pH Raising with pressure sprayer

CBDiva

Member
Hi all, bit of a weird one, not sure if anyone has experienced this before or even knows it exists. Have been feeding at between 6.2 - 6.5 with a pressure sprayer (to have an even, slower feed). Today, out of curiousity, I tested the pH out of the sprayer and found an increase of around 0.7, which is massive. Tested a few times with different starting pH, and difference was up to 1.0 higher every time. Has anyone experienced this? It's obviously damaging to the uptake if my pH is far higher than I'm expecting.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Hi all, bit of a weird one, not sure if anyone has experienced this before or even knows it exists. Have been feeding at between 6.2 - 6.5 with a pressure sprayer (to have an even, slower feed). Today, out of curiousity, I tested the pH out of the sprayer and found an increase of around 0.7, which is massive. Tested a few times with different starting pH, and difference was up to 1.0 higher every time. Has anyone experienced this? It's obviously damaging to the uptake if my pH is far higher than I'm expecting.
I've found if I shake my mix enough to get air bubbles in it the pH changes.

I haven't done it in a while as it was annoying so I dont remember if it went up or down.
 

Beehive

Well-Known Member
Standing water will have a different PH then water thats agitated at first. I believe it's the air pumping with the water. CO2 is known to cause acidity in rain water.

I bubble fert solution for a minimum of 11 hours. I don't check the starting PH. But after awhile it'll stabilize to where it has the same ph standing or bubbled.

Fert solution has to be aged at least an hour.
 

CBDiva

Member
Standing water will have a different PH then water thats agitated at first. I believe it's the air pumping with the water. CO2 is known to cause acidity in rain water.

I bubble fert solution for a minimum of 11 hours. I don't check the starting PH. But after awhile it'll stabilize to where it has the same ph standing or bubbled.

Fert solution has to be aged at least an hour.
Thank you so much for this. When you leave the fert solution, do you pH before or after? Is there such a thing as "over" bubbling or bubbling too long? Really appreciate your response

Thanks everyone, this is for watering, not foliar, so needs to be right.
 

Beehive

Well-Known Member
Thank you so much for this. When you leave the fert solution, do you pH before or after? Is there such a thing as "over" bubbling or bubbling too long? Really appreciate your response

Thanks everyone, this is for watering, not foliar, so needs to be right.
Using RO, GH 3 part, coco. My PH down amount is two to four drops for 10 quarts water. Added at the end of mixing the fertilizer. Last thing to be added. One day, I use 2 drops. The next I do 4. Then another day with 4. Back down to three or two drops. I run between 5.8-6.2. Never above 6.2 and 5.7 is ok but 5.6 isn't.

My personal guild line when mixing it. 2-4 drops, PH down.
 

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
The ph will continue to rise for as long as you bubble it, but it also adds dissolved oxygen to the water as the co2 dissipates. Some other important chemical changes take place as well. I bubble my DTW coco nutrients until I use them up or replace them after 3 days or so and I need to readjust the PH each feeding, BUT that's partly because my water is highly alkaline to begin with and I use citric acid as a ph down. I think bubbling is great, the plants seem to love the added dissolved oxygen.
 

Beehive

Well-Known Member
After it rains. The water also releases the CO2 it picked up. Evaporates up. That's a big reason why plants look so brilliant after a rain. Both oxygen and co2.

I bubble outside the house. The goal is to pump all the atmospheric gases. I don't pour water to plants unless its been bubbled.
 

CBDiva

Member
After it rains. The water also releases the CO2 it picked up. Evaporates up. That's a big reason why plants look so brilliant after a rain. Both oxygen and co2.

I bubble outside the house. The goal is to pump all the atmospheric gases. I don't pour water to plants unless its been bubbled.
Thanks again for all this. Sorry for the late reply, cancer tends to be disabling some days :wall:
 
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