PH Issue with Local Tap Water

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Tim Johns

Member
I'll start with a little info...

I've been using tap water for over 15 years. I used to use GH (General Hydroponics) back in the day, but now use CES (Cutting Edge Solutions). I had tried using store-bought water and also water out of the vending machine dispensers. When I tried that, the PH ended up being too acidic. It seems that the PH buffers in the nutrients over-compensated and pushed it down below the recommended PH. But, with tap water, it seemed to be perfect. And it would stay perfect for around 7 days (until it was time or close to time to change it). This is in an ebb-and-flow system by the way... not drain to waste. Hardly every used any PH down except when it was close to time to change the water... sometimes I'd use a teaspoon (or less) to even it out for an extra day before changing the water/nutrients. This has been going on for the past 15 years with great results. I've always been a advocate for using tap water.

Recently I moved to a mountain community and things took a horrible turn. I doubt that CES has changed their formula right when I moved and removed the PH buffers, but that's what it feels like. It now takes me about 40ml of acid (PH down) to get the nutrients to 5.6-5.8 PH... with a brand new batch of nutrients in a 12 gallon reservoir. And I have to continuously add PH down every day for 3-4 days. I do have a 'reserve reservoir', which fills the main reservoir. Before I moved, the pure tap water in the reserve didn't have any effect on the main reservoir PH. It now does. I have to add a lot of PH down to the reserve also. I used to not have to do anything with the water for at last a week. Now, if I want perfect PH with every watering, I have to monitor and adjust 6 times/day (every time it waters).

What I'm wondering most is why this would be. Is the water just BAD here? I'll also mention that the PH doesn't seem extremely high as far as the tap water. It actually measures between 6.5 and 7. The same as tap water before that would 'accept' the PH buffers and automatically go straight to around 5.7. Even when I dump 20 ml into the 6.5-7PH tap water, it doesn't do anything. Not until I get to around 30ml does it start to go down. This just seems like very odd behavior which I've never experienced before (and have lived at over 10 places and 3 different cities during my growing period).

So I'm hoping a 'water expert' will read this and give me a little insight into this PH nightmare, why it might be happening, and if there's any way I can combat it.

Thanks in advance!
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
i send out my well water every 2 years to have it tested (mostly for bad stuff like bacteria, e coli, etc). but i get a print out of everything in it and what ppms and what is the ppm range it should be in.

would be worth your time and money to get it tested IMO.
 
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Tim Johns

Member
Kind of expensive from what I've read... and I'm on city water. There are reports on the city's water at the EWG website, which basically says that the cancer-causing contaminants are within legal limits, and some other data. But I'm not a water expert, so I wouldn't know what's good, what's bad, and there's not anything that can be done about it anyway except for moving. Just because it's a nightmare to adjust the PH on doesn't necessarily mean that it's of poor drinking quality I'd assume, and thus not something they'll be concerned about.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
High levels of CaCO3 would cause high pH.

My tap water is 10.3pH with 40ppm of the 80 total as CaCO3.

They add so much to prevent lead from leeching out of old city pipes.

Not sure of your issue. I dont think its an issue though. Just adjust pH
 
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Tim Johns

Member
The report doesn't say anything about what 'normal' chemicals are in it. Just things like 'radioactive contaminants', etc. And, if I were to have it tested, it's not like they're going to care as long as it's within the 'health' standards. I guess I'm more interested in knowing if there's anything I can do to combat it. Maybe there's something out there I can add like a straight PH buffer, before the nutrients. Or maybe I can find different nutrients that have a stronger PH buffer. I have to leave for days at a time sometimes, and don't really want to leave my plants sucking up PH 6+ while I'm gone.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Tim Johns said:
The report doesn't say anything about what 'normal' chemicals are in it. Just things like 'radioactive contaminants', etc. And, if I were to have it tested, it's not like they're going to care as long as it's within the 'health' standards. I guess I'm more interested in knowing if there's anything I can do to combat it. Maybe there's something out there I can add like a straight PH buffer, before the nutrients. Or maybe I can find different nutrients that have a stronger PH buffer. I have to leave for days at a time sometimes, and don't really want to leave my plants sucking up PH 6+ while I'm gone.
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To combat it you can use pH perfect nutes. Use more water per plant creating a larger buffer. Or create nutrient swings like setting at 5.5 and letting rise to 6.1.

My 5gal buckets that hold 3 gal water will swing from 5.5 to 6.1 overnight. My 75gal rdwc system that holds 4 plants swings from 5.5 to 6.1 over 10 days.
 
muleface

muleface

Well-Known Member
I have 10+ ph tap water as well. I use PH down and nutes to bring it back down. If you are really concerned about you ph bouncing around, move to DTW if possible. Also, like Firsttimeare said, use a big tub, you can get a 110 gallon cattle tub from a local farm and feed store for around $70. I had to drive about 45 minutes out of the city to find one. But my PH barely moves now. I used to use a 15 gallon trash can, it was a daily battle to keep the PH in check. Bigger is better here.
 
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Tim Johns

Member
Thanks, guys... sorry for the delay, but I have to manually check here because notifications don't always come through for new posts. Not sure exactly what you mean, firsttimeARE, by pH perfect nutes... is that a brand? My nutes do have pH buffers that normally work - everywhere but where I live now.
 
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Tim Johns

Member
since1991 said:
In your ebb and flow system...are you using an air pump and air stone aerating your reservoir?
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I am using an airstone in the reservoir. Along with an extra pump that just circulates the water and keeps the nutes 'stirred up'. But this issue starts from the time I add the water/nutes. I'm going to ask the closest hydro store if they have heard of issues up here.

This is pretty far-fetched I think, but I wonder if elevation has anything whatsoever to do with it. The place I moved to is at almost 8000 feet. I did a quick search and seen a couple results, but haven't read them or know if they're relevant... going out the door to go down the mountain, but I'll check that out more later.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Tim Johns said:
Thanks, guys... sorry for the delay, but I have to manually check here because notifications don't always come through for new posts. Not sure exactly what you mean, firsttimeARE, by pH perfect nutes... is that a brand? My nutes do have pH buffers that normally work - everywhere but where I live now.
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pH perfect just means the nutrients are available at pH out of the traditional range.

I know advanced nutrients has one
 
ThaMagnificent

ThaMagnificent

Well-Known Member
Tim Johns said:
I am using an airstone in the reservoir. Along with an extra pump that just circulates the water and keeps the nutes 'stirred up'. But this issue starts from the time I add the water/nutes. I'm going to ask the closest hydro store if they have heard of issues up here.

This is pretty far-fetched I think, but I wonder if elevation has anything whatsoever to do with it. The place I moved to is at almost 8000 feet. I did a quick search and seen a couple results, but haven't read them or know if they're relevant... going out the door to go down the mountain, but I'll check that out more later.
Click to expand...
What kind of pump do you use?
 
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