pH Buffer Bingo!

I

Illegal Smile

Guest
I've become obsessed with figuring out what pH buffers are and actually do, even though I don't (knock on wood) have a pH problem. Some have been considering going to tap water over RO water with the theory that the natural impurities in tap water buffer pH and keep it from shifting. But I had a hard time with that because based on what I had been reading, a Ph buffer does its buffering to a specific pH range, so without knowing for sure what was in the tap water, it would be a crap shoot whether its buffering action would be to the range we want.

Sure enough, I've been finding pH buffer/stabilizers designed to keep pH at 8.5, or 8.0 or 7.5 or 7.0 (all for aquariums) and then 5.2 for making beer. Finally I found one called low range that keeps pH at 6.0. I haven't tried it or even ordered it, just throwing this out there as food for thought since it seems to show that any buffer is not ok, unless you want to struggle getting your pH off a dime of 7 or 8.

http://www.4littlepets.com/lowrangecontroller.aspx
 

whitefrost

Active Member
i only use ro water in my area the water is so hard and cloriney you can smell it and the sh!t taste like pool water.if i used tap i would kill my crop in amatter of hours.would love to collect rain water but the water company woulnt allow it because they charge for what they call storm water collection bastards .its just not worth the risk to use tap but i dont like the waste from the ro its like 4to 1 . aint nothing natural about my tap water.
 

paxneotech

Well-Known Member
I've become obsessed with figuring out what pH buffers are and actually do, even though I don't (knock on wood) have a pH problem. Some have been considering going to tap water over RO water with the theory that the natural impurities in tap water buffer pH and keep it from shifting. But I had a hard time with that because based on what I had been reading, a Ph buffer does its buffering to a specific pH range, so without knowing for sure what was in the tap water, it would be a crap shoot whether its buffering action would be to the range we want.

Sure enough, I've been finding pH buffer/stabilizers designed to keep pH at 8.5, or 8.0 or 7.5 or 7.0 (all for aquariums) and then 5.2 for making beer. Finally I found one called low range that keeps pH at 6.0. I haven't tried it or even ordered it, just throwing this out there as food for thought since it seems to show that any buffer is not ok, unless you want to struggle getting your pH off a dime of 7 or 8.

http://www.4littlepets.com/lowrangecontroller.aspx

I wouldnt use that:D Its designed for fishtanks. But mybe that just me. Visit of find a dealer that has General Hydroponics produtcs and buy Ph Down / Ph buffer An Organically buffered solution and Mineral Magic, worked (and still does) for me, in hydro and coco.:leaf:
 

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