How can I lower my pH?

Hey guys Ive tested my water and it is nasty stuff for the plants I guess. I heard that hydrogen peroxide and vinegar raise and lower the pH is this true? Anyone have experience with this? And if you have could you please help me? Thanks everyone.

I know you need to use acid, so vinegar may work. Wouldn't try it though till someone can say for a fact it works and does no harm to the plants. Vinegar is wonderful stuff though, it has so many uses. The clone king actually told me the exact name of an acid you can use but i've completely forgotten what it was. for some reason I can't get hydrochloric acid out of my head, but I don't think this was it. if nobody answers I'll get back to you tomorrow when I can ask again.

Yeah, you can use an acid like vinegar, or lemon juice to lower pH, but it is not the best method. You will have to adjust it again soon, because it won't be stable. Phosphoric acid is more stable, and it provides phosphorus, the P in NPK, which the plant can use.

Most pH Down products sold in hydro shops are primarily phosphoric acid.

HTH

Do what potroast said...go to a hydro and get pH up and pH down solutions...its the best way imo

First of all ... do not use vinegar to lower PH. This comes from a guy (me) who wiped out an entire, expensive, Fig Widow crop using vinegar as a newbie.

I'm assuming that you are in soil. In the future, add one SMALL handful of Granulated Dolimite Lime to each two gallons of your soil mix. That will keep your PH in check for the entire grow. By the way, a PH of 7 (neutral) is just fine for soil grows. The lower PH figures you see, such as 5.8, or 6.0 are intended for hydro grows. Also, invest in a Reverse Osmosis system. Your plants will love you for it. Here's a link to cheap RO units: http://search.ebay.com/reverse-osmosis_W0QQfrtsZ150QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ3QQsbrsrtZd

Vi

I grow in soil and the only thing I use to control PH in Phosphoric Acid 85%. A very small amount in a 5 gallon pail of water is my normal watering solution when I am not adding nutes. I use well water that has a PH of 8.0 so PH up is not needed in my grow.

If your looking to save some money you might be wise to look for Phosphoric Acid at a janitorial supply store rather than a Hydro store as I have seen it sell for much less in these stores.

Hope this helps someone.

for the limes Viredd where can i find those? Wal-mart? or just a local nursery center?

sulfuric acid = ph down

i went to the store today and got some of that earth juice natural ph down, i thought it would be liquid, turns out its white crystals... ill see how these go. the acid and base seem to fluctuate really fast, my hopes are that earth juice stays put.

To lower PH I've safely used white vinegar, coffee grounds, and lemon juice/peels. Never had any probs. To raise it all I've ever used was gardening Lime.

ViRedd - you either used way too much vinegar, or something else killed the plants.. Vinegar is safe to lower PH.

I use Vinegar too---- and I got some banging spears off my first indoor grow. Use it in the city water that I pour the night before to let the Chlorine blow off. very small amounts will reduce a gallon of water and stays stable the whole time I leave it in my spray bottle. Like for Clones at 5.5 ph stays right there no problem. Must have had something else like Nute lock out or metal deficency to lose your crop or too much vinegar. Should be like 1 tbs to 1 gallon will bring it down almost a point.

dont use vinegar... the plants dont respond well to it and it sucks balls at lowering ph.

Places that sell PH down:

gardening stores

aquarium stores

hardware stores

u have one of those around u somewhere

Yep mee too, Ive used vinigar three drops per gallon to reduse to 6.6 5.0 ,

would the ph reducer for my pool work?

Vinegar works great for me. No ph problem ever

Phosporic Acid is safer and probably your best bet.
DONT USE SULFURIC ACID (Strong acid totally dissociates and pumps your plants with H+) that shits for hottubs.

All ph is the hydronium (H+) ion which is what makes things acidic in your solution (nutes). Water is amphoteric which means it can be both acidic and basic, this is why your ph fluctuates. It constantly reacts and with different concentrations found throughout it bounces.

Soil is about as natural as you can get and theres tons of shit in it. So all sorts of bacteria grow.
Other mediums like hydroponics or hempys only use water and perlite respectively. (Not optimal bacteria growing happens in these mediums)
So we lower the ph and it makes it easier for the bacteria to grow.

I use hempys and just use 1 lemon which squeezes like 5ml of juice and add my 5ml of nutes and shake. Plants really liked it, and took care of my P deficiency XD.

So.... buy some dolomite lime and dont worry about ph.

Found this pretty interesting : Neutralizing water pH with CO2

Baking Soda = 12.1
Ammonium Hydroxide = 11.63
Hard Water = 8.5
Distilled Water = 7
Hydrogen Peroxide = 6.2
Single Acting Baking Powder= 6
White Vinegar= 2.4
Lemon Juice = 2
Ethanol (Grain alcohol), Isopropyl = 0 (takes on already exiting ph level of solution)

how much white vinegar or coffee grounds do you recommend to the gal of water?