Indoor Soil Grow (tap water ph)

[CMOYK]

Hello people! i am a indoor soil grower.My tap water is 8.0 ph, and i want to know what is the best method to bring it down to 6-7
In the internet, i've read that, you should not ph water in soil. Other growers say that you should use organic ph down. Third ones say use chemical ph downs (Phosphoric acid)
(Nitric acid). I am very confused, i don't know what to do.

 

[GreenHighlander]

I would def use some type of PH down if my water was 8. In a decent soil mix precise PH is not as needed as other forms of growing. The soil can and should buffer anything that is not perfect, but 8 is pretty high on the scale. Get it down to 6- 6.5.
Cheers

 

[Lordhooha]

I would def use some type of PH down if my water was 8. In a decent soil mix precise PH is not as needed as other forms of growing. The soil can and should buffer anything that is not perfect, but 8 is pretty high on the scale. Get it down to 6- 6.5.
Cheers

8 isn’t high enough to worry about anything in decent soil and they’ll be fine. If it was edging up to the high 9’s or higher then you can worry with it. I’ve ran high 7 to 8 ph in my soil grows everything came out just fine.

@CMOYK what sort of soil are you using?

 

[CMOYK]

I would def use some type of PH down if my water was 8. In a decent soil mix precise PH is not as needed as other forms of growing. The soil can and should buffer anything that is not perfect, but 8 is pretty high on the scale. Get it down to 6- 6.5.
Cheers

Thank you for the fast reply. The problem is that organic ph down (lemon juice) lowers the ph for some hours, and then it rises back at where it was started.
On the other hand i've read that. You will damage the living bacteria in your soil-
If you use synthetic ph down. This is what confuses me.

 

[CMOYK]

8 isn’t high enough to worry about anything in decent soil and they’ll be fine. If it was edging up to the high 9’s or higher then you can worry with it. I’ve ran high 7 to 8 ph in my soil grows everything came out just fine.

@CMOYK what sort of soil are you using?

My tap water may rise to 8.5 or 9 some times, so i have to be prepared for anything. Upper half of the pot is Biobizz lightmix, Down half biobizz allmix, and BIOTABS.
I am growing autoflowers, and i read that this is a great method for growing them.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Don't bother trying to chase PH in soil. Get a nice soil mix that buffers and the swings will be fine.

 

[JayBio420]

Thank you for the fast reply. The problem is that organic ph down (lemon juice) lowers the ph for some hours, and then it rises back at where it was started.
On the other hand i've read that. You will damage the living bacteria in your soil-
If you use synthetic ph down. This is what confuses me.

Tap water adjusted to 6.5 from 8 will not kill microbes! That’s ridiculous and incorrect. PH6.5 is almost neutral and if that killed microbes our whole planet would be dead. Use a real pH down, don’t bother with lemon juice, and don’t worry too much. Soil has so much stuff in it to buffer it won’t matter much. I am an indoor soil grower an pH all my water to 6.5, because that’s what the plants prefer. See above chart to see how actual pH affects nutrients, and know that water pH and soil pH will not be the same, but water pH will INFLUECE soil pH to a minor degree and over time.

 

[freemancat]

For what it is worth I have ~8.5 out of the tap and prefer to use genral hydro ph down to get me around 6.5 as I can get some discoloration otherwise. I know soil is a natural buffer but this is just my experience.

 

[CMOYK]

View attachment 4226182
Tap water adjusted to 6.5 from 8 will not kill microbes! That’s ridiculous and incorrect. PH6.5 is almost neutral and if that killed microbes our whole planet would be dead. Use a real pH down, don’t bother with lemon juice, and don’t worry too much. Soil has so much stuff in it to buffer it won’t matter much. I am an indoor soil grower an pH all my water to 6.5, because that’s what the plants prefer. See above chart to see how actual pH affects nutrients, and know that water pH and soil pH will not be the same, but water pH will INFLUECE soil pH to a minor degree and over time.

JayBio420 I have nitric acid for veg, and phosphoric acid for flower both of these acids are used in hydro ph down products. The thing is that my phosphoric acid is 85% and the one from general hydroponics is 38% so i guess i have to use lower dose when i use it, right?

 

[JayBio420]

JayBio420 I have nitric acid for veg, and phosphoric acid for flower both of these acids are used in hydro ph down products. The thing is that my phosphoric acid is 85% and the one from general hydroponics is 38% so i guess i have to use lower dose when i use it, right?

Yes, you will use a lower dose. In brewing, we use phosphoric or lactic.

 

[LuisOkc]

Do i cut

 

[CMOYK]

Yes, you will use a lower dose. In brewing, we use phosphoric or lactic.

Did you notice some NPK imbalance, after using phosphoric acid for lowering ph? and by the way, how do you feed your plants in vegetation and flowering without damaging the plant with too much phosphorus? could you suggest some fertilizers? And what do you think about using sulfuric acid for ph down?
Thank you for the useful information.

 

[JayBio420]

Did you notice some NPK imbalance, after using phosphoric acid for lowering ph? and by the way, how do you feed your plants in vegetation and flowering without damaging the plant with too much phosphorus? could you suggest some fertilizers? And what do you think about using sulfuric acid for ph down?
Thank you for the useful information.

I didn’t notice any imbalances other than deficiencies in my last grow. I’m not even certain what type of pH down acid I have as it’s a local hydro shop’s house brand. My plants weren’t damaged by phosphorus, no.
As for fertilizers, I use organic amendments in pro mix, and taper up a chemical feed aka General hydro Flora Trio. I add a bit of compost, bone meal, blood meal, guano and dolomite lime to my soil and floraliscious plus and B vitamins to my feedings/waters. Sulfuric acid should work fine, sulfur ions are good for plants.