessing they are containerized and that you don't want to disturb the rhizospere so that's why you're amending it with liquids instead of dry amendments. Anyhow, use room temp chlorine-free water over the grounds and use the runoff to amend the ph. Wait a few hours, then check the ph. Coffee grounds also release nitrogen, so if your in the flowering stage, that's not the macro nutrient it wants, preferring phosphorus at that stage, so beware.
I'm using pots indoors. The pH level of my tap water is an even 7, the soil however comes out to be between 7.5 - 8. When I go to transplant, I'm going to be using 50% peat moss, 25% perlite, 25% soil. I've heard peat moss has a pH of 5, so balanced with the soil and tap water, maybe it'll come out better than what I was getting with the soil + perlite mix I'm currently running.
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
yes, more peat will lower your overall media pH, but you still do not want to be watering with 7.5+ pH water all cycle. You should get your mix right around 6.5, and then get your water the same and everything will be easy.
What are you adding to your water? My tap is 8.0 and after adding food is around 6.5. Your food, or molasses at the very least, should be dropping your pH not raising it.
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
I disagree. sorry. pH up and down play a crucial role in overall optimization, even for organics. citric acid is a chelating agent. nitric and phosphoric acid provide nutrients to the plants, and are also chelating agents. all of these acids break down slow release foods such as soft rock phos or anything in meal form.
yes, the roots can/will/do control rhizosphere pH via root exudates, the microbes as well via similar exudates. But for indoor organics, pH matters and these acids just so happen to also help to release food (aka make bioavailable). this food is needed indoors because our advanced grows are based on rootbound plants.
I didn't add anything to it, I just put it in a cup and took a reading. It's about 6.8 with nutes, they're pretty gentle.
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
That sounds very normal. Make sure your media mix is balanced before you start (i buy mixes designed for herb) and with just a touch of pH down you should be good to go. Even Subcool starts with a bagged media designed for herb!
In organics what is often overlooked is simply letting the soilmix cook. That is, allowing it, after the recipe of amendment have been combined and mixed, to simply sit and stabilize. Usually for thirty days or more, which allows the microlife to reach an equilibrium and balance the soils ph between 6 and 7. So if you haven't already, go ahead and mix the ingredients and allow them to sit and cook, so to speak. Then recheck the ph. If you're using a probe type ph meter the moisture of the soil, whether it's dry or moist when you check can affect the reading. Case in point, this morning it was 45 degrees out and I checked my soilmix and it came out to near 8. But the day before it was 6.6. This evening I checked it again and it was 6.6 at 69 degrees so sometimes a false reading is given due to things like that when dealing with probe type meter like I use. But I knew it hadn't changed that quickly from the day before. Anyhow good gardening.
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
pH readings are very dependent on temperature, and the more expensive meters are temp compensated. I am assuming that the pen you are using is meant to be used at a specific temperature to get reliable readings.