Best pH down around town?

greenearth5

greenearth5

Well-Known Member
Im growing with a DWC method and i need to get some pH down.... i have foxfarm nutes but no ph down

What works best?
 
the best PH adjustment solution you can buy has a main ingredient with phosphates in it

try not to get anything with a lot of salt
 
so i can either get some liquied or some dehydrated (crystalized) stuff.... it should have minimal salt in it...
 
yeah my grow shop is like 2 hrs away so its a stupid drive so I try to get everyting in one shot. I need some ph down b/c its very high here. I use distilled water but it starts at 7ph I need to go down to 5.5 or so to soak my rockwool cubes if u find antying let me know.
 
it really doesnt matter. all of them will make your pH down, all of them are basicallly the same thing, usually phosphoric acid
 
Basic phosphoric acid is great, and most common.. The reason being, phosphoric acid will react/neutralize in solution to form things like potassium dihydrogen phosphate/dipotassium hydrogen phosphate.. These types of salts in solution will 'buffer' the solution against pH drift very well at pH 6-7.. (eg loosely speaking, a solution buffered well at pH 6-7 will take fewer drops of pH down to go from 9.0 to 7.0 than it would to go from 7.0 to 6.8)..
So essentially, the more 'neutralized' phosphoric acid you have in the tank, the better buffered it will be, and the more stable at pH 6-7..
Phosphates were mentioned.. Some brands may be souped up with neutralized compounds to increase the buffering capacity, but you could easily make your own phosphate buffers if you can get some potassium/sodium hydroxide, and standard phosphoric acid pH down..

For the quanities/concentrations we'd require this can be done safely, but these things can react VIOLENTLY together, producing heat and splahing everywhere.. And they can be VERY corrosive.. Even more so when warm/hot..
 
What do you guys use for your ph meters.... pocket ph readers or the fixed position type that you hang on your wall
 
I use the liquid. Works great. Used to use a PH down from a fish store but haven't been able to find it again. GH make great nutes just stands to reason the same for there PH +-. My 0.02
 
I was using lime juice in the little plastic lime from the grocery. I'm now using vinegar. I also don't have access to ph down.

I'm open to suggestions, is using lime juice or vinegar bad for plants?
 
I know that DNF pH down is plain phosphoric acid.. Sold at most hydro stores in 10% and 85% concentrations for about $10.. Alot of others will be the same..
Vinegar/Lime etc have no buffering capacity at our target pH, so using those your pH will sky rocket back up..:(
 
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