DIY: pH Down - EASY!

Tink3rFarms

Tink3rFarms

Active Member
Enigma said:
+rep for another lyon.

With those concentrations you should be using an eye dropper. Which is what I would've posted, but not everyone is keen enough to handle something that powerful. Honestly, a 1:10 ratio is still pretty strong. I think the horticultural companies use something on the ring of 1:30.. but I could be wrong about one or two of them.

Just think about how much water you are buying...

Sulfur won't build up in the system, period.

You might ask, why?

The answer is simple. Plants need sulfur, it is a micro nutrient left out of a lot of fertilizer brands (except General Hydroponics). Plants will eat that shit up!

I see absolutely no downside to this method, what-so-ever. In my mind, this is the only logical recourse to pH problems.

I'm glad there are other enlightened minds still on this board.

:joint:

E
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I think if i ever have to ph down i might try this
 
Kaya88

Kaya88

New Member
This is info that will save you a ton of money "when in doubt". my DIY PH kit: 1000% natural.

Red cabbage has a chemical called anthocyanin in it, which makes this a offical liquid ph indicator:

1. use ro water distiller water, and mix with your nutes.

2. bring your mix to a boil in a pot.

3. chop up enough red cabbage to fill half a cup.

4. after the boil is done, pour a little of your boiled water mix over the cabbage.

5. get a coffee filter and 5 glasses, strain the cabbage water through the filter, and you now have a indicating liquid. pour the cabbage water into the five glasses.

6. the water will change color, if the water is in the red spectrum (red, orange or yellow) then it is considered (acidic), and if it is in the green spectrum (green, purple blue) it is considered (alkaline).

PH UP:
use baking soda to make the media or water alkaline (i use my finger tip, flick off a little of the soda, and dip till i reach my desired ph) or i use un-PH'd distilled water to rise the ph. dont use very much of this stuff, use caution with the baking soda.

PH DOWN:

lemons, limes, oranges, vinegar, soda pop (yes i said soda pop) use a dropper with these, too much will make a red ph of 4.0 so be careful.

total expense: 5.00$

thats it :bigjoint:
 
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since1991

since1991

Well-Known Member
Not ideal for coco coir and way way overpriced but i will stick with gh ph down. I dont use much. A capful or 2 in a 25 gallon tank drops my ph about 6.0. But man i know how they make it and it truly is like 10,000% profit margin.
 
applepoop1984

applepoop1984

Well-Known Member
churchhaze said:
The problem with citric acid is that the people who really need pH down the most need to break a carbonate buffer from very hard water. For this reason, a strong acid like nitric or sulfuric really is the best option. Trying to mix a weak base with a weak acid is futile.

Nitric acid is ideal in these cases, because sulfuric acid increases the sulfate level, and thus the chances of calcium sulfate precipitants. Calcium nitrate will stay in the solution easily, expelling CO2 gas from the carbonates.

I'm a bit shocked as well that applepoop could say there's no such thing as chemical engineers. It's unlikely he was an engineering, science, or math student himself to not have seen any classroom doors that say "chemical engineering lab" or curriculum for the chemical engineering BS degree programs. Of course chemical engineers aren't as real as electrical engineers. hehehehe ;-) (inside engineering joke)
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the "chemistry engineer" had 7 posts on the forum before commenting.
he called himself a "chemistry engineer" which made me doubt that he was a chemical engineer. do you understand now? as far as sulfuric acid is concerned, workers exposed to just the mists of it have a 64% chance of getting lung cancer.now even diluted, and with marijuanas ability to absorb the heaviest metals in nature at a rate that is unheard of, i would be very concerned with using that as ph down.

the alternative that is much safer and has no known links to cancer would be:

food grade phosphoric acid(best)
https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Grade-Phosphoric-Remover-Clean/dp/B06XZSW3QX/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1496911965&sr=8-9&keywords=acid+food+grade

water ionizer with adjustable ph control

notice how phosphoric acid is not a carcinogen, also of note we had a brewer comment on using sulfuric acid. it is true that large scale breweries use it but this is apples and oranges, seeing as drinking a carcinogenic substance is much less hazardous than smoking it.

sorry to dig up an old thread but this info is dangerous both short term and long term, only food grade acids should be used when growing smoke-able things, and at 48 $ a gallon ... phosphoric acid is superior in price ( food grade sulfuric is more expensive), safety, and flavor
 
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C

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
applepoop1984 said:
notice how phosphoric acid is not a carcinogen, also of note we had a brewer comment on using sulfuric acid. it is true that large scale breweries use it but this is apples and oranges, seeing as drinking a carcinogenic substance is much less hazardous than smoking it.
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Plants don't absorb sulfuric acid, they absorb sulfates and use them to make proteins... This mental image you have of smoking acid is just wrong.
 
applepoop1984

applepoop1984

Well-Known Member
churchhaze said:
Plants don't absorb sulfuric acid, they absorb sulfates and use them to make proteins... This mental image you have of smoking acid is just wrong.
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but humans mixing 97% sulfuric acid with water absorb it through their lungs. while not a strong acid, phosphoric food grade 85% is just as good and is not carcinogenic. priced the same as well. no reason to use sulfuric over phosphoric, general hydroponics uses 10-30% in their ph down formula
 
applepoop1984

applepoop1984

Well-Known Member
Enigma said:
Do not spread misinformation in my threads.
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Other than not being a strong acid, What do you think are the disadvantages of using phosphoric acid for pH Down rather than sulfuric acid.

