Question About Liquid Drop pH Tester and Colour Chart

Hey RIU, just had a quick question.

I just mixed my nute soloution and went to test the ph. Colour was dark brown/red (ph too acidic). Added more and more but colour isnt changing.
Is it because my nute mix is to dark?
What to do?

You mean you water is too dark on water you nuted so you can't get a reading on a dropper ph kit?

If so, toss that water out and mix it half strength and try again,,.

see what happens..




Never take my advice, and NEVER use full strength nutes (at least not on your first 5 grows)... that would by advice if you were to not take it.

Ph before adding nutrients...

You cant pH before nutes.?

Are you using a test sample in a little vial or are you trying to add the drops to the entire solution lol

DO NOT pH before you add your nutes... pH'ing should be one of the last things you do right before you feed... adding nutes will change the pH of the solution every time.
Are you taking a "new" sample again every time after you add pH up or down? Or are you trying to test the same old sample in the little vial?

PersonalJesus said:

DO NOT pH before you add your nutes... pH'ing should be one of the last things you do right before you feed... adding nutes will change the pH of the solution every time.
Are you taking a "new" sample again every time after you add pH up or down? Or are you trying to test the same old sample in the little vial?

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im taking a new vial everytime, washing it in between. nutes are added to the water. and I'm adding ph up to it. the colour doesn't seem to change its staying like dark red?

and I'm adding 3 drops the the vial not whole solution lol

my ph is aaround 8
after nutes and sweet citrus its 6.8

If it's pegged at dark red your ph is so acidic it is off the scale. I believe the drops only read down to 4, but I could be wrong. Dump your nutes and try again IMO. Most nutes are designed to lower your ph, because they assume you start with like 7.0 water and want 5.8 ph... at least in hydro. If you're in soil I can't help much, but probably "soil nutes" lower ph too.

If you are feeding full strength according to the feeding chart, the nutrient concentration can be so heavy that it is dropping your ph super low.

so do I need tons of ph up or does the drops not work accurate? I've gotta Hanna meter on the way in a few days but I need to feed now lol I'm I'm coco

The ph drops are accurate, raise your ph to 5.8... which will look on the orange side of yellow in a clear shot glass against a white background in MH or CFL lighting... holding it up in hps lighting should be good enough too.

If you have the orange tinted test vial, I wouldn't recommend using it. Once you know what 5.8 looks like, you can always refer to the drops as a second opinion if you suspect your ph meter is off, because they should be pretty accurate.

Malevolence said:

The ph drops are accurate, raise your ph to 5.8... which will look on the orange side of yellow in a clear shot glass against a white background in MH or CFL lighting... holding it up in hps lighting should be good enough too.

If you have the orange tinted test vial, I wouldn't recommend using it. Once you know what 5.8 looks like, you can always refer to the drops as a second opinion if you suspect your ph meter is off, because they should be pretty accurate.

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i only have a 2L nute solution not 1gal. everything is 1/2d and ive got the clear vial. but I've added 10ml of ph up and no color change?

What is the water pH with no nutes in it whatsoever? Is the originating water from well or through the city? Is it RO? Are you filtering it in any way?

achaser87 said:

i only have a 2L nute solution not 1gal. everything is 1/2d and ive got the clear vial. but I've added 10ml of ph up and no color change?

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10 ML of pH Up isn't shit. It takes a lot. BUT adding it directly without dilution can cause immediate lockout from what I have read numerous times. Don't know how but it supposedly does. Best pH Up is tap water. Empty the res totally. Fill with water and 1/4 strength of recommended, not 1/2. Test and adjust accordingly.

hotrodharley said:

10 ML of pH Up isn't shit. It takes a lot. BUT adding it directly without dilution can cause immediate lockout from what I have read numerous times. Don't know how but it supposedly does. Best pH Up is tap water. Empty the res totally. Fill with water and 1/4 strength of recommended, not 1/2. Test and adjust accordingly.

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Yes, you can force a shock-type lockout with a pH spike, it'd be temporary, but you really dont wish to stress your ladies in that respect unless it's drastic and you really can't help it. I agree completely with 1/4 strength as well, with a complete res cleaning and test.

Figong said:

Yes, you can force a shock-type lockout with a pH spike, it'd be temporary, but you really dont wish to stress your ladies in that respect unless it's drastic and you really can't help it. I agree completely with 1/4 strength as well, with a complete res cleaning and test.

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Good on ya for hitting on the cleaning as well.

Figong said:

What is the water pH with no nutes in it whatsoever? Is the originating water from well or through the city? Is it RO? Are you filtering it in any way?

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Water is from the city, I ran it through a brita filter and let it sit for 24 hours. ph of the water after sitting with no nutes is 7.0-7.2. Dont have a RO filter at the moment.

Please note im growing in botanicare cocogro in pots and handwatering. The nutes im using are the General Organics line. Bio Thrive, Cal/Mg+, Bio Root, Bio Weed, Bio Bud, Bio Marine, Diamond Black (liquid humic acid).

Yesterday i dumped the batch cause I didnt want to take a chance. The batch mixed yesterday was the first time using the Diamond Black (humic acid) which changed the nute water color completley.

Today I added Cal/Mg+, Bio Weed, and Bio Root (not changing the water color much) and it tested fine.

Looks like ill stay away from the Diamond Black until my hanna meter arrives in the mail. Thanks for the help everyone