PH levels

I was wondering how much ph levels effect plants. I bought a cheap ph tester and I am running 7.3 Ph. My water runs about 7. Is this hurting my plants? Any suggestions? If they need to be bought down is there a safe way?

You can bring it down with lemon or lime juice. You can up the ph with bakeing soda. If it's a soil grow run it at 6.5-6.7 .

Will the acid in the lemon lime juice burn the roots? How much juice per gallon?

No it wont burn the roots. How much a gallon just depends. Theres no set amount. After adding nutes check your ph. If it's high add a teaspoon to the gallon , then check your ph. If it's still high add more juice then check the ph again. You do this till tge desired ph is where u want it. A proper ph eliminates 95 percent of growing problems.

70s said it. However, something sounds off. Tap water (what most people use) is usually around an 8 or 8.5. After adding nutes, the ph should drop into the 5s.... and you should need to be adding something to raise the ph. maybe I'm missing some details.

70sdiver said:

You can bring it down with lemon or lime juice. You can up the ph with bakeing soda. If it's a soil grow run it at 6.5-6.7 .

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if its hydro or coco aim for about 5.8 or 5.9

prep1801 said:

70s said it. However, something sounds off. Tap water (what most people use) is usually around an 8 or 8.5. After adding nutes, the ph should drop into the 5s.... and you should need to be adding something to raise the ph. maybe I'm missing some details.

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depends on the nutes u r using. every nute changes it in a dif way. nute companies vary with how much they change ur ph. some of my nutes raise my ph. some lower it. just a fact of life. go get a bottle of ph up and a bottle of ph down. u r gonna need them. plus they are easier to deal with then lime juice and baking soda.

also my tap water is 7.3 out of the tap. it varies by location.

oh and complete newbs try not to give advice unless u know exactly what ur talking about. it could be potentially harmful advice u give out someday that could ruin someones grow. so try to be sure about ur answers before posting.

prep1801 said:

70s said it. However, something sounds off. Tap water (what most people use) is usually around an 8 or 8.5. After adding nutes, the ph should drop into the 5s.... and you should need to be adding something to raise the ph. maybe I'm missing some details.

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Most nutrients don't change the ph much really except a few for example fox farm tiger bloom brings it way down to the 5s but not most of them. My tap water is 7.8 once added nutrients it will only bring it down to 7.3, you could add ph down to bring it down to 6.7 or add 1tbsp of fine dolomite lime per gallon of water. I would still use the ph down until I see the run off to be between 6.5 to 7.0. It would take time for the lime to start working. Be aware you can't water with dolomite lime all the time it will cause a salt build up if you put too much too often. My prefered method is to add 1 cup of dolomite to 1cu ft mix and water and let it sit and brew for 2 weeks before planting in the soil and you will never have to ph your soil ever again .