Does PH adjuster built up in medium?

pegboy

Well-Known Member
I've never had a problem with it but was wondering will PH adjusters build up in grow medum? Seems with dryback they would over time buld up.
 

7CardBud

Well-Known Member
Yes, the buffer (carbonate) can build up in the media. Usually not enough to make much difference in grows under 6 months.
Before I started collecting rainwater, I would use tap water in a 5 month outdoor grow. The media would start off at around 5.6 and end up at around 6.2 by chop time.
 

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
Depends what your pH Adjuster is. Most of them are usually Potassium Hydroxide (ph up), Phosphoric, Nitric or Citric Acids (ph Down)

If you notice they are mostly all NPK bases other than citric acids and or carbonates, the carbonates and citric acids can remain in the rootzone for a while before neutralized.

I have 12 plants on drain trays that all link together, after I feed I collect around a half gallon of runoff and check the pH reading and adjust purely off that. I quit using soil probes and gizmos I strictly use ph drops anymore. I don't like digital meters as they require too much fiddling with and can still be inaccurate in my experience. Runoff has proven accurate in Coco/Perlite for me when feeding daily until runoff. I know many people say its not accurate but my results speak for themselves and I'm not spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on fancy meters and gizmos that require batteries, calibration and replacement parts.
 
Top