ph down at home? + rep for sugestions
- Thread starter sketie
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VICTORYGARDENSHYDRO
New Member
lemon juice
Longley Lad
Member
Similarly, what can be used to raise PH from the pantry............
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
Baking soda in a pinch. I only need UP when I add to much down.
Go to an auto store and get a bottle of battery acid. That works for PH down is an ingredient on most liquid PH down for fish tanks...But stronger so add drops at a time. AND don't get it on your skin or in your eyes.
For those going WTF! battery acid? It works and people with swimming pools and hot tubs use muratic acid by the cup to gallon to adjust water that people swim in.
Longley Lad
Member
Ok, I'll try that..thanks
Yea,i have been using battery acid for ph down for over a year.I bought a 50 pound bag of battery acid for around 30 bucks from a auto store and then i buy a gallon of distelled water and take 2 cups of distelled water out of the gallon and replace it with two cups of battery acid.My tap water has very high ph.so i use ph down alot.ph down for only pennys,i could"nt beat it and it works so great.
Ace Spoddity
Member
I found this:
I make my own. The best acid solution to use in my experience would be nitric acid with ammonium monobasic phosphate. I prepare a solution with 1-1.5% nitric acid and about 0.2-3% ammonium monobasic phosphate to help decrease the pH of my solution. The ammonium ions also create a pH buffering effect through ion absorption effects that helps maintain your pH levels stable. The added phosphorous also creates a buffer at 6.5-7 and helps your plants if they are within the flowering stage. Using this adjustment solution makes pH swings decrease with time as ammonium starts to "fight" the pH changing effect of anion absorption.
Other acids such as citric and acetic acid could be used but remember that they will eventually start to cause problems if you have to do routine adjustments. Citric acid creates a buffering effect (however towards pH decreases) and may start to precipiate calcium if used extensively. Acetic acid will create a buffer around 4.5 and it may cause problems due to its physiological effect on plants at higher concentrations.
My advice would be to use my nitric acid - ammonium monobasic phosphate solution, you will see that it helps maintain pH levels stable and you will have to use it less often as your plants grow
)
I hope this helps.
I used white vinegar once w very bad results. I know of others that have used it in a pinch with less dire results. I don't know. I will never use it again. I have seen plants looking very healthy and practically getting bigger before my eyes while the roots are swimming around in 8.5 broth. so putting stuff I don't know about is not going to happen. The white vinegar turned into jellyfish and killed my plant. I'm intrigued with the sulfuric acid idea. I wish I could ask Fatman.
I make my own. The best acid solution to use in my experience would be nitric acid with ammonium monobasic phosphate. I prepare a solution with 1-1.5% nitric acid and about 0.2-3% ammonium monobasic phosphate to help decrease the pH of my solution. The ammonium ions also create a pH buffering effect through ion absorption effects that helps maintain your pH levels stable. The added phosphorous also creates a buffer at 6.5-7 and helps your plants if they are within the flowering stage. Using this adjustment solution makes pH swings decrease with time as ammonium starts to "fight" the pH changing effect of anion absorption.
Other acids such as citric and acetic acid could be used but remember that they will eventually start to cause problems if you have to do routine adjustments. Citric acid creates a buffering effect (however towards pH decreases) and may start to precipiate calcium if used extensively. Acetic acid will create a buffer around 4.5 and it may cause problems due to its physiological effect on plants at higher concentrations.
My advice would be to use my nitric acid - ammonium monobasic phosphate solution, you will see that it helps maintain pH levels stable and you will have to use it less often as your plants grow
) I hope this helps.
I used white vinegar once w very bad results. I know of others that have used it in a pinch with less dire results. I don't know. I will never use it again. I have seen plants looking very healthy and practically getting bigger before my eyes while the roots are swimming around in 8.5 broth. so putting stuff I don't know about is not going to happen. The white vinegar turned into jellyfish and killed my plant. I'm intrigued with the sulfuric acid idea. I wish I could ask Fatman.
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
@Ace Spoddity
Where are you getting nitric acid from? Pure nitric acid is some serious shit. I know its used in manufacturing and such but it is also an important acid in synthesizing some types of explosives. It reacts BADLY if it contacts Sulfur. No, I am not a terrorist but a hobby pyrotechnician (fireworks).
I would not by that acid unless one has a very good and legit reason for it. That chemical itself might get one put onto a watch list and growing pot would be the least of one concerns.
