PH Water EVERY day

Pauliewogs

Pauliewogs

Member
So im wondering if anybody else is having to to re-PH their water before each feeding. This is how I prepare my feed solution:

I add half RO water and half tap water to a gallon jug and let it sit overnight to evaporate any existing chlorine. The next day, I add nutes and then PH to my desired level and then feed. Afterwards, I put the cap back on the jug and leave it in the grow room where it sits until the next feeding. Each time I go to feed, however, I find that my PH has gone up .5-.7 from where it was originally at.

So I guess my question is, should I be PHing the water before each feed or just the one time when mixing the solution?

Thanks!
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
I use water off a humidifier. It's consistently 4.5 ph. I have no choice but to adjust the water. The soil (promix) is a good adjuster but it needs to be close to the range of 6.5 to 7....Or it'll over power the soil and go's acidic. Lock out.

With 4.5 water, I can bubble it for two weeks to raise the PH or just let sit for a month. The PH will rise around 6.0-6.5 naturally.

Adding chemical salt(1/2 teaspoon Maxibloom to one gallon) and the PH falls like a rock. Regardless of the beginning PH. With a beginning water PPM of 10. It takes around 30 drops to bring it back up to 6.5.



My vote is to check the PH before every water and or feed.
 
V

vertnugs

Well-Known Member
SouthCross said:
I use water off a humidifier. It's consistently 4.5 ph. I have no choice but to adjust the water. The soil (promix) is a good adjuster but it needs to be close to the range of 6.5 to 7....Or it'll over power the soil and go's acidic. Lock out.

With 4.5 water, I can bubble it for two weeks to raise the PH or just let sit for a month. The PH will rise around 6.0-6.5 naturally.

Adding chemical salt(1/2 teaspoon Maxibloom to one gallon) and the PH falls like a rock. Regardless of the beginning PH. With a beginning water PPM of 10. It takes around 30 drops to bring it back up to 6.5.



My vote is to check the PH before every water and or feed.
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No buffer in your humidifier run off.Have you tried mixing your tap water with your humidifier water?Your ph shouldn't drift as much and you'll use less ph up.
 
Creature1969

Creature1969

Well-Known Member
Any water being added or sitting in a res gets ph'd daily. I don't let my water sit to remove chlorine. City water, straight from the tap.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
vertnugs said:
No buffer in your humidifier run off.Have you tried mixing your tap water with your humidifier water?Your ph shouldn't drift as much and you'll use less ph up.
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Tap water here is 220PPM with a PH of 7.5 to 8. I don't use the tap water but I have mixed it with rain water. I try my best to keep from using PH up or Down. I've stored 30 one gallon jugs of water. Using the oldest jugs first, I don't need to use much if any of UP. The longer it's sits the less acidic it becomes. Sorta rotation with the jugs.

When I do need it, It only takes 3 to 5 drops in the water coming off the dehumidifier to bring it back close to neutral. I haven't had to use PH down since the beginning of using the Dehumidifier water. It's always UP.
 
Dumme

Dumme

Well-Known Member
Pauliewogs said:
So im wondering if anybody else is having to to re-PH their water before each feeding. This is how I prepare my feed solution:

I add half RO water and half tap water to a gallon jug and let it sit overnight to evaporate any existing chlorine. The next day, I add nutes and then PH to my desired level and then feed. Afterwards, I put the cap back on the jug and leave it in the grow room where it sits until the next feeding. Each time I go to feed, however, I find that my PH has gone up .5-.7 from where it was originally at.

So I guess my question is, should I be PHing the water before each feed or just the one time when mixing the solution?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
The reason for a yoyo effect in your pH is the carbonates of the tap water.

...let me explain,

Carbonates = high pH

If a more acidic solution is mix with tap water with carbonates in it, the carbonates dissolve over a couple hours. Since carbonates are alkaline, the pH of the total solution is driven back up.

Acid is added, and pH drops, carbonates slowly dissolve, and pH slowly raises. This will keep happening until all the carbonates within the solution are dissolved completely.

Most people that use tap water, wait, while occasionally giving a stir. After an hour or so, re-test pH, and reapply acid as needed.

Keep in mind during the 2nd application of acid that there is less carbonates to dissolve, and the same volume of acid will have more effect the solution, so don't over correct.
 
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Indacouch

Indacouch

Well-Known Member
Bugeye said:
You don't need to ph at all if in soil. If not soil, ph each time you apply.
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:clap:.....refreshing to see good advice.


