How do you easily increase ph in water

Viking420

Member
I measured my tapwater to 5.5. What do you guys use to increase your ph? I use soil btw. So I want to get it up to 6.5. I aerate about 10 liters at a time :)
 

gwheels

Well-Known Member
get a small bottle of PH up and PH down. You can always adjust it right and if they are concentrated it only takes a couple of drops. My PH down in a 5 gallon water bottle takes about 5 drops to go down .1 to .2 PH. Just watch getting it on your fingers it stings a bit.
 
Here’s another alternative though it may not be the most efficient. Go buy some water the store. 1 gallon of purified and 1 gallon of spring water. If the pH is over 7 on those just mix with your tap until you get where you want. The pH on both of those are high in my area so it works. It’s only ~$1 per gallon in stores and can be obtained easier than ordering chems online or going to your hydro store. It’ll also likely be better for your soil life.
 

boilingoil

Well-Known Member
I measured my tapwater to 5.5. What do you guys use to increase your ph? I use soil btw. So I want to get it up to 6.5. I aerate about 10 liters at a time :)
Do you know what the ec is of your water or what is making your waters pH so low?
Otherwise all anyone can do is guess as to what's best pH adjustment product for water quality.
Normally in soil, I couldn't give a care what the pH of the source water is as long as it's between 6.0- 7.5 as the soil it's self does the buffering.
 

Lordhooha

Well-Known Member
I measured my tapwater to 5.5. What do you guys use to increase your ph? I use soil btw. So I want to get it up to 6.5. I aerate about 10 liters at a time :)
Damn that’s some low ph tap water! Is that city water? But like everyone said ph up general hydroponics cheap and easy.
 

Viking420

Member
Sound advice. I do not know the reason why its that low. I live in the country side. Might contact the watercompany and inquire how they treat the water.
 

boilingoil

Well-Known Member
Sound advice. I do not know the reason why its that low. I live in the country side. Might contact the watercompany and inquire how they treat the water.
I don't know your area your're in, but around me there are areas with high levels of hydrogen sulfide in the ground water.
Get us a water quality report from your water authority would give us an idea with what you are dealing with.
 

AuBlue

Member
Just be aware that silica is accumulative and not used in large amounts.
Best to stick with regular ph up unless you have analysis and controlled amount of element.
 

jcloud777

Active Member
I measured my tapwater to 5.5. What do you guys use to increase your ph? I use soil btw. So I want to get it up to 6.5. I aerate about 10 liters at a time :)
O.k. let's see where do we start. First if you want to do it the proper way. It's a lot more steps, but in the end you will have peace of mind. Go to Amazon buy you a ph starter kit. They come complete with everything single thing required. Yes it's going to cost a good little investment. Well worth every penny trust me. Next always have heavy duty scissors. Clean purified water is best. If you can afford it don't be waste full with it though. Recycle a good quality container. I use 1 gallon container keep it full to one gallon. Or extra water for the next feeding so you don't have to PH over again. Next with the scissors cut some empty water bottles top 3 inches below lid cap. To set your dropper pippettes inside one for nutes. One for ph up and or down. Two different dropper pippettes. All this comes with kit. Now fill small vial container it comes with halfway with water. Put 3 drops of PH tester solution. Place lid shake follow PH color indicator chart should say 6.5 PH let's say. O.k. your good now add nutrients to water. How ever much your water you plan on feeding with. Next put your nutrient water mix into small vial container again. Add 3 drops of PH tester solution. Shake now let's say PH is 4.0. Let's slowly bring it up 6.5 not going overboard. So dump nutrient with tester solution. Into unused empty water bottle or something. An put a tiny amount of water into container vial. Shake to get it clean. So PH won't get thrown off. Next put one drop of PH up into nutrient water mix your going to be using (shake). An recheck PH with PH tester solution. It's showing 5.0 this time. So reclean vial container again with tiny amount of clean water. An this time if one drop brought ph up from 4.0 to 5.0. Add 2 drops one tiny drop and normal drop. An test it. Should come out right at 6.5. Now your ready to feed your plant. After you feed your plant. Reclean vial container. Get the dropper pippette put runoff from pot. Into vial container check PH. It should be at 6.5. That's why dolomite lime in soil prehand, is a good stabilizer. An you should be all set no worries keep working area an tools clean. An clean up well after your done for next time. Rinse an dry everything
P.s. general hydroponics best on the market.
 
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jcloud777

Active Member
This is what I use an how I go about it.

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See the PH tester solution and small container vial comes with kit. An see the 1 gallon container? On the very bottom is for extra water. Gatorade bottle is 32oz divided in 8 ozs tally marks. I feed 10ozs to 16ozs of nutrient mix. Is plants get bigger I water til runoff drips to save on nutrients. An im just in half gallon pots.

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This is for pouring leftover PH solution and leftover water from cleaning small vial. An other containers are for holding dropper pippettes

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Dumping leftover
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Testing the PH after mixing nutrients. It was 5.0 PH adjusted to 6.5 PH

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Cleaning container with water for reuse to prevent PH getting thrown off. For next test. Shake clean dump in left over water bottle.

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Plant im testing early candy

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I fed nutrients 10ozs of water mix 0.5 ml seaweed extract.

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Testing run off PH

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My PH is low 5.0 in soil. Will need to flush well with PH water next time

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Hope this explain clearly how to increase PH clean up too for next time. lot of work @Viking420
 

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
Here’s another alternative though it may not be the most efficient. Go buy some water the store. 1 gallon of purified and 1 gallon of spring water. If the pH is over 7 on those just mix with your tap until you get where you want. The pH on both of those are high in my area so it works. It’s only ~$1 per gallon in stores and can be obtained easier than ordering chems online or going to your hydro store. It’ll also likely be better for your soil life.
Purified waters don't hold any pH value well, once mixed with nutrient. No buffers to help balance pH.

Ph of "purified" water is basically directly related to the amount of dissolved Co2 in it..... As this changes, the pH changes.......Once you open that jug and use some. It changes.
 

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
If using synthetic nutrients and in soil.
I would not bother to pH my feed solutions, if they are over 5.0 and under 8.0
The type of soil, and the makers use of Ca source and amount can affect the pH over time....

Keeping the pH at 6.5 in veg and 6.7 in bloom for synthetic use. Not a bad idea for novice growers!

For up, use about any available.
For down - Use ONLY those NOT containing Potassium Silicate!

Your in soil, don't fall for any hype....NO adding Si.....
 
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