I erred in stating that sulfuric is dangerous to smoke. However mixing it with water you are exposed to the fumes of 97% sulfuric acid. It is proven to be a known carcinogen with 64% of workers that have inhaled it have lung cancer. I'm not looking to cause trouble but you cannot deny that food grade phosphoric acid is safer just as inexpensive and works just as well as sulfuric. There is no misinformation these are clearly facts

Not only that, its actually cheaper than battery acid:
http://www.mbferts.com/Phosphoric-Acid-85-Food-Grade-Fertilizer-Hydro-DIY-pH-Down-260.htm

At 99$ for 5 gallons, by far the cheapest safest pH down available.

The cost per gallon comes out to $4.95 compared to General Hydroponics 25 - $30 this is by far the best safest and most economical way of pHing
 
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Enigma

Enigma

Well-Known Member
An excerpt from an article written by The Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment:

"In our experience, the most effective and widely used acid is sulfuric acid; however, this is one of the most hazardous acids to use. For low amounts of alkalinity removal, phosphoric acid may be the acid of choice. However, we do not advocate adding more than 2.25 fluid ounces of this acid to 100 gallons of water, because of the amount of P one would add. Nitric acid is theoretically ideal because it adds nitrate nitrogen; but it fumes and is highly oxidizing, making it very difficult to handle. Citric acid is a weak organic acid and a solid, making it safer than the other three; but it is much less effective, and therefore more expensive to use."


Simply, copied and pasted with no adulteration for your information and education.

I want anyone who is willing to listen and learn to grow the best possible bud without being taken advantage of by gimmicks and marketing.
 
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applepoop1984

applepoop1984

Well-Known Member
Enigma said:
An excerpt from An article written by The Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment:

"In our experience, the most effective and widely used acid is sulfuric acid; however, this is one of the most hazardous acids to use. For low amounts of alkalinity removal, phosphoric acid may be the acid of choice. However, we do not advocate adding more than 2.25 fluid ounces of this acid to 100 gallons of water, because of the amount of P one would add. Nitric acid is theoretically ideal because it adds nitrate nitrogen; but it fumes and is highly oxidizing, making it very difficult to handle. Citric acid is a weak organic acid and a solid, making it safer than the other three; but it is much less effective, and therefore more expensive to use."


Simply, copied and pasted with no adulteration for your information and education.

I want anyone who is willing to listen and learn to grow the best possible bud without being taken advantage of by gimics and marketing.
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Completely ignored my question, are you a sulfuric acid lobbyist
 
Enigma

Enigma

Well-Known Member
applepoop1984 said:
Completely ignored my question, are you a sulfuric acid lobbyist
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I'm not concerned with your inquiry. Facts are facts, if you did your research you wouldn't be asking me a thing, you'd +rep and move on, instead you are bad mouthing my thread with gimmicks and marketing while making a competing thread aimed at discrediting this thread which is aimed to help people save money while growing the best bud possible.
 
applepoop1984

applepoop1984

Well-Known Member
Enigma said:
I'm not concerned with your inquiry. Facts are facts, if you did your research you wouldn't be asking me a thing, you'd +rep and move on, instead you are bad mouthing my thread with gimmicks and marketing while making a competing thread aimed at discrediting this thread which is aimed to help people save money while growing the best bud possible.
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The goal of my thread was the safest PH down that is effective and inexpensive. $4.95 for a gallon of pH Down it is a steal and the fact that it's not carcinogenic like sulfuric acid is is an added bonus. Cant argue the facts
 
Enigma

Enigma

Well-Known Member
applepoop1984 said:
The goal of my thread was the safest PH down that is effective and inexpensive. $4.95 for a gallon of pH Down it is a steal and the fact that it's not carcinogenic like sulfuric acid is is an added bonus. Cant argue the facts
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The five (5) gallon bucket of pH down that you posted is $100. Who is going spend $100 on pH down unless they are growing in a warehouse? Still, at that level it is highly encouraged NOT to use phosphoric acid on such a large scale, sulphuric acid is safer. Besides, $8 for a bottle of sulfuric acid that I never used all of was the wisest investment.

Edit: this is an excerpt from your thread. The first paragraph, or at least what resembles one, roughly.

"many posts on here about cheap diy ph down from sulfuric acid... there is a better safer carcinogen free alternative that is superior; phosphoric acid"

If that isn't directly aimed at discrediting my thread that is based on facts, instead of your marketing gimmicks, then I don't know what is.

-E
 
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applepoop1984

applepoop1984

Well-Known Member
For some reason you think I invented phosphoric acid which is not the case. I have no affiliation with the links I posted and I feel it's in the best interest that Growers have many options including phosphoric acid which is much safer than sulfuric acid. Not only is it food-grade unlike your battery acid but it's non-carcinogenic also unlike your battery acid. I don't see any reason to stop posting adding a constructive alternative that is much safer is not something that is frowned upon on this forum
 
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