PH ruining my grow please help!

My grow is 4 weeks into veg today. I started with some issues, but was able to fix almost all of them. The one, which happens to be the most important, is my PH. I have a new meter plus the strips for backup. My tap water is about 7.5-8 PH, and when I put it in a cup and add ph down it goes to 5.5! But when I add ph down to my rez it doesn't do anything! I have completely cleaned the entire system including the buckets tubes pump airstones and rez! Like I said I got a H down into the rez and then test half hour or so later its still at 8! I am losing my mind and my grow! Does anyone have any suggestions for me? They would be unbelievably appreciated!

how much pH down did you put in the rez? What are you using for the pH down? If you're using lemon juice, you may have a few issues getting the pH to stabilize.

ive heard lemon isnt a great buffer also. it is a good quick fix though, and it breaks down metals (minerals) for the plants to use.

is it hydro? isnt 5.5 fine for hydro?

Tap water has stuff in it that buffers pH, so you need to use more pH up or pH down to change the waters pH.

How big is your res and how much pH down are you using?

bmeat said:

ive heard lemon isnt a great buffer also. it is a good quick fix though, and it breaks down metals (minerals) for the plants to use.

is it hydro? isnt 5.5 fine for hydro?

Click to expand...

The issue was with the other part of it, saying when he added it to rez that the pH didn't move, is why I was wondering how much was used, what was used.. and forgot to ask the size of tank too, as that could be another factor.

Figong said:

The issue was with the other part of it, saying when he added it to rez that the pH didn't move, is why I was wondering how much was used, what was used.. and forgot to ask the size of tank too, as that could be another factor.

Click to expand...

sorry..getting tired.

get a charcoal filter (brita) and filter the water. it should remove a lot of the salts that they put in the tap water to buffer it.

then use a good stable commerical ph down, let it sit for sometime..check it in 10 minutes and make sure its in range.

wah lah. if i had room for hydro, i would use it.

You need a RO/DI system the RO brings you down to 0-1ppm the DI strips the ions from the water helping you maintain a proper Ph with out having to Ph down your nutrient solution.
the problems with your tap water is that it wants to rebound back to 7.0-8.0 Ph. Doing so adds a lot more ppm(s) to your nutrient solution you add your nutrients to the solution the ppm jump through the roof and it locks up your plant from absorbing nutrients.
get some distilled water for now until you can get a RO/DI system.
The main goal of your hydro solution is to only add your nutrients. No Ph up or down. With a RO/DI system you'll be able to do that.

I have a 50 gallon rez and ive added like a cap full of ph down after every rez change but the first rez change I ever did I kept adding and adding ph and it never went lower than 7! Crazy right?

IrishSmoke00 said:

I have a 50 gallon rez and ive added like a cap full of ph down after every rez change but the first rez change I ever did I kept adding and adding ph and it never went lower than 7! Crazy right?

Click to expand...

LMAO- you got a 50 gallon reservoir and your using tap water. You should know better. You plant potatoes you get potatoes. Good luck with the plants your gonna need it.

bmeat said:

sorry..getting tired.

get a charcoal filter (brita) and filter the water. it should remove a lot of the salts that they put in the tap water to buffer it.

then use a good stable commerical ph down, let it sit for sometime..check it in 10 minutes and make sure its in range.

wah lah. if i had room for hydro, i would use it.

Click to expand...

Don't listen to this moron. He can't grow a plant in soil, much less hydro.
He doesn't have room because he lives with his parents.
He is probably 15.
wah lah?

lolololkolol trousers, so topfuel why do you say that? I only have 40 gals filled?

That's rule #1 with hydroponics. You have to have clean pure water. If you don't your just asking for ph problems/rebound problems/ high ppm problems, From having to Ph down constantly.
read about- Ph rebound, and water Di-ionization. One is your problem the other will fix your problem.
when I did hydro I had a RO/DI 7 stage system. The water I would make had a Ph of 5.1, after adding nutrients it would buffer the nutrients solution to Ph 5.4 I would run to waste on a 10 day cycle. I wouldn't have to Ph down the entire cycle ending on day 10 with a Ph of 5.9 - 6.1
thats one of the tricks, start with a lower Ph that's still in range Ph 5.0-5.1 add your nutrients and let it rebound over the cycle to Ph 6.0, no Ph down.

Wow thanks for all the great replies everybody. The only thing I can do now is get a really good RO filter, does anybody have any suggestions on some good ones? Also my plants are in weef 5 of veg, healthy but not growing anywhere near where they should be at I am assuming because they aren't really eating because of the damn ph being so high!!! If this is correct should I just veg for longer once I correct my ph? One last question, I just noticed like some white stuff on the grow cubes and a little on the hydroton around one of my plants, does anyone know what that could be?

why wouldnt a cheap brita filter work? if you are that scared, just run the water through it twice. charcoal is an excellent filter.

you what you ppm as low as you can to start with use rain water if can its free if not buy water or a ro of some kind to lower ppm just add more downer but may go back up after 24 hours thats what to me so i started collecting and ueing rain water and spring water with little ppm and stoped having problems