Where are you getting nitric acid from? Pure nitric acid is some serious shit. I know its used in manufacturing and such but it is also an important acid in synthesizing some types of explosives. It reacts BADLY if it contacts Sulfur. No, I am not a terrorist but a hobby pyrotechnician (fireworks).
I would not by that acid unless one has a very good and legit reason for it. That chemical itself might get one put onto a watch list and growing pot would be the least of one concerns.
Hydrotech364
Well-Known Member
I've been using Vinegar forever never tried any Battery Acid or lemon Juice,but its good to know.
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
Here is a crappy pic of a bottle of aquarium PH down. You can see it contains sulfuric acid aka Battery Acid.
4 OZ bottle $4.99.
32 OZ bottle of sulfuric acid from the auto store, $7.00.
I figure if fish can live in water adjusted with it, so can plants.
4 OZ bottle $4.99.
32 OZ bottle of sulfuric acid from the auto store, $7.00.
I figure if fish can live in water adjusted with it, so can plants.
Attachments
Ace Spoddity
Member
Buy nitric acid here:
http://www.chemical-supermarket.com/Phosphoric_Acid,_500ml-p160.html?gclid=CNi6tPX5vKUCFQoEbAodfmptYw
Nitric Acid is easy to get
It's used in glass etching/photoengraving as well as the less innocent uses.
At 69.5 % this stuff has to be diluted a lot. GH pH down is not battery acid. It's this combination of ingredients.
Fatman please guide me.
Ace
http://www.chemical-supermarket.com/Phosphoric_Acid,_500ml-p160.html?gclid=CNi6tPX5vKUCFQoEbAodfmptYw
Nitric Acid is easy to get
It's used in glass etching/photoengraving as well as the less innocent uses.
At 69.5 % this stuff has to be diluted a lot. GH pH down is not battery acid. It's this combination of ingredients.
Fatman please guide me.
Ace
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
@Ace Spoddity
I was thinking of nitric acid in the 80%+ range, but at that % it is fuming so be damn careful with it.
You may be right that there is a combination of things in GH and in fish tank PH down.
There is more than one way to skin a cat, and I am just giving my opinion that Sulfuric acid when used CORRECTLY is a very stable and cheap PH down compared to commercial and grocery store products. Baking soda can be used as PH up in a pinch but should not be used long term if one needs to constantly up the PH due to it having sodium which is a part of salt.
I have also used the fish tank liquid chlorine remover as it works almost instantly to condition tap water...but if one has the time to let the water sit and bubble over night, that is one less chemical to have to buy.
Good info though.
I was thinking of nitric acid in the 80%+ range, but at that % it is fuming so be damn careful with it.
You may be right that there is a combination of things in GH and in fish tank PH down.
There is more than one way to skin a cat, and I am just giving my opinion that Sulfuric acid when used CORRECTLY is a very stable and cheap PH down compared to commercial and grocery store products. Baking soda can be used as PH up in a pinch but should not be used long term if one needs to constantly up the PH due to it having sodium which is a part of salt.
I have also used the fish tank liquid chlorine remover as it works almost instantly to condition tap water...but if one has the time to let the water sit and bubble over night, that is one less chemical to have to buy.
Good info though.
harveyjarvey
Active Member
If your just looking to ph your water to use in watering, u can just water with spring water it is usually phed to 6.8
MunchieCrunch
Member
I found my water soluble nutrients lowered my tap waters pH tremendously
Ace Spoddity
Member
I think another consideration is the method of growing. I would think DTW would be the ideal growing method for using alternative pH down acids. IMHO using the buffered nitric acid would work better in a closed water circuit as the corrections would last longer. I believe Sulpher
isn't toxic in excess so the only advantage I see to sulphuric acid is the cost and to me, twice nothing is still nothing. A person could mix up a lifetime supply for $50. As far as the safety issues go, dilution is the solution. Get a 5-6 gal bucket fill half with water slowly add acid, fill rest of the way with water. If the stuff is still too touchy further dilute it. I'm using 3 and 5 gal buckets so I need greater dilution than someone with a 100gal res.
isn't toxic in excess so the only advantage I see to sulphuric acid is the cost and to me, twice nothing is still nothing. A person could mix up a lifetime supply for $50. As far as the safety issues go, dilution is the solution. Get a 5-6 gal bucket fill half with water slowly add acid, fill rest of the way with water. If the stuff is still too touchy further dilute it. I'm using 3 and 5 gal buckets so I need greater dilution than someone with a 100gal res.