I water straight from the hose with no issues ....soil buffers ph all by itself...and ph swing in soil isn't a bad thing IMO ....I used to ph in soil when I was younger ...more harm than good wasting money and time.


I do fill my tanks to let the chlorine evaporate for a few days ....but if I'm lazy and forget ...straight out the hose with no issue......great advice
 
Cx2H

Cx2H

Well-Known Member
Hi,
( in Coco)
.I test anything that gets dumped in. Unless I'm drunk and don't have any nute mix cooking in the brew station and in lazy mode, honestly.

pH is gonna swing.

In Dwc I pH 3 times a week, to compensate for swing.

#Random
 
Bugeye

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
SouthCross said:
I use water off a humidifier. It's consistently 4.5 ph. I have no choice but to adjust the water. The soil (promix) is a good adjuster but it needs to be close to the range of 6.5 to 7....Or it'll over power the soil and go's acidic. Lock out.

With 4.5 water, I can bubble it for two weeks to raise the PH or just let sit for a month. The PH will rise around 6.0-6.5 naturally.

Adding chemical salt(1/2 teaspoon Maxibloom to one gallon) and the PH falls like a rock. Regardless of the beginning PH. With a beginning water PPM of 10. It takes around 30 drops to bring it back up to 6.5.



My vote is to check the PH before every water and or feed.
Click to expand...
Take some of your soil and measure the soil ph. Put it in a jar and add your soft 4.5 water until it is covered. Let it sit about 5 minutes and strain. Measure the ph of the strained water. Do this everyday for a week and then remeasure the ph of your soil. Then come back and tell us how your soft water buffers your soil. I think you'll find that the soil buffers the water and that trying to change soil ph with water is a painfully slow process. Most grows will be over before it can be done with any significance.
 
mr sunshine

mr sunshine

Well-Known Member
Pauliewogs said:
So im wondering if anybody else is having to to re-PH their water before each feeding. This is how I prepare my feed solution:

I add half RO water and half tap water to a gallon jug and let it sit overnight to evaporate any existing chlorine. The next day, I add nutes and then PH to my desired level and then feed. Afterwards, I put the cap back on the jug and leave it in the grow room where it sits until the next feeding. Each time I go to feed, however, I find that my PH has gone up .5-.7 from where it was originally at.

So I guess my question is, should I be PHing the water before each feed or just the one time when mixing the solution?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Make a fresh batch everytime you feed and check the ph right before you dump it into the soil. I never ph when I'm just adding water.
 
Pauliewogs

Pauliewogs

Member
GNOME GROWN said:
If u have ro why are you mixing half tap with it? Use all ro and add some calmag to your feedings!
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I have to buy the RO from the market so i mix half and half to keep my ppm down. By mixing half and half, i save a bit of money while keeping some a small amount of extra minerals in the water. I know it isn't ideal but its what I have to work with at the moment :)
 
Dumme

Dumme

Well-Known Member
Pauliewogs said:
I have to buy the RO from the market so i mix half and half to keep my ppm down. By mixing half and half, i save a bit of money while keeping some a small amount of extra minerals in the water. I know it isn't ideal but its what I have to work with at the moment :)
Click to expand...
You can always get a full test on your water, and use 100% of the nutrients it has; no filter needed.

People use RO filter, not because their tap water is bad to use, instead, it levels the baseline for the bottled nutrients they add.

If you understand how to use the tap water's nutrients, you'll be fine.
 
Pauliewogs

Pauliewogs

Member
Dumme said:
You can always get a full test on your water, and use 100% of the nutrients it has; no filter needed.

People use RO filter, not because their tap water is bad to use, instead, it levels the baseline for the bottled nutrients they add.

If you understand how to use the tap water's nutrients, you'll be fine.
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My tap has an ec of around .7 just by itself. Isnt that way too high for growing?
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Pauliewogs said:
My tap has an ec of around .7 just by itself. Isnt that way too high for growing?
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It can be managed most likely but it has been known for a long time that 150 ppm or .3 ec is ideal with 70 ppm being calcium for source water.

After 250 ppm or .5 ec it is sometimes nessesary to add acid to neutralize some of the alkalinity.

.7 is pushing it. I would mix at least 50/50 with ro. Maybe 2-1. And in soil or potting mix with lime I would not ph adjust. The lime in the soil will do that.

I would mix 3-1 for hydro and see if I needed to adjust.

Best to read about alkalinity in container gardening for proper info.
 
V

vertnugs

Well-Known Member
Pauliewogs........you haven't mentioned what it is you are growing in.

It would help others help you otherwise you're going to get a few different answers.
 
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