2 noob questions on PH.....

Hey Guys some quick questions on my little start up....

1. has anyone used actual sulfuric acid (battery acid) to lower PH? I have vinegar but was told it doesn't hold PH down very long....

2. I have 5 little babies (2 days old) using my tank - no nutes - why is my PH all over the place? Was 8.1 yesterday morning - brought it down to 5.9 then was 7.3 this am.... back down to 5.9 now... I'm just confused as to why it fluctuates so much...

Thanks for the help!!

Cheers

Don't experiment if you're not positive just buy some ph down

you can use sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid. I use phosphoric myself but I read extensively about using sulfuric acid. You need to get fresh new non-used battery acid and dilute it to 1/10 its original strength, then use that in small doses to lower your PH. Vinegar, lemon or lime juice or whatever acidic shit you get from your kitchen will hold your PH overnight, your res will keep fluctuating and will reek! soon you will have fungus gnats and pests swarming your place, it will be like a sewer lol using sulfuric or phosphoric acid, you will fix that problem for good...

jeeves1000 said:

Hey Guys some quick questions on my little start up....

1. has anyone used actual sulfuric acid (battery acid) to lower PH? I have vinegar but was told it doesn't hold PH down very long....

2. I have 5 little babies (2 days old) using my tank - no nutes - why is my PH all over the place? Was 8.1 yesterday morning - brought it down to 5.9 then was 7.3 this am.... back down to 5.9 now... I'm just confused as to why it fluctuates so much...

Thanks for the help!!

Cheers

Click to expand...

Have you calibrated and checked your meter?

jeeves1000 said:

Hey Guys some quick questions on my little start up....

1. has anyone used actual sulfuric acid (battery acid) to lower PH? I have vinegar but was told it doesn't hold PH down very long....

2. I have 5 little babies (2 days old) using my tank - no nutes - why is my PH all over the place? Was 8.1 yesterday morning - brought it down to 5.9 then was 7.3 this am.... back down to 5.9 now... I'm just confused as to why it fluctuates so much...

Thanks for the help!!

Cheers

Click to expand...

If you are using RO or distilled water. That would flex your pH. You need a buffer to stabilize it. Add 1/2 the cal/mag to the water. PH should even out. And not a nute. But if your on tap water check your batteries. If they get low meters don't work right.

Agree check batteries and calibration. Also if your standing right next to your digital ballast it may throw it off. One of my ballasts that I have is an off brand and if I'm within 5 feet of it i would occasionally get funky readings. When I walk into hallway it would snap to where I presumed it should have been.

there is no need to ph plain water. ph affects nutrient element uptake via the roots, if no nutes then no need for a specific ph range.

Wow, all excellent adivice! HA - I too thought there is no need to regualte due to no nutes - but u know how once u mess with something somehow u need to make it right...especially when ur a new guy

Also,thanks for the heads up on the vinegar etc! because I just bought some...I'm going to buy some sulfuric acid and dilute it. Standard PH down is 9.76% sulfuric acid according to the bottle so 10% seems safe.

Also, yes, I calibrated my meter several times because I could not trust thew readings I was getting and it was dead on....it just amazes me how like 1 ml can affect PH so damn much!

Yea dude you need to listen to superstoner, the first two-three week so hydroponic growth after germination stage requires no nutes, and no ph down. I call it the water root stage they will develop, small roots and will yellow to signal they are hungry. Works for me everytime! after 2-3wks in cloner the seedlings are ready for veg. Tru stinkbuddy telling you

jeeves1000 said:

Hey Guys some quick questions on my little start up....

1. has anyone used actual sulfuric acid (battery acid) to lower PH? I have vinegar but was told it doesn't hold PH down very long....

2. I have 5 little babies (2 days old) using my tank - no nutes - why is my PH all over the place? Was 8.1 yesterday morning - brought it down to 5.9 then was 7.3 this am.... back down to 5.9 now... I'm just confused as to why it fluctuates so much...

Thanks for the help!!

Cheers

Click to expand...

Just buy ph down or ph up by general hydroponics. technically, most water out of the tap is 7+, so ph up isn't needed very often. Just add water to bring it up. Ph down is a must though. A quart of ph down made by general hydroponics is like 10 bucks and will last you quite a while.

Your ph is all over the place because plants eat nutes and drink water at different rates, thus changing the ph in the water. Get used to it.. it happens. The best way I've found so far to control it, is having a bigger res for your system. smaller systems fluctuate more, but, you can make corrections faster and catch problems quicker. It'll fluctuate more. A bigger system is more stable. Usually.

that makes no sense. you say his ph is all over the place because his plants are eating nutes. he has no nutes. plain water will fluctuate. nutes will help stabilize it.